WebProNews

Though game console junkies will be hovering around the Electronic Entertainment Expo in L.A. this week to get a glimpse of Sony's Playstation 3, Jupiter research projects that Microsoft's new gaming baby, Xbox 360 will be in the lead by 2010.

Playstation 2, Sony's previous offering, is currently the top gaming console, controlling 43% of the worldwide market. Xbox commands half of that audience with 19%.

But that may change over the next five years, according to Jupiter research.

Xbox 360, marketed as an entertainment hub and recently previewed on an MTV special, is expected to up its market share to 38% while Sony is expected to slip to 32%.

The new Xbox features three 3.2-gigahertz IBM microprocessors that can play DVDs, streaming pictures, music and video from digital cameras, portable music players and computers running Microsoft Windows XP. It also allows real-time chat, removable 20-gigabyte hard drive, a custom graphics chip and built-in wireless multiplayer access capabilities.

The new console can display in wide-screen high-definition format and in standard format.