Handheld online gaming is just beginning to take off in 2005. Nintendo has been aggressive in establishing public Wi-Fi hotspots, while Sony and its partners have launched several games that can be played online through its PSP console. Nokia helped to launch handheld online gaming with the Arena service for its N-Gage console in 2003.
This report contains forecasts for online gamers annually through 2009 for all game console and handheld consoles that have online capability. Forecasts for each console include: annual installed base, number of subscribers, subscriber revenue (where appropriate), and additional revenue garnered through paid downloads. Profiles and analysis are provided for console online strategies of Sony, Microsoft and Nintendo, and handheld online strategies of Sony, Nintendo and Nokia. Please note that this report does not forecast PC online gaming.
The game console online era started in the second half of 2002 when Sony, Microsoft, and Nintendo all launched online gaming for their consoles. Microsoft's Xbox Live service is the most ambitious: a closed, broadband-only, pay subscription service entirely run by Microsoft.