http://www.psxextreme.com/feature/1217.html

Time changes perspectives.

There was a time when Nintendo vs. Sega was the ultimate console war and nobody could conceive of a more gripping or legendary battle. In retrospect, it didn't even last that long, not compared to PlayStation vs. Xbox.

There's no doubt that Nintendo will go down in history as a pioneer in the industry. But as the years and decades fall away, one's going to have to ask the serious question: Can PlayStation/Sony go toe-to-toe with Nintendo in terms of overall brand impact on gaming? Is it feasible that in fact, PlayStation will end up being just as important to this industry in the long run, if not more so? One could make the argument that with the same mascots for three decades, Nintendo hasn't done enough to maintain its forward momentum. And without the motion-sensing gimmick that rocketed the Wii to temporary superstar-dom, Nintendo might not even be in the console race anymore.

At the same time, you can't say the N64 wasn't instrumental in the inception and evolution of 3D gaming. PlayStation participated there, too, but I imagine everyone will remember Mario 64 as the game that helped break the mold, that allowed everyone to see what a new generation - and a new dimension - would be like. Even so, if you look at the birth and expansion of various genres, I think it's obvious that the original PlayStation (and in fact, all PlayStations) had a wider variety of gameplay experiences, from the likes of Metal Gear Solid to JRPGs to the first simulators. This diversity is really what allowed the PlayStation brand to dominate the industry; the PS2 had just about every conceivable genre on earth, while the same could not be said of GameCube and Xbox, for instance.

Again, time is the key. For the time being, I doubt anyone will say Sony is "as iconic" as Nintendo. Well, perhaps nostalgia is playing a role...a big role. And maybe we should start to acknowledge that.

"This diversity is really what allowed the PlayStation brand to dominate the industry; the PS2 had just about every conceivable genre on earth, while the same could not be said of GameCube and Xbox, for instance."

...What about gen 7?

In home console hardware it is already at least as iconic, the PS1 and PS2 massively expanded the market and especially the PS2 is still often considered to be the best console to date. It says a lot that the PS2 alone sold almost as much as all Nintendo consoles up to the Gamecube did combined.

I agree with this. 

Playstation consoles were the first to break 100 mil sold wth consoles and they tend to sell that much each gen unlike the competition. Of course, the PS3 is the exception to that.

Wouldn't agree. Sony has currently beaten nintendo console wise, they're can't be any arguments about that.
But Nintendo's characters transcend gaming and consoles. People who don't play games know them. merchandise that derives from their ips is everywhere, even on non gamers.

At least as iconic. Easily.

As far as who is more so, that's up for debate. How do you even determine that?

Nintendo sold last generation the same number of consoles as Ps1 and Ps2 combined.

OT: No they are not, Nintendo games are way more iconic from a historical point of view.

Nintendo may have saven the industrie but Sony Let the industrie to bloom again and continue doing this. Diversity is Key even now Sony comes with until dawn and Dreams and creates New genres. In which they are kind of unique, unlike Nintendo which is operating mostly in there safe zone of 2d platformers, partygames, sportgames and games From an era where Nintendo had bigger balls, like Zelda, Metroid and Starfox and Pikmin aND rarely a new IP. Whereas Sony dares to write of succesfull IP's as uncharted Jack and probably GOW after GOW 4 to create something New like TLOU.

This - (and I am mostly a Nintendo gamer).

Oh yes. As soon as the generation that has grown up with Playstation starts taking things over you'll see Playstation pervading everything like Nintendo does now when gaming is referenced.