Retailers: Xbox 360 to win next-gen console war

Retailers think the Xbox 360 is most likely to win the next generation console war, but they're still pi**ed with the ongoing Wii shortage, according to a survey.

The poll, which questioned 100 independent videogames shops and was commissioned by trade paper MCV, found that 49 per cent of retailers believe Microsoft’s Xbox 360 will trounce the Nintendo Wii and the Sony PlayStation 3.

While 35 per cent of voters think the PS3 will succeed, only 16 per cent think the Wii is capable of such an achievement.

However, 57 per cent of retailers claimed their biggest disappointment in 2007 has been the lack of available Wii stock. Only 22 per cent were disappointed by the PS3’s launch, while a mere four per cent were similarly vexed by the PlayStation Portable’s sales performance.

Microsoft scored a double whammy among retailers following its Halo 3 launch, despite the game’s central London lift-off being somewhat of a misfire. The report discovered that 31 per cent of games retailers thought the title's launch had been the highlight of the year, although the Wii’s continuing success followed closely behind, with 30 per cent of votes.

Unsurprisingly, Bill Gates still came out on top when participants were asked whose job they would have if they could have anyone else’s in the industry. So it seems money can still buy you friends...