@ DOATS1 -> a new motherboard? Many are still scared about RRod,so the Jasper 65 nm cpu and gpu will take care of that.

"LBP will crush Banjo 3 and Viva 2" -> how do you know? time machine? Viva 2 is already out and it`s targetting casual players,like Banjo 3... so is LBP targetting hardcore? No,the same casuals. If a casual wants games this Xmass,it will probably go for 2 games instead of 1 that is not/will not be marketed that much as MS games. And you are forgetting the price,during Xmass there are more gifts to buy than a console.

Motorstorm 2? Pure,Baja and Fuel say "hello". Fable 2 says that as well.

Again,ps3 will sell,but not as much as Sony wanted to.

The single non-fanboy/spin post so far.  Makes plenty of sense.  For the most expensive console on the market, the PS3 is still selling well.  And while 360 sales increased because of the pricedrop while having the intial cheapest hardware option, just a 30,000 WW difference over the PS3 and still underperforming the Wii is nothing to brag about.  The way I see it is that the 360 should have been outselling the PS3 to begin with with a larger library of games and initially cheaper hardware out of the box.  I'm not bashing the 360 here because the more units you sell the better while the 360 is a viable option.  My point is that eventhough the pricedrop was a help, it didn't appear to be the threat that some had hoped to be to the PS3 and the Wii.

Viva Pinata is already out... and how does it sell? yup.. nothing more needs to be said.

Banjo won't sell as well as LBP either.

Pure, Baja, Fuel - all multiplats inferior in quality to Motorstorm.

Jasper class CPU? and how many people outside of the internet heard about the 360 getting a new CPU?

Sony is not without chances this christmas.

This might be. If it occurs, I think it will be the $300 model with the 60M HD that drives the long-term increase rather than the Arcade model. That is the best buy in HD gaming right now. (If/when I get a 360 -- that will be the console I target because it has the best reliability).

I just wonder though, looking at the situation, how much of a difference it can make. The Xbox 360 does best in North America and a lot of units have already been sold there. Europe has had this price structure for a while with modest at best increases for the console. And Japan is a completely different market.

Mike from Morgantown

i realy don't like argueing with people who bring weak arguements. so come forth witha godd enough arguement otherwise i won't bother replying.

btw, my replies are in red.

@ DOATS1 -> Banjo 3 will be marketed more than LBP,because MS has the cash and the need for the casual market. Rockband 2 and Viva 2 will help too.

Seeing how you ignore the price difference,i can see in your post the Brand Loyalty difference. Many kids have a ps2,so they will want a ps3 with LBP,no? Yess,they will,and their parents will pay,because it`s a request. At least MS tries to make the deal sweet,by offering at half the price more games for the casuals and hardcore as well. Or Fable 2 and Gears 2 are not for hardcore? Marketing is a strong weapon,and MS is using it with ammo worth millions of dollars.

Motorstorm 2 is a francise? It has competition and the ones that are getting M2 probably already have a ps3 and the first part. And Pure didn`t bombed it got good reviews,Baja did bombed,and Fuel looks promicing and fun. Like i said,it has competition.

Again,ps3 will sell,but not as much as Sony wanted to. Same goes for MS,but as long as they take marketshare away from ps3 and wii,they are happy. Competition is good for everyone.

And so the crash-and-burn begins, just as predicted: down by 50% over the week of the release. Why does this surprise anyone anymore, when all price cuts and major releases among the HD consoles this gen have followed exactly this pattern?

The United States had a lot on its plate the last couple weeks. With the financial bailout, fuel shortages, and disaster cleanup. So this weeks sales across the board in North America are not surprising to me in the least. All of these things have associated costs, and they cause consumers to be reluctant to spend.

I know some posters here are unfamiliar with what actually occurs for example if you suffer a multiple day power outage. Your priorities take on a new light you need flashlights, candles, batteries, ice, propane, and water. The stores have a run on these items, and even after the turmoil is over you are out a large sum of cash. Frustrated by any deductible you must pay for damages before your insurer pitches in their share.

Simply put these things really do hit the wallet, and hit the wallets of millions in the United States. Then to exacerbate problems you have troubling financial concerns from Wall street. So when anybody looks at this weeks numbers you should realize they are weaker across the board then they should be.

@ Docece, so what you are saying is that everyone wants a 360 after the pricecut, but because of the American economy, people aren't buying the 360, right? Now, I do agree that the American economy is affecting spending, but I think you are being a little too dramatic to excuse the relatively small increase of 360 sales after the pricecut.

I live in Ohio, and the power outages due to the vestiges of hurrican IKE left > 1 million people without power for days.  2 people here at work STILL don't have power after 2 weeks, although that's a rare thing.

I'm not surprised at all that people here in Ohio went easy on Christmas shopping while their power was out for several days (I was lucky... mine was out only 1 day).