The ever-voluble Michael Pachter of analyst group Wedbush Morgan has claimed that slow uptake of high definition TV hardware in the U.S. has exerted a drag on PlayStation 3 sales. That’s not the only factor at work, of course – Pachter also pointed to attractive Xbox 360 game bundles and price cuts as reasons for PS3’s disappointing performance.
"There was likely some substitution of Xbox 360 for PS3 purchases, due to recent price reductions for the Xbox 360 and the bundling of the console with two free games," he told GamesIndustry.biz.
"In addition," Pachter went on, "we believe that PS3 sales are being impacted by lower demand for HD televisions as a result of the recession."
The console’s dismal November aside, the analyst does believe that PS3 will pick up tremendously in North America over the next six months, as an expanding line-up of exclusives and intense Blu-ray marketing begin to make themselves felt. "We believe that several PS3 exclusives, notably LittleBigPlanet, along with focus on the Blu-ray will drive hardware sales over the next six months."
Pachter also made favourable predictions for the industry as a whole over Christmas, despite the economic slump. "We do not expect the recession to impact videogames in December; rather, we think that as Nintendo increases Wii supply further, Sony markets Blu-ray, and Microsoft rolls out its New Xbox Experience, hardware sales will show year-over-year increases in December."