What are you talking about?  I live in Canada, and I had access to XBLM on launch day, just like the rest of America.

OT: Yes, the 360 is a success.  Even if they end up coming in third, MS will have made a respectable profit this gen, they'll likely have at least tripled what the original Xbox sold in Japan, and most importantly, they have made sure that Sony is no longer 'the cool system'.  I think it's fairly clear that MS and Sony will have similar marketshares in the end regardless, similar to Xbox/Gamecube.  Personally, I hope that MS comes in second, because then the 'score' will be like this:

Nintendo:

1st: 2

2nd: 0

3rd: 1

Sony:

1st: 2

2nd: 0

3rd: 1

Microsoft:

1st: 0

2nd: 2

3rd: 0

I should have clarified that I was talking about the Video Marketplace. It thought that was clear from the context.

thanks for the answers, but about the new games part:
does anyone think microsoft will spend the current profit to try and reel in the casual gamers with new ips their inhouse studios have been successful at other games and this would cement their gaming division even if it delayed profit

@ sorrowsfountain: I think they'll likely use it to establish a few new studios/branches for their gaming division:

-Casual division
-RPG division (I don't think they have made any in-house RPGs, one of their biggest deficiencies)
-Budget games division
-a few inhouse FPS studios

@mr prikles

Its not ever yet dont get too cocky.

First of all, I'd like to thank you for starting this post. Yes, it is an often visited topic, but now that the holidays are over and the sales numbers are in, I think it deserves attention once more.

The 360 has been out the longest, has graphics that match or exceed the ps3, has the more highly rated games, is offered for a reasonable price, and has the best online experience of any console by far. Despite all of this, the 360 is a failure, trailing in last place in two out of 3 regions, while managing a distant second in America. This will not turn around. The big games have already come out. This Christmas was Microsoft's best hope to shift momentum, but it didn't happen. Unless a miracle happens, the 360 will finish in last place this generation, even if it does amass more sales than it's predecessor.

The real question isn't if the 360 is a failure. It clearly is. Microsoft's goal for the 360 was to be the de facto home console for this generation. That's why they launched ahead of sony. If they wanted the graphics whores they would have waited and beefed up their processor. No, they were making a market grab. Also, when has Microsoft ever entered any market with the goal of being a niche? The original xbox was a money-eating test run; the 360 was supposed to make up the loss and apply all that microsoft had learned towards making the ultimate piece of gaming hardware. But the plan failed and they will finish in third. No, the real question is: WHY did the xbox 360 fail?

The first culprit is the RROD. It has become a cliche online, and even the TV stations talk about it. Even if it is like many xbots say, and the problem has been over-exaggerated, or made up entirely by Sony fanboys, that still means absolutely nothing. Once the story became so big, the fact over whether it was true or not became insignificant. The damage had been done. As it is, a lot of people bought PS3's because they felt an extra 200 dollars was a fair price to pay for a console that is reliable, and I can't blame them.

The second culprit is the piss poor industrial design of the damn thing. Seriously, what were they thinking? Hasn't Apple proved over and over again that good looks are as important as anything for a fracking LUXURY IIEM?! That's what a console is: a luxury item. Nintendo was destroyed by this last gen. Learning from the past tends to be a good skill in any industry.

Speaking of learning from the past, that brings me to the #1 cultprit for the failure of the 360: shooters. look at the big Microspft releases this year: Halo 3, COD4, Orange Box, Bioshock. Even Mass Effect, an RPG, is basically a bad team command shooter when it comes to the combat system. Other than games you play with a guitar, there are pretty much no big games on the 360 that don't incorporate either the FP or the S in their gameplay.

The first party games set the tone for the third parties. If you make mini-game collections (the wii), then you'll get mini-game collections from 3rd parties. If you expand your lineup to include a diverse array of games (again, nintendo and the wii), then the 3rd parties will eventually follow suit.

If, on the other hand, you have a ridiculously low first party output, and you're only big game is a genre defining shooter, but you really don't make any sizable attempt to create or market any other games, then guess what? You'll get a sea of shooters from the third parties, and there will be nothing you can do about it.

Yes, shooters are fun, but I've seen this before. I've seen this with beat 'em ups and shoot 'em ups and vs. fighters and adventure games and platformers. When you over saturate a genre, you set it up for collapse. Microsoft and the 360 have placed their bet on a niche market (albeit a large one) that is on the precipice of self-destruction. Even if I'm wrong and the shooter doesn't fade, it will never be able to replace a truly diverse console library.

I realize this piece has been quite long. Perhaps too long. So I'll finish this up. I am a fan of the 360. I think everyone should play gears of war and bioshock at least once in their life. But these great games can only sell so many consoles without the backup of a diverse library. Even if that library does come to fruition, the xbox brand has been tarnished with a reputation of shooters shooters and more shooters; a tarnish that I doubt can be washed away. The best thing Microsoft can do for the next gen is ditch the xbox brand, beef up their first party studios, and play to the great online strength that they have enjoyed all these years.

I think they're trying to- games like "Scene It" and "Banjo Kazooie" are a testament to that. I'll probably buy Banjo for my little girl (I hate the movie tie-in games Microsoft shills off a family fare), but it will be interesting to see how the mainstream react to Microsoft's attempts at casual games.

I guess I will add a little pessimism to the party. I think it will be a success but not currently.

People are quick to laud the good idea of launching early. I directly tie that to the RROD. People like to exclude the RROD but that didn't just cost the 1 billion dollars. It hampered the possibility for a better pricedrop and bruised the XBox brand possibly forever. Let us not forget the quality problems for US cars made in the 80s that the Big 3 have never been able to overcome.

The 360 has now had 3 holidays, Xbox had 5. Sales are at 63%. Better but not blowing the roof off. The Xbox was hammered last generation so anything that is a success has to do much better.

The 3rd holiday is generally the best one for a console. As Halo 3 also hit this year, I don't think it is anywhere but down for the console. The PS3 has now arrived in the others region and it seems to be directly at the expense of the 360. Japan is better but still insignificant in overall sales (

Where did that come from?  I never said that's what's definitely going to happen, it's just my feeling, and what I would like.  It's obvious that Sony's sales will only go up from here.  All I'm saying is that MS (along with Nintendo) have ensured that Sony will definitely not be the all-powerful dominating force that they were the last two generations, even if they end up selling 10 million more than MS (which would be a feat in itself, since they started about 10 million behind).

I like all three systems, and all of them are going to do well.  I am currently enjoying my 360 and Wii more than my PS3, but all will get significant playtime over the years.  I'm glad Nintendo is doing well, because they are the ones who treat me like a person (even though, of course, they are looking for money).  They focus on the 'fun factor' of games, which is what should be happening, and I'm glad to see they are doing well.  But I really am not feeling 'cocky' at all--I don't even see why I should.

I think the 360 is a success - and Microsoft's actions are proving just that.

The RROD could have stopped folks from buying the 360 - the price could have stopped folks - but if you look at the numbers in the others, you'll see one thing. The 360 is getting bested by the PS brand, but not really by much.

Go ahead, look at the charts. What do you see? Others are supporting the 40gb PS3. And yeah, it's doing better than the 360, but guess what? It's the holidays and the PS3 has seen like 5 SKUs in less than a year, two deleted skus and 2-3 price cuts. For the 360 to go nearly 2 years without a price cut, with the RRODs AND MS setting aside $1B for 360 repairs, most companies would have just said 'Screw this.' Yet, the 360 is still shining.

PS3 fanboys can claim victory, but all I have to say is - how long has it been leading 360 sales in others? Will that continue? We'll see in 2008 if the PS3 has turned the corner.

As far as MS, they are finally profitable and focusing on winning over gamers in Others and Japan. Sure, it's hit or miss, but they are trying to make gamers look at them as a new brand, an alternative to a "Take what we give you" Sony. They haven't learned anything from their actions. They are still arrogant and tries to push it off as confidence.

MS successful? Yeah. And look at the sales in 2006. Folks say the PS3 is smoking it, but it was several months, like early summer 2006 before you could spot 360s in the wild. The Wii? Rarely in a year since launch. The PS3? Several stores, like 1.5 to 2 weeks after launch. For it to sell on par with the 360 means it was selling rather slowly because every retailer I frequented had them after launch. The 360 drought lasted like 6 months - but the PS3 can't say that. For a system to be out of stock for 6 months after launch, problems and all, and still be in demand is a success in my book.

The PS3 catching the 360? It will be a long, long time unless the brand known as the PS starts hypnotizing folks and making them buy one and stop looking at 360s. And something else I find funny is - folks talk about 'I'll be glad when more games come out ...' and yet, they bought the system. Sorry, but I am from the old skool - and I'll gladly wait until I see the games out I want before I buy a system. I can think of several systems that had tons of potential - and now, you can find them at your local thrift shops - the Atari Jaguar, the 3D0, the Virtual Boy. I just LOL when I see any system owner whining about the lack of games or they say they'll be happy when more of this kinda game comes out. Why buy a system when you can just wait or enjoy the system you have currently?

Oh well - too tired to keep going.