If we're talking about "defeat" then I assume this is regarding software sales. I might be getting this thread wrong, but I see this as quite the opposite scenario. What exactly does Sony have in their PS3 lineup to go up against Halo 3: ODST? We can make quips all day about it being an expansion pack, 2/3rds of a game, etc. etc. but good odds say that expansion pack, with it's likely very low development costs, is getting to outsell and take in more profit than every Sony published title this year. From Microsoft's point of view, I'm sure that is in no way accepting defeat.

From a fanboy "This lineup is better than your lineup" scenario, I don't give a shit enough to comment.

I assumed this was more of "defeat" in the sense of a weaker catalog of games due to be released this year for their consumers to buy.  As in, if you were looking to purchase a system today and were interested in some upcoming titles...Which system would appeal to you more? 

But I don't know.  Your scenario could very well be likely as well.

Exactly what is weak about the catalog though? I see sales potential from the already announced games, and the speculative games like Forza 3 which may or may not be real. Ultimately it's sales that will decide what made customers go out to buy consoles,

I think speaking objectively,  I can say that the 360's lineup is a little lean at the moment.  I mean what definitive games are set to release from here until Christmas?  I think if you talk with 360 fans....They will be more than a little disappointed if essentially what we know now is all that ends up being released.

I totally disagree with the sales part though.  Customers don't care about sales nearly as much when making a purchase. Especially if many of which are front loaded onto one game.  (Which at this juncture it appears ODST would hold that title).

I didn't say customers will care about the sales part. I said the sales will tell us what the customers actually care about. People talk about Valkyria Chronicles still like it mattered, but the sales show it didn't in the larger scheme of things. Sony is publishing games this year that look great on paper, fill out lists for internet know-it-alls, but ultimately will fall under niche titles that do not produce big sales.

and Halo 3: ODST has more of a chance of doing that than any PS3 title I know of coming out in 2009 does. Granted, this is under the assumption that GT5 doesn't release this year, otherwise my opinion flips. We can go on all day about Heavy Rain and Infamous but those are likely to be non-factors, same as Valkyria Chronicles, Motorstorm 2 and SOCOM: Confrontation were. Good games that look good when compiling a list of titles, but ultimately matter not in the big scheme of things.

Oh I agree.  Sales wise ODST is going to be gigantic.  Although much of that IMHO is going to the already solid Halo fanbase contained on the 360.   I think the 360's lineup is shallow though for this reason.  ODST isn't going to be a full game so I mean when your largest title is essentially an expansion pack for a pre-existing title. 

That's how I took the thread title atleast. I mean ODST I have no doubt will sell better than anything on the PS3 (barring GT5 or something of that ilk) .  But more than that is....Halo ODST....and ??  

Halo 3: ODST, Alan Wake if it gets a marketing push and whatever e3 brings. Microsoft does not need 6-10 Fall titles to compete with Sony. Microsoft creates games that sell well to American audiences, they sell more hardware there, they market their games better, and they have big pockets that can lock up exclusivity just like that. Microsoft can do with 3-4 titles what Sony would need 6-8 titles to compete with.

Regarding Halo 3: ODST selling to existing audiences, that is true, but another Halo 3 push can bring in new Halo fans, so I fully expect Halo 3 itself to see a monster spike come September. If you think about it though, Sony has three big games for the fall and only one(which is the iffiest one regarding it's release date) is going to be a game that hasn't been seen on the PS3 yet, and that's God of War III.

I also have something to add that might be telling. Sony is publishing two sequels this year to two previous titles from that much sadder time in 2007, which are Uncharted 2 and Ratchet and Clank: Crack in Time. Normal trends show that comparable sales should be evident, however, the two other Sony published titles from early on in the lifespan, Motorstorm and Resistance both had sequels that tanked hard in comparison. It's possible we may see a repeat of that.

Plausible but let's be honest with the quality of games.  Motorstorm and Resistance were launch titles.  I mean if you owned a PS3 in the first 6 months or so,  those were the only 2 games I would have recommended to anybody and while good at the time,  they certainly were 'launch titles'.    Which inevitably leads to the disappointment factor.

Ratchet and Clank were actually successful on their own merits and escaped that 'launch title' stigma or negative impression or inflated sales.

I'm of another opinion. I think that season of disappointment in PS3 games, and buying whatever came out just for the sake of buying something extended way past February 2007. That doesnt say anything about the quality of the individual titles though, but the perception of even Uncharted and Ratchet and Clank may be skewed because they came at a time when fans may have still been buying whatever scraps they were being thrown. I definitely could be wrong though. It's merely a thought I had.

You have to admit though, those drops are fantastically awful for both Resistance and Motorstorm sequels. I'm sure Sony was expecting much more out of both. Especially Resistance 2 which they purposely put right in Gears 2's face to directly compete with it.

Exactly what is weak about the catalog though? I see sales potential from the already announced games, and the speculative games like Forza 3 which may or may not be real. Ultimately it's sales that will decide what made customers go out to buy consoles, and Halo 3: ODST has more of a chance of doing that than any PS3 title I know of coming out in 2009 does. Granted, this is under the assumption that GT5 doesn't release this year, otherwise my opinion flips. We can go on all day about Heavy Rain and Infamous but those are likely to be non-factors, same as Valkyria Chronicles, Motorstorm 2 and SOCOM: Confrontation were. Good games that look good when compiling a list of titles, but ultimately matter not in the big scheme of things.

I also have something to add that might be telling. Sony is publishing two sequels this year to two previous titles from that much sadder time in 2007, which are Uncharted 2 and Ratchet and Clank: Crack in Time. Normal trends show that comparable sales should be evident, however, the two other Sony published titles from early on in the lifespan, Motorstorm and Resistance both had sequels that tanked hard in comparison. It's possible we may see a repeat of that.