360 will win - it has a lot going for it:

+ console price cut (very likely)
+ kinect price cut (will probably happen)
+ Halo 4 with crazy MS marketing
+ huge holiday sales, since it basically took over the Wii's position as the mainstream/casual console in the US

X360 might even peak again in 2012, which is nuts.

For the PS3 there is not much going on this year - at least nothing we know about. Sony won't cut the price again, there is no huge game in sight that might push consoles or at least generate some attention and we all know that Sony fails at marketing compared to MS.

So I think for 2012: X360 > PS3 by a decent margin

360 depending on e3.... If new console is announced it might slow sales a fair bit.

Hmmm... most people voted PS3 but most posters said 360. I'd like people to argue their reasoning.

Anyway, I agree that this year MS has the best chance to be no.1 WW (excluding the launch year ofc). I think if they make that their priority they can achieve it.

I see a lot of people saying the 360 will win due to a price cut, just saying the ps3 can still do that,

£149 PS3
$199 PS3 would lead to amazing sales
possibly another revised ps3, it can be made slimmer making power external, reducing size of fans
Another year of strong exclusive

I think it's going to be a close year. Microsoft will probably pull it off. It will probably go:

360
PS3 (Each in the 9 million area)
Wii (6-to-7 provided by Wii U confusion)
Wii U (@4 million)

I'm guessing Nintendo will try and launch in a "dead" area of about August-to-October, which will give time to ramp up their supply for the holiday rush. (But part of me says I'm being a little conservative considering they managed to move nearly 10 million 3DS's in five months time.)

Everything you mentioned in that + list X360 had going for it last year and still PS3 won... apart from Halo4 and the last Halo didn't quite set sales ablaze for x360 ( if memory serves well..which it might not).

I think x360 will win 2012 but I thought the same in Jan 2011 when it had almost all on that list going for it.

If the charts are anything to go by .. and it is, the same pattern is already being set (look at the most recent weekly sales). PS3 to win most weeks and months and X360 to take christmas and make gains or overtake.

Of course price cuts and all that comes into it, but that works on both sides, and as I don't know the percentage of these price cuts, I would be speculating a speculation and that don't make sense.

they'll still lose but not by much :P

c'mon man full year of price cut, and great line up = won

remember 2010 MS had the clearance on all it's old stock, redesign, Halo Reach, and the kinect launch and all Sony had was move and who won that year? and what happened to "will be the highest selling console worldwide this year"?? oh right it didn't happen

PS3 will outsell the 360 every week until holidays just like last year, but expect the gap to be far greater than it was last year, MS best hope is to cut the price early so that they barely lose like last year

ps3. both sony and microsoft are gonna cut prices in 2012.

yea microsoft embarassed themselves with that one. they've been mute on the subject of sales for a while now.

Here are the possible variations that I see as possibly happening.

Xbox 360

Price cut of $50: garanteed (big impact to sales)

Price cut of $75: possible (huge impact to sales)

Price cut of $100 and or possibly axing the 4GB SKU: unlikely (massive impact to sales)

A revision to hardware (AKA slimmer version): unlikely (pretty big impact on sales)

Kinect effect will still be strong for 2012's holiday season especially with a $50 pricecut plus the 360 will probably still have very good deals during the holidays: very likely (huge impact on sales)

Also expect massive advertising especially in the Americas for the 360 in 2012. (Pretty big impact on sales)

Games that will provide a significant boost to hardware.

Halo 4: This will most likely have a special limited edtion console much like Halo Reach did so expect it to move some serious hardware.

Next COD: It seems most 360 version Call of Duty games have special consoles so expect a big increase in sales from this as well even if it doesn't have a special edition 360.

Kinect Star Wars: The significant boost from this will be mostly from the awesome special edition Star Wars 360, it will also drive Kinect sales higher.

GTA V: If this game releases this year you can expect a decent boost for the 360

Playstation 3

Price cut of $50: likely (big impact on sales)

Price cut of $75-100: very unlikely (huge-massive impact on sales)

A revision of hardware (PS3 slimmer): I'm 50/50 on this one. (big impact on sales)

Some good Move games may increase Move sales which could also increase PS3 sales also there will be some pretty good deals for the PS3 on the holidays. (big impact on sales)

Expect very strong advertising especially in Europe for the PS3 in 2012 (decent impact on sales)

Games that will provide a significant boost to hardware.

Next COD: Even though the PS3 version of COD almost never gets a special edition console expect a big increase due to this game.

GTA V: If this game releases this year you can expect a decent boost for the PS3.

It really depends on a quite a large number of things but I believe the 360 will just edge out the PS3 for the year.