I'm not forgetting them. Are XB's built in USA or in Far East and imported? Anyway USA isn't the sole market for all three consoles, there is a compensation amongst the markets. And Sony applies an equivalence $1=1€ for EU price that depending on periods exceeds from a little to largely the true VAT overprice, this is a big advantage for it, MS is more honest regarding the equivalence applied for EU price and it also sells more in USA than in EU, so, while it suffers less in USA for a weak $, it also gains less from strong €.

PS3 price cut wont miracilously increase sales that much, it will have some sort of impact but do not expect a price cut in march/april to have any sort of Impact like one that MS did. And those price cuts can be easily countered by the competition, there is little demand for the PS3 at the current price point, and it will increase with lower price but it still be selling less then the Wii and the 360. I hope it outdoes it's 2008 result.

99$ Gamecube did not overturn its fortunes.

i thik ps3 will be $300 in 2009 cuz 45nm chips, manufacturing cost doing down, and regular price cut

Your first instinct was correct.  Why do you think 10% can't happen? Hopelessly over priced and missed out on the greatest xmas game sales in history? It is all downhill from here.  I think it will cross 15% by midyear, and teeter very close to 10% by the end of the year. It's beyond salvage at this point.

End of 09 America prediction!!

Wii 50%

Xbox 43%

PS3 7%

I see the Wii slowing a little as people realize it is not that great, and the value proposition for the xbox makes it a no brainer in the HD market.

If you are answering me, my point was only that the cut down to $299 will be in a few months feasible and sustainable despite somebody strongly denying it, how big its effect it will be I can't say, but it won't hurt. As MS, Sony too could be content with 3rd place this gen, if this 3rd place is one of good enough sales (let's say more than 45-50million lifespan sales) anyway.

I will go on record as saying this has absolutely no chance of happening in 2009.

The Wii/360 could increase sales by 40% over 2008 each, and the PS3 could drop by 10% over 2008, and the PS3 would still not be under 15% in NA. (15.5% in this scenario)

It you start looking at the numbers, it is very very unlikely.

FLAMER POST

sony must have something up their sleeves! why would they just sit back and get their asses kicked? hey are probably trying to bring the ps3 production costs downs so they could cut the price down and even 360 fans will admit a ps3 price cut would put it back in front of the 360.

About this, maybe I have a clue: at least here in Italy, but I don't think we're alone about this, I saw recently resellers pushing again PS3 as they did when there was the EU launch hype. This time it coincides with the increased BD sales, so, another maybe is mandatory, resellers are happy with PS3 pushing both BD and games sales, and helping HD TV sales too (obviously games and HD TV is true for XB360 too and games is true for Wii too, but BD sales is an extra pushed only by PS3 amongst consoles)...

Since when is a magic price cut alone going to push the PS3 ahead of the 360?  They are a factor, but also involved are such things as software library.  Even then, the price cut has to be something which will make the system less expensive than the competitor, which isn't true for the PS3.  The price just makes the PS3 more cost competitive.   Also, who but a Sony fanboy would say, "even 360 fans will admit a PS3 price cut would put it (PS3) in front of the 360"? 

Price cut is a factor.  And in regards to this, why would Microsoft just stand still on this front?  They also won't cut price?

As far as just sitting back and letting it happen, well that is where Sony is, due to costs.  They can find themselves in the same place Sega did with the Saturn.  Have a system that is too pricy to afford too many price cuts, but also not showing itself to be better than its competitor.