Famitsu Surveys Next-Generation Console Interest

Weekly Famitsu, one of the leading Japanese video game publications, has released a survey of readers, game developers, and retailers on the level of interest in both next-generation and current game consoles. Website Revolution Report has translated the results, which put Nintendo's Revolution system a very close second to the PlayStation 3. The gap between the two is slightly wider in the case of developers, 53.7% of whom name the PS3 their most anticipated system compared to 41.4% picking the Revolution, and the retailers, who come down in favor of the PS3 56.9% to 43.9%. Gamers, however, differ by less than one percentage point: 45.8% are most looking forward to the Revolution, while 46.3% chose the PlayStation 3. The Xbox 360, also included in the survey, was selected by only 2.4% of developers, 1.7% of retailers, and a comparatively robust 7.9% of gamers. Nintendo also came out well in the question of what respondents thought would be the #1 system of 2006: the Nintendo DS took 49.9% of the developer vote and 38.3% of the retailer vote, the clear winner in both cases. The PS3 and Revolution were next on both lists, with the retailers favoring the PS3 more, giving the system 31.5% of their vote. The PSP and Xbox 360 got less than 5% on both lists, with the GameCube not even considered. Gamers also selected the "overall top platform," but a slightly confusing methodology let Famitsu to admit that it was unclear whether gamers had cast 40.3% of their vote for the PS3 on the basis that they thought it would win, or whether they thought it should win. Second place went to the Nintendo DS, with 32.6%.