Is 2008, the beginning of the end for the XBox 360?

[Mummelmann]

I don't think it is, but it could be the beginning of another underwhelming year saleswise unless they take action pronto.
No matter how one spins it, it would seem all but natural that the 360 will outperform its predecessor, but the way things are moving now it hasn't done a whole lot more in just about the same amount of time.
I think the main difference here will be the 360's lifetime, it will probably be MS' primary console for another 3-4 years, and they'll likely continue software support for the 360 well into their next consoles life to earn money on hardware that by then will cost them next to nothing to produce and also good software sales.
I don't see a sudden leap in 360 sales this year, or in the future, there's been pricecuts, there's been Halo 3 and Gears of War and Forza 2, and now more than ever, there is fierce competition on all lines.
The 360 has an image problem, and has had a hard time shedding its labels and reputation this gen, and I don't see that changing until next gen, where I think MS will surprise us greatly with an entirely different tone of voice and a heavily revised and polished image.
The general consensus is that if you didn't see any appeal in the x-box, you won't like the 360 either. This is, in my opinion, false, but its the tone of the market none the less and Microsoft need to work on this for the next generation, I think this generation is too little too late both for MS and Sony to be honest.