MICROSOFT.

Microsoft has been a success this generation, was it a perfect generation for Microsoft, no way. (HD-DVD add-on, Red-Ring-Of-Death) which lead to what was basically a product recall, as I haven't heard of anybody that still has a launch Xbox 360 that still works properly, but Microsoft bounced back.

Microsoft offered consumers a way to get their Xbox 360's repaired for free, something unheard of in the electronics world, which showed to consumers that Microsoft was listening and wanted to right the wrong. Microsoft also went back to the drawing board to see what caused the system failures in the first place and released a slimmer cooler Xbox 360 with a new design.

Xbox 360 have what could arguably be the best software line-up this generation if not the best library for any console ever. Microsoft went from a 5 Billion dollar Loss with the origional Xbox and 25 Million Sold. Now with the Xbox 360 over 77 Million Consoles sold and still going strong and have made Billions in profits.

SONY.

Sony has also been a success this generation, was it a perfect generation for Sony, definetly not. ($599 Console, costing Sony Billions, telling people to get  a second job to buy a PS3, and telling their consumers that rumble is last generation, and then putting rumble back in the controller). As a result of the price, PS3 was not selling fast enough for Sony and Videogame Developers were threating to stop supporting PS3 if Sony did not drop the price. Pricing and Media mistakes aside, Sony bounced back.

After one year on the market Sony droped the price of the PS3 to $399, PS3 started to sell well and Developer confidence was renewed. Developers also started getting a better understanding of PS3's architecture and as a result games started to look and run better. Sony also started to market the PS3 to get consumers aware of the PS3. Sony further dropped the price of the to $299, and the PS3 continued to sell very well. Sony now have over 76 Million Consoles Sold Worldwide and have very strong Developer support.

NINTENDO

Nintendo has also been a success this generation, was it a perfect generation for Nintendo, no at all. (Choosing to produce a console less powerful than Xbox 360 and PS3, a first for Nintendo, suprising the entire gaming industry, Game Developers, Consumers and the Media). As a result, Game Developers shifted their focus primarly to Xbox 360 and PS3, leaving most consumers with no choice but to purchase a second gaming console to make up for the lack of third party support. One big mistake aside, Nintendo bounced back.

Nintendo's focus on the Wii as the only console with motion controls, an intelligent marketing campaign, packing a copy of Wii-Sports with every console and a $250 price tag along with a steady library of games ensured the console would sell, to the suprise of even Nintendo the Wii sold extremely well for the first 4 years of the console's life, making it the most sold videogame console of it's generation so far with almost 100 Million consoles sold.

What this generation has showed me is that Microsoft, Sony, and Nintendo are here to stay, and that there is room for all three companies to succeed.

For Microsoft I hope to see more innovations from them with online gaming.

For Sony I hope to see more unique and innovative games. Hopefully, Knack for the PS4 is a step in that direction. We need those type of games in our industry.

For Nintendo I hope they take their franchises to another level with the Wii-U in addition to seeing new franchises.

Finally, let us all remember that at the end of the day we are all Gamers first, no matter which console we choose to game on.

                                                                                                      WiiUPLAYBOX

Did you make this article? I just wanted to ask you about one statement, "Xbox 360 over 77 Million Consoles sold and still going strong and have made Billions in profits."

Has the 360 made billions in profit? This is a serious question and not a troll. I just thought the whole RROD deal was disastrous for Microsoft and ended up making them lose quite a bit of money. I don't doubt it's making them money now, but to say it's made billions in profits as a whole seems incorrect to me.

Edit - Just finished reading it. If this was done by you then you did a pretty good job.

The 360 made profits, they just haven't been able to offset Xbox losses yet.

Xbox Live makes great $$.

Thank you and yes I did it myself it took some time.

Yeah I have to agree with you. I found his belief that Sony needs to create more unique/innovative games quite amusing, seeing as they are probably the only ones actually creating brand new unique/innovative experiences. Especially impressive is the fact that they're continuing to do so this late into the generation.

Hey! Why you put Nintendo last on the title? That's not fair.

Agreed. I'd also say Sony had the best variety of games this gen. Solid third party and many great first party. Nintendo had solid first party but lacked third party and Microsoft had solid third party but lacked first party.

I think he was getting at they have been making unique titles and would like that continue into the next gen

Good read, but 360 having "the best software line-up this generation if not the best library for any console ever", really? That slimmer "cooler" 360 was also long after the launch, not an immediate manufacturing solution to RRoD.

I don't think developer's lack of confidence in the PS3 was as much due to the high price as it was the difficulty to develop for. Their confidence in the system lied more in the console's ability to sell and their relationship with devs and publishers.

Also it mentions Nintendo bouncing back, maybe from the previous gen but it never had to bounce this gen at all.

Ever since Playstation 1,  this has been the case.  Sony knows how to present a diverse lineup of all genres, all age and maturity levels.  When I would get asked why I preferred the PS3 over the Xbox 360, that was my response.  Sony will always put out a wide array of games and will continue to do it well after the consoles are already old and done with.

The only other console that's really had that type of diverse lineup in my opinion was the SNES.