Sony's third party support is eroding though, and pretty quickly. The thing is third parties don't care which console sells more, they only care about selling their games. In most cases third parties will make games on the system that has a higher install base and right now that isn't the PS3. I keep hearing about this huge come back the PS3 will have in 2009 or so, but I have not heard anyone explain what exactly is going to start this huge increase in sales. Some people say that MGS4 and FF13 will quickly push the PS3 past the competition. Now I'm going to do all you ps3 fans a favor and ignore the multi platform possibility. The simple fact is that no game no matter how big it is has ever caused a turnaround like the one the PS3 needs. People say that Sony will have a steady stream of good games in a couple years, well I'm sorry to say that simply isn't going to happen. ya know why, because developers want their best games to release for the holiday season. Lets face it most of the money in the gaming industry is made between black Friday and Christmas.

Nice to hear that you do think that PS3 will do worse than PS2. I mean you said before that it was only PS3 that could reach PS1/2 levels of succes. Does that mean that this generation will be selling less than the previous?

What I do not understand is why the market couldn't flip. I mean if that couldn't happen how did PS1 succed against Sega or Nintendo? And yes it is not only Nintendo and Sega that can make mistake, Sony is pretty good at it too or what do you say about Walkman? Walkman was once as big as IPod is today, they lost that market and they are fighting back now with walkman mobiles and so on.

The fact so far is showing that Wii is selling much better then any Nintendo system before, meanwhile PS3 is traking behind the GameCube in Japan. If Nintendo gets the japanese market, which seems likely at least for 2007, why wouldn't they be able to stay in the lead? Please don't answer that question with that all Nintendo consols start fast, because I have already pointed out that Wii has clearly sold more than SNES, N64 and GC in Japan during the same time.

Again I am not saying that PS3 wont start selling a lot faster in Japan, but the question I have is why that should mean that Wii stops selling. If Nintendo (and yes that is a big if) succed to broaden the market, then we might even find us with two 20 million seller systems in Japan.

For the discussion about 3rd parties I must say that I disagree on some points and agree with others. I agree that the 3rd party sales on the Cube wasn't that good, I disagree that it matters for Wii. Wii will live on its own sales, were at least some of the games is selling good.

I also disagree that PS3 automatical will get the most 3rd party support because PS2 have it. If Sony doesn't start selling soon PS3 will only get ports from xbox360 and those exclusivs already announced. If xbox360 continue to sell the same amount of games as before it is a really good market to make exclusive games on. If Wii hold on to the japanese market and continue to hold a lead with more than 2:1 Nintendo will also get a lot of support just as they got with DS.

It is not that PS3 is doomed, it is that it performs much worse than PS2 and doesn't have the head start as PS1 had. This makes it hard to create a momentum that will overtake Wii or xbox360 because these plattform performs better just now in both software and hardware sales.

So out of all the PS3 games people mention you are saying that all off those will be released this winter? God of War 2 launched in the Spring.  Super Mario Strikers comes out next month.  Lair comes out in July.  I don't think that will be the case.

Sony actually just gained 3 games that were previously console exclusive to the 360: Eternal Sonata, Kane and Lynch, and Crossfire (the latter 2 from the Hitman developer). I just think it's funny that people think a console war is over after 5 months.

Many of the games people jump up and down about Sony losing, they're not actually losing... they're just giving up of the exclusivity on them. People forget that whether these games are also coming out on 360, they're still coming out on PS3. Granted, this is not the ideal situation for Sony, but it's not a total loss either. We know for a fact FF, MGS, GTA, Ratchet, DMC, Gran Turismo, etc. will not only sell millions but will also move systems. Not only that, but Sony has a ridiculous amount of room to move the price, which will also move systems. Now the question of whether they can move enough systems is a valid one, but Sony's got much better days ahead. It's safe to say we can expect a boost from both Nintendo and Microsoft and a drop from Sony. I don't think any moves will be all that earth shattering, though. Nintendo failed because every major developer took a walk before they even launched N64. Any momentum they attempted to get was thwarted by the fact they had no games. Only so many people want Mario. If you can't give them any more than that, you will feel it sooner or later (this is their biggest test with Wii as well). Nothing on Sony's side, including the high (initial) price, is going to be that crippling in the long term. Nintendo's going to need more than just an improved start in the smallest territory over the first 5 months to really make up the ground they've lost over the past decade. PS3 may not necessarily continue to get the most third party support, but it definitely started off that way. Most developers will give it time before jumping ship, particularly on the projects they're already too heavily invested in to drop.

"I just think it's funny that people think a console war is over after 5 months." The thing is the first few months are a big part of the console wars. it's when the systems have the most hype and media coverage, and it gets people excited about them. Historically speaking the consoles that did the best early on has the best overall sales.

In a way, I see this as a lose-lose situation for Sony.

Sony really *have to* make the PS3 look different from the 360. if customers perceive both machines as being equal, why buy the more expensive one? The more games that go cross-platform, the more this plays into MS's hands. It becomes the PS2 vrs Xbox war all over again - except this time the PS2 has the superior online system, is easier to develop for, and is much closer to the Xbox in terms of power (i.e. PS2 = 360, Xbox = PS3).

Sony needs as many games to come out for the PS3 as possible - yet when they are 360 titles (as well), it makes it look like an inferior "we'll also do this" support (esp. if 360 titles launch first, with PS3 titles in the months to follow).

As many people suspected, the PS3/360 are fighting over the same demographic - and will just hurt each other in the long term.

When the PS3 price drops can anyone here honestly beleive it won't sell? Whats the biggest factor from stopping Sony from selling.. I'll give you a hint it isnt the competition.. its the PRICE! So if Sony cannot make a turnaround when the system has a steady flow of games.. which i beleive starts in july-august and carries all the way through to 2009.. But come on people be real..... If the PS3 can survive long enough for blu-ray player prices to drop the system itself will have a price drop.. who here wouldnt buy a PS3 for 400-500$? After a few years 200-300$... With the first party support they have even the eroding third party support.. they will still stand tall..

Its not a matter of being a MS fanboy or a Nintendo fanboy or even a Sony fanboy...

Ask yourself this question... Do you think the PS3 will stay at 600$ forever? and when the price does drop how do you think it will do then?

* Edit: Its a matter of logic.... Although the competition slightly affects the sales the inflated 360 sales really doesnt give us a clue where they stand.... of course Nintendo will sell well this generation they brought something innovative to the table but the PS3 and Wii are different styles of gameplay...

1: NINTENDO + SONY

2: Microsoft

Ask yourself if sony makes a price drop, what will Microsoft do? (and by the way, the PS3 is much much cheaper in Japan)

Yes I do belive PS3 will sell, the problem is that I can't see them selling 100 million+ as last time as shane is (or at least was) saying.

Many of the games people jump up and down about Sony losing, they're not actually losing... they're just giving up of the exclusivity on them. People forget that whether these games are also coming out on 360, they're still coming out on PS3. Granted, this is not the ideal situation for Sony, but it's not a total loss either.

And as the worst selling consol for the moment, with the highest price losing exclusive games to xbox360 wont hurt PS3?

We know for a fact FF, MGS, GTA, Ratchet, DMC, Gran Turismo, etc. will not only sell millions but will also move systems. Not only that, but Sony has a ridiculous amount of room to move the price, which will also move systems. Now the question of whether they can move enough systems is a valid one, but Sony's got much better days ahead.

GTA, is on xbox360 too, we still cant say if it will sell better on PS3 than on xbx360. The rest of the games I can only see one that actualy going to move units in Japan, FF. (MGS3 sold less than a million in Japan). Sony so far doesn't have ridiculous amount of room to move the price, they are already loosing money on it. Yes Sony has much better days ahead, or we can at least hope so, but so far I am convinced that one market is already lost and that is Japan.

It's safe to say we can expect a boost from both Nintendo and Microsoft and a drop from Sony. I don't think any moves will be all that earth shattering, though.

So how big loss in market share do you think sony will have? I am pretty sure that Wii will at least sell 50 millions. I am not that sure that PS3 can build a momentum to reach 60 millions. (that would be a drop by 60 millions)

Nintendo failed because every major developer took a walk before they even launched N64. Any momentum they attempted to get was thwarted by the fact they had no games. Only so many people want Mario. If you can't give them any more than that, you will feel it sooner or later (this is their biggest test with Wii as well). Nothing on Sony's side, including the high (initial) price, is going to be that crippling in the long term.

Yes Nintendo failed during the N64 era, what is new? Haven't we discussed that already? If Sony doesn't sell initially, they will have the same situation as the N64, not as badly because they will still get ports from xbox360, but they wont have the huge library as the PS2 have.

Nintendo's going to need more than just an improved start in the smallest territory over the first 5 months to really make up the ground they've lost over the past decade.

It have done far better in USA to. At least according to the source post that I linked to before. (here it is again, you might note that Wii has during 5 months almost sold the same amount as PS2 had during the initial 6 months)

PS3 may not necessarily continue to get the most third party support, but it definitely started off that way. Most developers will give it time before jumping ship, particularly on the projects they're already too heavily invested in to drop.

Again I have never stated that those projects that have been started will be dropped, but they need more games coming out after the first ones. If the sales in both software and hardware continue this low exclusivs wont go to PS3, they will go to xbox360 (at least in USA).

The wii my friend.. is an excellent machine.. but the entire exclusive battle is between sony and microsoft... the exclusives that nintendo has really is any of the mario series.. which are slowly declining... zelda which is always an excellent game and a few others... MS has very few system selling exclusives... in all reality im going to count them out of this race, atleast until we get the real uninflated numbers... Sony has an extensive first party library that brings something to the casual game to the hardcore gamer... The thing that will surprise me about Sony and Nintendo is every generation new and excellent games come out that are big hits... I do beleive Nintendo will sell a minimum of 50million consoles within its life-span.. ( MINIMUM!) Sony will be at around im guessing 80m after its life span only because of the potential first party games and its long-term life span.. ( as seen with the PS2 and PS1 )... Sony will only receive a boost once people stop kicking them in the nuts.. especially the media...

What if the media encouraged people about the PS3? The sales would be very very high....

Even if MS can drop the price to match the PS3's price drop, they would be even FURTHER in debt.. a PS3 at 400 dollars and MS racing with a 360 that was 300.. it would hurt them on new levels.... I beleive PS3 has the largest potential userbase, coming from the PS2.. game cube not so much.... once the Wii surpasses the game cubes total sales then we will know for a fact it has brought new gamers into the nintendo world...

 PS3 Has had a decent start.. especially judging since its high price and lack of games.. But still even in the early months switching focus from PS3 to Wii could potentially put developers in danger... seeing as they dont know for a fact how much it is going to sell...

On a side note .. WHERE THE HELL IS DONKEY KONG?????