If Microsoft did this they would be accused of stuffing the channel (again). When Sony ships more consoles than sold through to customers it's considered cause for celebration. Methinks double-standards are being used by some on this forum.

Sony needed that....!!!
Xbox360 has sold 5 millions more....

 You're right. The Ps3 is totally dominating 3rd place.

First off before I get slammed, I'm no fanboy, I actually love (and own & play) all 3 of this generations systems... and as of late I actually play my PS3 the most, but with that being said, the PS3 will not succeed on number of consoles sold, because Sony & Microsoft both don't make very much (and in some cases nothing) on the console anyway.

The success of this console generation war will be won in software sales.

I don't even count the Wii in this fight, because in my opinion, it's in its own niche anyway.

Therefore, unless the PS3 starts to sell more software, Sony will never consider the PS3 launch to be successful.

And like I said, I actually have and play both HD Consoles, and love and hate things about each one equally. I'm a fanboy, but I'm a video game fanboy.

I literally have nearly every system released by every video game company since 1982, and most of the top titles on all of these systems... so I don't want people to think that I am a PS3 hater.

I actually have come to love and respect my PS3 a lot more lately because my 360 is currently being repaired by Microsoft for the infamous RROD. I love that the PSN is free vs $49.99 USD/annually for LIVE....

But truthfully speaking, although I wish LIVE were free, it adds a revenue stream to Microsoft. If the 360 ends up having a 5 year life span (though I doubt it will) that means I paid $400.00 for the console plus $300.00 for a live service that Sony has shown can be provided for free.

Therefore, I actually paid $700.00 for my 360, and for some reason I keep buying games for it.

And I do LOVE my PS3, and actually play the same games on it as I do on my 360, but thus far I haven't been given a good reason to completely defect over to Sony.

I think the best games on both consoles are actually the same titles, (with the exception of the Halo series on XBOX, and GT series on the PS3)...

Microsoft really pulled a huge coup d'etat by getting dual releases on a number of former PlayStation titles.

For whatever reason, 360 software sales (and average titles per console sold) continually beat out Sony week in and week out.

The only way for Sony to win the fight is to find a way to get each console owner to buy more games. And I would love to see them do it, because the PS3 really is a gem, and pound for pound a better gaming system for many reasons than the 360.

If you ask me, I think that Xbox Live is the one thing that sets it apart from the PS3 and it's inferior PSN. I really wish Sony would overhaul the PSN, and then I'd probablly actually defect to the Sony camp for good.

ps3 ftw

Exactly. And they get that money from shipping their product to retailers.

So they aren't losing money with every console they ship?

What does that have to do with what he said?

Yes, they lose money with every shipped console, but what does that have to do with retailers paying them for the consoles?  It's not that complex.

Retailers pay Sony for consoles, Sony ships consoles.  Sell-through is irrelevant as they don't get their money from us, but from retailers.  Yes, they lose money on every console sold, but that doesn't mean they don't get paid for shipping their consoles to retailers.

correct but why would you do that, it is like selfdestruction

making losses on the things you sell is bad for the continuancy of the compagny

maybe i should have said profit?

Because the more systems that are out there, the more possible profit.  More money is made off of games, And severely overpriced accessories.  The more systems, the more accessories and games to be bought, therefore the more money to make. 

This is the general theory in taking a loss-leading strategy.