Have Microsoft solidified themselves as a gaming giant equal to Sony?

[DirtyP2002]

LoL at people saying Xbox 360 and PS3 are equal in the US.

Have you looked at the numbers? Xbox 360 destroys the PS3 in the US. Even after a  $100 price-cut and a relaunch of the console with a brand new design, they only won like 2 months in the US. Think about what might happen when MS releases a Xbox 360 slim bundled with Natal and a $50 price-cut... Xbox 360 outsold the PS3 in the US in every single year this gen. They really are not equal.

Xbox 360 outsold the PS3 in the US by 2.3 million consoles in 2007
Xbox 360 outsold the PS3 in the US by 1.6 million consoles in 2008
Xbox 360 outsold the PS3 in the US by 700k consoles in 2009

so far in 2010: Xbox 360 outsold the PS3 in the US by 100k.

 

The Xbox 360 even outsold the PS3 worldwide since it was launched. You have to be a fool not to think MS is a real threat to Sony and the PS3.

 

The Xbox brand gets bigger and bigger with every console sold. Remember how "new" the Xbox 360 was for a lot of people, especially in Europe. Most of the Xbox 360 owners are new to the brand and they are definitely liking it, otherwise it would not sell that well. It still is the console people play most on. For the next gen, the Xbox³ launch will be much bigger since people are getting familiar with it. They know what they can expect. When the Xbox 360 launched nobody expected games like Resident Evil, Final Fantasy, Tekken, Devil May Cry, GTA, Metal Gear Solid or Street Fighter 4. Next gen, people will know that these games have a very good chance to be on the Xbox³.

The only segment where MS is not as big as Sony are handhelds, because they are not in that business. Windows Mobile 7 and Zune HD might be a tiny first step though.