Going by a recently-shared media analysis by the Strategy Analytics Connected Home Devices (SACHD), Sony's popular PlayStation 3 gaming console witnessed a 31 percent growth in the 2010 first quarter, largely at the expense of Microsoft's Xbox 360.

According to the SACHD statistics, Nontendo's Wii console still continues to dominate the gaming console market with projected 17.5 million sales by the end of 2010; vis-a-vis the 14 million predicted unit sales for PS3, and the 10.5 million units sales estimated for Xbox 360.

The SACHD report also revealed that despite the fact that PS3 still lags behind the market-leading Wii, it still is a strong enough console to have attracted a distribution deal from Time Warner's HBO. As per a Wall Street Journal report, the PlayStation Network already boasts the availability of HBO shows.

A distribution deal with HBO will further bring additional shows to the gaming console - including, among others, The Sopranos, The Wire, True Blood, Sex and the City, and Flight of the Conchords.

In fact, an HBO deal for the PS3 makes perfect sense, more so as the console is fast emerging as an attractive networked entertainment media device. Moreover, Sony already has a broadcasting deal in place with Major League Baseball.

However, whether or not the broadcasting deals help the PS3 sales projections in 2011 surpass the Wii sales estimates, only time will tell!