If MS hadn't bought GTA DLC and Acquired FFXIII as Multi-platform game, then they would be far behind the PS3 in sales right now, so the deal with Rockstar and the fact that they acquired FFXIII to be on their system as well as the PS3 did work out well for them.

More people would have bought GTA IV for the PS3 and more PS3s too if they had known GTA IV dlc would eventually be coming to PS3 especially since the PS3 version was the highest rated version of the game.

And if the decision to make a multi-platform version of FFXIII wasn't released so late in the game's development cycle, then FFXIII would have been out for the PS3 worldwide possibly for Christmas 2008 with FF Versus XIII out as an exclusive Christmas 2009 so the PS3 would be well ahead of the 360 at this point in time and like the Wii over the 50 million sold mark and actually in a better striking position against the Wii if FFXIII had released worldwide Christmas 2008 as a PS3 exclusive.

Both situations MS acquiring GTA dlc and a version of FFXIII worked out well for them and also prevented PS3 from being within striking distance of Wii at this point in time.

Nah, as a PS3 only owner, I still have to admit that Xbox 360 beat PS3 this gen from the start with or without GTA DLC timed exclusive or FF XIII multi platform, Kutaragi messed up PS3 by setting the $599 price and saying people have to work double shift to get it. 360 on the other hand cement their place as FPS powerhouse with Halo and Gears of War at an affordable price, though things break.

PS3 just got its steam back from the $299 price cut and great games like Uncharted 2, and hope so will surpass 360 if they do not mess up again. Anyway Kutaragi has been promoted to VP of coffee and cake, so he cannot make any more damage.

No, not really.

In my opinion, releasing 1 year later and at a ridiculous price point really screwed things up, those two factors are much bigger then a mere game and dlc.

Does it really matter? Just enjoy your system. The ps3 being in third place,doesn't make my ps3 less enjoyable.

Honestly, sales would probably be almost identical to what they are now. I am confidient that FFXIII exclusive and GTAIV dlc would'nt have made a 5mil + difference considering the PS3's overpriced start.

Oh, and there is no way the PS3 would even be close to striking distance of the Wii so we can scratch that one off the list.

Yes, this.

     The Wii's only at a little over 60 million.  I really don't think it's beyond possibility that the PS3 would be at 50 million now if they had had exclusive FFXIII worldwide Christmas 2008 and exclusive FF Versus XIII worldwide Christmas 2009.

FF is not as big as you believe it is. It's already exclusive in Japan where it sells the most.

GTA IV DLC is definitely not a system-seller. I also doubt FFXIII would be out by now, considering they already did release a Japanese version of the game in 2009 - it was localization that took time. Sure, the game could possibly have been completed earlier but it's not certain. And even then, I doubt it would've made a big difference. The game's a system-seller but not as much as you seem to think.

And I'm also not so sure about MS buying FFXIII, as much as I believe them buying games for their system (exclusivity or multiplatform). It's a very expensive game that's been in development for years - I'm sure Square Enix has though PS3 exclusivity to be a risk. And ports that come too later don't generally sell too well.

it would sell an additional 20 million units based on one game?  So at least double the amount of ps3's as people that would have bought the game?  That is some good logic there txrattlesnake :)  Also, I don't think going multiplat would have affected development by 2 years, and outside of Japan FFXIII influence on moving systems is pretty limited.