I'm not convinced Wii will peak in 2008, I think 2009 is more likely based on how well its selling almost 18 months into its life. Nintendo has said it wants to introduce Wii to markets like China soon, and Gamestop is on record in saying recently that shortages will continue for the next six months at least, which Pachter seems to think is because the '150,000 extra wiis per month that will accompany Wii Fit' sold in the USA will go to big box retailers.
I do think this is going to be Wii's peak holiday worldwide, but I think Wii has to be in stock everywhere in the west for a long period of time before it can be said it is peaking.
The way I look at it is like this:
2004:
| Console | Wii | DS | GC | GBA |
Total | n/a | 2,860,153 | 4,442,042 | 16,715,609 |
2005:
| Console | Wii | DS | GC | GBA |
Total | n/a | 11,066,552 | 2,738,456 | 8,761,110 |
2006:
| Console | Wii | DS | GC | GBA |
Total | 2,959,649 | 20,963,268 | 1,005,041 | 5,553,026 |
2007:
| Console | Wii | DS | GC | GBA |
Total | 16,367,357 | 29,391,224 | 188,692 | 2,304,789 |
2008 Estimates based on 1st 11 weeks:
Console Wii DS GBA
Total 23,000,000 25,000,000 1,000,000
2009, if Wii follows DS and peaks in third full year
Console Wii DS
Total 33,500,000 18,500,000
By year:
2004 - ~24 million hardware units sold (GBA declinining, DS introduced, GC only ~18% of total sales)
2005 - ~22.5 million hardware units sold (Portable shift from GBA to DS, GC ~10% of total sales)
2006 ~ 30.5 million hardware units sold (GC ~ 3% of hardware sold, DS+ GBA = 26 million, Wii ~ 3 million)
2007 ~ 48.25 million hardware units sold (Wii ~ 33%, DS ~63%, others <5%)
2008 ~ 49 million hardware units sold (DS ~ 51%, Wii ~ 47%, GBA ~ 2%)
2009 ~ 52 million hardware units sold (Wii ~64%, DS - 36%)
In other words, if I'm reading the trend correctly, 2010 will be like 2003 for GBA and GC, the down year before new hardware is introduced as Wii and DS account for less and less sales.