As for the PS3's fortunes, I feel we are too late in the generation for any drastic shifts. It might slip ahead of the 360, but it's not gonna be dominating anything this gen, even the "HD gaming market" which is actually moving the goalposts closer, when we discuss domination.

Next year is going to change everything. Sony is in a make or break situation on all of their hardware next year. If they do not pull out all of the stops the next 3 years are going to be very ugly for the entire company.

If Sony does not want to get left behind in the gaming buisness, they have got to go beyond everyones expectations next year.

-PS3 is going to have to see a price cut to $299, Y29,999, EU199, AU 499 by March 31st.
-PS2 software emulation has got to arrive.
-Gran Turismo 5 has to release.
-A small form factor PS3 has to arrive by September.
-Their motion control patent has to come to frutation, and be avilable before the end of october.
-Home has to be intergrated into the XMB, and it has to happen long before the fall, because it needs to time pick up momentum before the holidays.
-Home has to be something that makes multiplats on PS3 much more intresting than the 360 version.
-The PS store needs a music/music videos section.
-The store needs a subscription plan for movies and music.
-The store needs PS1/PS2 classic, and they have got to be serious about it, unlike how PSone titles are being neglected now.
-Sony has to work with third parties to bring all multiplats DVD-9 and under to the Store.
-Sony has to get some kind of rental service through the store.
-The store needs a preorder download similar to Steam.
-Trophies and Home have got to work together in a meaningful way.
-Sony has got to keep a close eye on Quantum Theory, and Demon Soul. Microsoft has done well getting 3rd patrty exclusives to shine. Sony can not afford another Lair, and Haze.

Sony has to exicute on all of those pionts if they want to bring the PS3 back to the game as a solid platfrom. However, doing all of the above will not get them anywere unless they do the most important thing. The thing Sony has failed to do this whole generation. The thing that has put the Wii on top, and the thing that has made games like Halo, and Gears such big successes. Out of all the things Sony has to do next year, the absolute most important is marketing the system beyond the core audiance.

This year has been a great example of Sony's failer to properly market anything on the PS3. You only have to look as far as Motorstorm Pacific Rift, Little Big Planet, and Resistance 2. Had these 3 games came out on either of the other two platforms they would have been million sellers week 1. Motorstorm, and Little Big Planet could have been massive on the Wii with Nintendo's ability to market games, and Resistance 2 could have been right up with Gears and Halo on the 360. Instead all three titles are selling like just another game.

Starting right now Sony has got to learn to market. There is no reason Killzone 2 can not sell as good or better than Gears of War. Sony needs to market to the mass market. Word of mouth does not do anything if you sell your games to people on message boards that don't talk to people in the outside world. Playstation 1 and Playstation 2 sold how they did because Sony went to everybody and said "LOOK AT US!!! We are PLAYSTATION and THIS is were you come to play games". They came out to everyone and made their message load and clear. With the PS2 they did not stop. They said you liked PS1, now here is the future, and it does not stop here, we are here to bust gaming out of the closets. The PS9 commercials was easly the best advertising the industry has ever seen.

Now with the PS3 Sony is like "yeah its playstation, our sheep will eat from our feild". Well Sony sheep are F****** S***** and they need to be shown were the grass is or they will die. So get your F******* act together and tell people you are here to play, and you are the best. Playstation games rock and they are cool. Babies, and octopus are not selling consoles. People playing games, having a good time, and enjoying the product went mailes for you in the past, and now you stoped doing that and MS and Nintendo have taken your idea and they are kicking your ass with it.




So that got a little crazy, but I think everyone gets the point. PS3 can't walk to peoples doors and introduce itself. Games can't just magically sell to people that don't know they exist. Sony is in this situation, becuase they got cocky, and they still have not com down from the we are god and you are dirt mentality. If they do that in 09 they can make things interesting for PS3, and PSP next year. If the market continues to ask for things, and Sony continues to say "We will make what we want, and you can figure it out for yourself" then the whole dam company might as well go under.

I agree, except:

1) It's impossible that the PS3 will obliterate expectations, because of the fact that the biggest games for it in 2009 are already known (GT5, KZ2, GoW3, FF13). NOTHING that comes out on the PS3 will have as much of an impact as those 4 games.

All the PS3 can do is either fail to live up to expectations, or live up to expectations

2) Heavy Rain CANNOT be a sleeper. There's just way to much hype about it's graphics, a user created an account just to say the graphics are awesome (CGI-Quality anyone?).

Heavy Rain can only be a massive hit or it'll flop. That's the same with all big, overhyped exclusives. It can't be swept under the rug, not by haters if it's good, not by the PS3 fans if it sucks.

But otherwise, I think you're correct.

Also, I think the Wii's contributing. I'm not talking about "core gamers" here, because the core gamers that own a Wii would of had a Gamecube or N64 (perhaps in addition to PS2 and PS1). I'm talking about the people that bought the eyetoy, buzz and singstar. Because they don't have things like brand loyalty, they jumped ship. The Wii is as big of an issue as the 360. Perhaps bigger, because the PS2 would not have the legs it has had, nor the 120+ million units sold, with just the core gamer base.

 God of War 3 will cap at 3 million. It's not a console pusher. Gran Turismo 5 is a console pusher for the PS3, so just wait for that. I agree with the last paragraph so I wont speak on that.  

I agree with you Megahero,

'I really believe that 2009 will define the ps3 fortunes, it will determine the console race. And 2009 is shaping up to be a great for the ps3 even better than 2008. '

Meesa agree!

And i think Home if it releases it will bring alot of Sims players XD. If its good that is but im pretty hyped for it, i always loved Habbo hotel , The sims, Runescape for its hey how are u doing today XD.

I think 2009 will be a great year for them. Naughty Dog will be releasing their two biggest franchises, Jakand Daxter 4 and Uncharted 2. God of War III will finally be released next year and they have some new IPs for next year. Their sales will definitely see an increase.

Exactly. We're half way through the PS3 being at the top of its life cycle -- in another 3 years, the PS4 will be released and the PS3 will be like a much less successful PS2.

all bow down to to the king! 

as always my PS3 friends threads are one of a kind

It´s gonna have great games, that´s all I care about.

New games from Naughty Dog and Insomniac seem like a guarantee.

I think we´ll FINALLY see the new PS3 title from Team Ico.

I have high hopes for White Knight Chronicles.

Plus the 3rd party blockbuster titles.

As a gamer, I´m pretty happy;

Also, I´m crossing fingers for a new Zelda next year.