"Regarding #2, I think developers are going to use PS3 as their lead platform b/c the port job is easier and smoother. I believe Criterion did this and there were a couple articles about developers saying it makes more sense to do it that way. This point is still moot b/c no one outside the "gaming" community is going to know that there is a difference in multiplatform games.

For #3, the PS3 though has a big advantage in terms of IPs that people are familiar with. I'd expect to see first party and second party sequels for games like Twisted Metal, SOCOM, Jak & Daxter, etc in the future. These are games that many people played on the PS2. Just look at the sales numbers for the Nintendo developed games.

#4 This really depends on the life cycle of each console. I would give PS3 the edge b/c of Blu-ray. If it indeed does take off and become DVD's successor, you will have a lot of people buying it for the playback. Also the use of Blu-ray discs in games can increase the life of a PS3 as there would be more room for growth and tapping into the power of the system. "

#2

ID uses 360 as primary: http://www.xbitlabs.com/news/multimedia/display/20050816034824.html

OR

Refer to this as to reasoning why 360 is primary platform:
http://www.hardcoreware.net/reviews/review-348-1.htm

#3

I agree that the PS3 has the largest base of proven IP's but not new IP's which is what I stated in my comment. PS3 has several established franchises but as a gamer I get tired of playing the same games over and over again. For example, im tired of halo, tired of R&C, tired of Final Fantasy etc. I much rather play a new game like Mass Effect or BioShock that is something that I have never seen before. Dont get me wrong I like certian franchises but would prefer new IP's of the same quality.

#4

I dont Blu-Ray will really hold any weight in give or take a year. Soon Blu-Ray players will get a price drop and there will be no appeal for someone who wants to watch HD movies to pick up a PS3. I got my PS3 specifically for gaming which I feel is why most people would want to pick one up. If I wanted a HD movie player I would buy one and not a PS3.

In terms of Blu-ray capcity for gaming, I guess there are starting to be cases of where it has been utilized (MGS4). This may be due to compression technoligies however.

This whole..."beating" console thing is strictly for fanboy fodder...THESE ARE CORPORATIONS...they are interested in making money...period. If you selling 300 million consoles, but lose money in the process..who gives a crap...it's all about making money money money...and how this establishes a gaming division for the next console iteration in 5-6 years from now (might be sooner for Wii and 360, but Sony has said PS3 is here longer). The problem with PS3 is that PS2 set the bar VERY high for the system to reach, and it continues to set it even higher with every passing day, so economist used these projections to make earnings forcast for PS3, which is why so many had perceived the console to be in trouble and not hitting it marks. This is no different then a sequel to a big film failing to top or meet the opening weekend of the last film...it's a matter of expectations. All these console are doing fine, and are on a trajectory to make money for the corporations, so they will all be winners by making money for the companies.

price isn't why wii won

wiimote/wii sports is

wii is selling to a vast pool of people for whom modern video game controllers were a barrier to entry

bottom line: wii excites people...old gamers, casual gamers, ex-hardcore gamers, non-gamers, retired folks, rehab patients, etc etc

gc was cheap and didn't do well because it didn't get the casuals

millions of wiis have sold on ebay/craigslist for 360/ps3 prices

my december craigslist ads for 350-375 was still getting me calls 5+ times/week into mid-february

people don't care about paying more for it

many people would rather buy a wii at 500 than a ps3 at 150...the ps3/360 are not even options for them

Nintendo Wii will outsell both the PS3 and XBox 360 combined. A year head start and Wii has already gone pass the XBox 360 in total sales.

Make XBL free that is a stupid idea. XBL subscriptions generate around half a billion dollars each year in revenue for Microsoft. Assuming 10 million users at $50 a pop = half a billion dollars annually.

agreed on the Live issue. IF MS does that, than that will probably put them out of the gaming business, since they haven't earned very much on their console-adventures.

They're basically the same console, except PlayStation has the brand name. PlayStation will always beat XBOX, because neither platform has any significant advantage over the other, besides brand name and marketing.

MS has had a win this generation by the XBox 360 being a significant improvement upon the XBox. XBox only sold 24 million consoles in its 4 year life span. The XBox 360 will pass the XBox within three years being on the market.

Yes it is possible everything is technically possible. Had this generation taught us anything its that the unexpected is fully capable of happening. Before this generation Nintendo was considered a dead console brand. Sony was considered a unstoppable juggernaut, and many thought the 360 would do worse then the original box. Basically nothing has gone as expected. So the possibility most definitely exists.

Basically the 360 isn't too far out of the race at this point they are only five million behind Nintendo at this moment. So catching up is possible all they need to do is find some way to really increase their sales, and for whatever reason they need Nintendo to start losing sales. That is actually possible if the novelty of the Wii begins to wear thin on consumers, and Microsoft can maintain a ample gaming steam roller going.

Microsoft needs to do three things. The first thing is keep the price of their console compelling. The lower the price the more consumers can buy the product. The second secure more high quality exclusive games for their console. Not only to make their console more attractive, but to deny them to the competition. Third maintain a strong advertising presence in all markets.

Right now in the near term I think Microsoft has its best chance to really run up sales and swipe the steam from competitors by making late April and early May their break out months. Right now it looks like their pricing will be very strong at that point, and they will have Grand Theft Auto. What they also need to do however is pour it on right after that launch. Hit the market with four or five other really good titles in a short time to create a powerful impression upon consumers.

I have said it before Microsoft should not only advertise Grand Theft Auto at this time, but they should also allocate some significant funds to advertise some of their older games, or games they haven't gotten around to advertising, or even advertise upcoming games for this year. That would create a strong impression upon undecided consumers.

Their Live silver plan is free. Their Live gold plan is not free. The problem isn't that Gold costs you as much as it provides no additional value for consumers beyond online play which is traditionally free if not superb. I would like to see more bonuses in play, and it becomes less of a issue. Give consumers a free game of their choice annually, give a free movie annually. Provide a couple free game expansions. Some free strategy guides would be wonderful as well. Live needs a little more girth beyond just online play.

To agree with Rock_on_2008...Microsoft already won with the 360 in my books. I never would have bought a microsoft console 3 years ago as they did not have my interest. 360 won me over and I went back and bought the old xbox as well.

I could care less if they end up 3rd on the gaming sales list. On the 360, I got the best console games between 2005 and 2008 +

That is a win to me...

In contrast to the Xbox 360 winning this generation by improving significantly over the XBox. Some people would say that the Play Station brand has been damaged with the PS3. So far the PS3 in 16 months has been massacred by the Nintendo Wii in sales 2 to 1, ouch. If the PS3 fails to sell over 100 million consoles by generation end it will be a loss for Sony. I predict PS3 will only reach 60 million consoles sold worldwide compared to the Nintendo Wii's 110 million after 5 years being on the market.