Meanwhile, in the other format war department ...

OK, so maybe there isn’t a format war going on with gaming consoles—there seems to be enough variety in the consoles and the games themselves to go around. Either way you slice it, 2007 was a huge year for gaming systems, according to market research firm the NPD Group.

How big was it? Almost $18 billion big. The research firm says there were $17.9 billion in video gaming-related sales last year, which was a record-breaking year on the heels of a record-breaking 2006, when $12.5 billion was done.

The 43 percent increase shows just what a hotbed the gaming industry has become—incredible graphics, sound and interactivity. And despite the high-def DVD association with Sony’s PlayStation 3 (Blu-ray) and Microsoft’s Xbox 360 (HD DVD add-on drive), Nintendo’s Wii played just as strongly in the console market.

All three systems had their best months ever last December, with 1.4 million Wiis, 1.3 million Xbox 360s and 800,000 PS3s rung up. The NPD Group says total U.S. sales last year for each were: Wii, 6.3 million; Xbox, 8.5 million; and PS3, 2.8 million.

For our home theater-happy readers, which one did you get? And what type of setup do you play them on? We’d love to hear your comments.

Via: USA Today

Arlen Schweiger - Editor of Electronic House Magazine

Arlen writes about home technology installations and product news and reviews for electronichouse.com and Electronic House magazine.