I'm not so sure. At least not for a full year.

If you look at the sales for each generation and consoles and handhelds up untill the DS/PsP, you'll se that regularily, consoles have been outselling handhelds by between 50-100% yearly. And in the 6th generation, consoles outsold handhelds more than 2:1.

If you look at the sales in 2004, the perhaps best year for handhelds in the 6th gen, sales were

Handhelds: 20.1M

Consoles: 26M

After the launch of the DS and PsP though, things have been changing.

What happened? Well, look at this.

In 2005, the sales were like this.

Handhelds: 30.5M

Consoles: 26.1M

For the perhaps first year ever, handhelds outsold consoles.

Now, in 2006. 7th gen kicks off for real, with all consoles comming out.

Handhelds: 36.1M

Consoles: 25.6M

A crushing defeat. Handhelds outsold consoles by 40%.

2007, PsWii gets their first full year, and console sales sprot.

Handhelds: 44M

Consoles:  42.5M

Handhelds make a slight win, despite consoles having what probably is the best year ever.

Now, 2008. Before the 4th quarter, the results are like this. (I included the 3 weeks we have into the 4th quarter)

Handhelds: 28.2M 

Consoles: 32.5M

Consoles take a step up, and for this year, it's going to get real close.

But if we say it ends a statistical tie this year, will the consoles ever manage to sell as much as handhelds again?

I don't think they will. If Wii is the Ps2's successor, the DS/PsP are the successors of the NES, expaning the market enourmously.

Your logic's a bit... erm, fuzzy, to say the least.

Handheld gaming took off in such force largely due to market stagnation for consoles during the 2004-2006 period, combined with the Blue Ocean Strategy effect of the DS. Your numbers don't really take into account that most of those handheld sales were DS units, and most of them sold to non-traditional audiences.

Actually, what we're witnessing from 2006 onwards is the same thing we witnessed happening with handhelds from 2004 onwards: a small bubble rising and growing massive, with an inevitable "pop" in the future. The handheld "bubble" appears to be "popping" (or at least hitting its apogee) this year, meaning we can expect the console "bubble" to keep growing until about 2010 before it hits a similar apogee.

Handhelds will always have a sales advantage and can easily outsell consoles because of four reasons.

1. They're generally cheaper. This makes it easier for people to buy one or more handhelds.

2.Siblings. If your brother wants to play a game with you on a console, he just grabs a controller and you play Madden, Mario Kart or whatever. Try that with a handheld. It's very common for families to have two or more of the same handheld system. And it's easier for families to do that for the reason listed in #1- price.

3. Limited space. Look at two of the current consoles, especially the PS3 and they're huge. A lot of people don't have the space for more than one of these consoles unless they really redesign their space. A handheld can fit in your sock drawer or just about anywhere in your house.

4. Handhelds make for good time wasters, whether it's commuting to work or school by public transportation or a break, lunch, recess, etc at work and school. Again, you can't realistically do that with a console. And many people who think gaming is geeky or for nerds and wouldn't be caught dead playing video games don't view handhelds in the same way and have no problem buying one to waste time when they're bored or have spare time. A big reason that Tetris has always been so popular and also helped the original Gameboy take off in sales.

Don't forget the Wii is selling better than the DS WorldWide.

B4 there was just 1 Company doing well in the Handheld department while the others dragged along. That 1 company's handhelds were selling very well and often topping some Consoles. now there are 2 companies, one doing well and one doing extremely well. Handhelds are cheaper, and people are losing money. Japan seems to be loving handhelds right now. Who knows?? I don't really think so. Maybe early next gen but that could change later on in the gen.....