Consoles leading web TV push

A new study from research firm In-Stat has claimed that games consoles will become the primary conduit for delivering internet television and videos to user’s TVs by 2013, bypassing media-centre PCs in the process.

The research claims that 29 per cent of American 29-34 year olds already use consoles to access either downloadable or streamed digital video over the internet, according to Kotaku.

It’s estimated that such services will be generating in the region of $2.9bn in revenue by 2013 in North America alone.

Currently web video is largely additive to traditional TV revenue streams,” In-Stat’s Keith Nissen stated. However, ultimately web video to the TV will force a complete restructuring of today’s video distribution ecosystem.”

Microsoft is the only platform holder to have introduced a video-on-demand service in the UK so far, and its offering will soon be joined by a range of Sky TV programming.

However, both Sony and Nintendo have introduced similar services overseas and will in the fullness of time come to compete with Microsoft in the European market.