will/is the 360 a success?

[misterd]

Success in this case is not a one dimensional measurement, but overall I'd say yes for the following reasons:

1) It seems to be expanding it's market share in the US and maybe EU, and that is improving it's overall rep.
2) It is keeping most big 3rd party titles (GTA4 the prime example) from being PS3 exclusives.
3) It has so far been able to launch a respectable number of outstanding exclusives on it's own.
4) It is likely to turn a profit this year and through the remainder of it's life cycle.
5) Despite the best efforts of the competition, it remains the console of choice for online gamers.

Of course it is not a perfect success as others have pointed out:
1) Lost large amounts of money it's 1st two years.
2) RROD and related issues
3) Japan

However, issues 1 and 2 are likely temporary and should be put behind MS soon (if not already), while most of the areas of success are likely to expand as we move into the future.

Remember that MS came into this as a 3rd console in what has always been a 2 console environment. Most generations are understood by simple "A vs B" console wars - Atari vs Mattel, Nintendo vs Sega, Nintendo vs Sony. Any attempts to launch a 3rd console has been a disaster (or, in the case of Sony, created a disaster for an existing company). So MS has successfully altered the console landscape for the near future - everyone is expecting all 3 companies to compete next gen. The simple fact that MS has shown it deserves a place at this table is reason enough to call it a success.