The seventh generation in the United States began with the release of the Xbox 360 in November 2005 and the PlayStation 3 and Wii in November 2006. Microsoft strategy of releasing early enabled them to have a 3 million unit advantage before the release of its competitors. Since that point, the Wii's intuitive controller and lower price point allowed it to surpass the Xbox 360 in June of 2008. The PlayStation 3 has struggled to record high sales at its initial cost, though it saw strong growth in 2008. It appears as though all three companies intend to extend their system's lifecycle longer than the typical 5 years before their next-generation systems arrive. The US market share as of October 2008 is: Wii (46.6%), X360 (35.5%), PS3 (17.9%). (more)
