For a console that was the clear-cut leader last generation with a huge market share, tell me if you think they're happy with being on 'about the same pace as the 360' after 1 year. Factor in the huge lead they have in Japan (which is getting smaller and smaller), being 'on the same pace' is disappointing to all their shareholders, I bet. I bet some 3rd party developers aren't that satisfied, either.

A lot of people waited on a Next Gen console until they saw the entries from all 3 systems.  So them being out first didn't help that much. Hardcore Sony fans weren't going to just move to the 360 simply for the fact it was out first.

360 had a year advantage, but after 1 year of all 3 systems being out, 360 is still SEVERELY outselling the PS3.

@NJ5: You're not right about the Others. PS3 is doing there better than Xbox was in its first months in Europe. Your graph is deformed becouse there are some countries in the other where PS3 was avalible from begining. But in most 90% (and all important) other's markets PS3 wasn't avalible in few first months in your graph (that's why the PS3' line is close to 0 in first months).

And PS3 even didn't have a Christmas in Europe.

PS3 is doing batter in Japan and EU ... and pretty similar in the US , so no problem here . Oh , and this is whit a much higher price and no real game ...

but remember sony said straight out the past two gens that nintendo was their biggest competition and this time around they said it was the 360. so to me being on par with the 360 is what they wanted. so it is the ps3's stradigy to have low sales and barely sale around 25mil units world wide. so they are gonna reach their goal they might beat the 360. but who'd guess they didnt care about being number one anymore.

It will have to increase its sales rate considerably. Don't it got about a million sales before the holidays last year from its launch in Japan/US and another million sales from its European launch. It won't be launching again this year.

Don't forget that the 360 was doing very poorly until the holiday season, and even after that amazing holiday season it still failed to meet Microsoft's lowest goals on time.   Remember when they said they'd have 15 million sold by summer?  Then they said 13-15 million and then 12 milion.  They're about to reach 12 million in October after Halo 3.

Thats what we call the Sony defense, its very similar to the chewbacca defense but the key points of this defense are: 1. "next pricecut will solve everything" and 2. "next big game will solve everything".These arguments are soon followed by 3. "that wasn´t a real pricecut" and 4. "that wasn´t a big game in the first place".

Oh and I wouldn´t say the PS3 is doing similar tho the 360 in the US thats the EU your thinking of. 

360 lead at PS3 launch: 5.22 million units
360 lead over PS3 now: 6.73 million units

That's how good the PS3 is doing compared to the 360. Not only did the PS3 came out a year later, not only is it selling at the same pace as the 360 was, but the lead is actually increasing. All this, with the 360 being almost inexistent in Japan. Buy yeah - Sony, the former market leader by 100million, should be glad.

It's one thing to say things are going to improve, and that the PS3 is going to come out on top of the 360 in the end. It's another to say things are going well as of now. One is being hopeful. The other is being delusional.

Sony domination starts in european launch price drop lair heavenly sword 40 gb model Christmas 2007 2008 MGS4 2009 FFXIII.

its not an important factor.. 360 was the only nexgen (current gen) console on the market for a year.. ps3 had to compete with two systems.... it seems like most of you are saying the ps3 should have sold ten million alone just off the brand name in the 1st year.. it just doesnt work that way though... if i went to my job tomorrow in our next staff meeting and said yea we have a strong brand name we'll be fine... id be out of a job by the next day.. if thats how sony thought at the time then shame on them.. despite having all this negativity and many naysayers that a 600 dollar console wouldnt sell this much..i applaud sony for reaching 5 mil.. in october.. same pace as the 360 at a higher price with more negative press.... with the price cuts and apologies by kaz hirai and with some pretty tight games coming in the near and distant future.. i feel that sony is heading in the right direction