just as I wonder why people think streaming is going to have any substantial impact

Sony is stuck in last place this gen in my opinion. I also love this last place console as much as I loved previous ones like the GameCube and Dreamcast. I definitely have no complaints as a PS3 owner.

Hmm... I think a lot of people here on DVDTalk would tell you they only bought the PS3 for Blu-ray. Obviously, we're a tiny minority and since this never actually happened it's hard to say what would've happened.

No one cares what you would say. But thanks for demonstrating your fear of an inanimate object

*ding ding* buy this man a beer

You've mentioned the next Xbox a few times. Do you actually have a source that it won't be a big jump, or are you just speculating?

It sparked plenty discussion, so I guess people do care.

Hindsight is 20/20 though. Sony had 120 million consumers in their back pocket. Maybe people are looking back at the 360s first year through rose colored glasses, but that first year was mostly crap software-wise. For the most part those games were mildly better than the original xbox.

So even with a year head start and equal SRP, I have little doubt that the Playstation brand would have won out among those 120 million people.

I've hated Sony since the original PlayStation.

The PS3 is the first Sony console I own and I love it. Not a great selection of games; but there are some that are fantastic (Little Big Planet) and I dig the Blu-ray support.

I still enjoy my 360 to death and I ended up just selling my Wii recently because I haven't touched it in months.

Speculation on my part. But I'm very confident about it. Look at the success of Nintendo in using the GC hardware with a new peripheral. See all the complaints from developers about the cost of creating assets for HD graphics. Consider how much trouble MS had delivering a powerful console so much earlier than the competition.

Also, generally I don't hear the voices of PS3/360 owners crying for much better graphics. Even on the PC, you have games like Battlefield Heroes, designed to run on almost any system. The most successful MMO, World of Warcraft, has always been about artistic design over pushing lots of polygons and textures. Browser games are all the rage also.

MS has also shown that by delivering the NXE (hit and miss for some), you can give your console a significant face lift without even changing the hardware.

Quite a few too .

I find your user name ironic since the music industry once believe the same thing.

Me too.

I am a Nintendo-lifer ... owned every system but Super Nintendo (during the broke college years). I have played just about all the versions of all the Nintendo platform games.

I bought the PS3 (my first PS) primarily for the Blu-ray capability, thinking I may play a few games, mainly borrowing games from other PS3 owners that I work with. There are 5 PS3 owners for each XBOX360 owner where I work.

... since then the PS3 has become my primary gaming system, over my PC, and I own almost as many PS3 games as I do Blu-rays (around 75).

As far as streaming being the future, I am a physical media guy ... I like to have the option to sell my media (games/movies) after I am done with them, if I do not plan on playing again. This is another reason I moved to Console gaming from the PC, all the product activations linked to your "account" and limited installs prevent selling the media once you are done.

I use my 360 a shitload more than my PS3 (which I actually haven't turned on in months), that said, this topic is just groan enducing. Never underestimate the power of a well timed price drop.

There are a good number of folks at my work that own PS3s as well, but none of them actually game on it much outside of an occasional game of Madden. They are, however, blu-ray addicts. And I know it's tried and true, but I just really do not like the Dual Shock / Sixaxis controllers for a lot of games, it feels clunky and unnatural, especially for FPS games.

Additionally, name a company that hasn't had a major loss in this ridiculously down economy. I'm sure you can find a few but generally speaking, the entertainment / leisure electronics sector is hurting right now.

Can they "win" console sales this generation? Absolutely not. But can they "win" the software, as in having the best exclusive and the biggest quality library? With Metal Gear Solid 4, Uncharted, Ratchet and Clank Future, Resistance 1 & 2, Killzone 2 and with games such as LittleBigPlanet out and inFamous, Uncharted 2, MAG and God of War III on the horizon, I would say that's certainly possible. Having such great second-party developers as Naughty Dog, Insomniac and Sucker Punch certainly helps.

Sorry if you think I am a fanboy. I actually own both systems, and I'll be glad to give PS3 praise when it is due. But the news about more FF delays just really set me off a bit. These are huge franchises, and Sony just expects gamers to wait years in anticipation. Also, another chip against PS3 is the rumor that a better version of MSG4 is coming to Xbox. Honestly, besides blu-ray, what positives are left for Sony? Home is an embarassing failure, countless irritating system updates.. The negatives far outweigh the positives!

Not true at all.

While the hardware manufactures may be down (Microsoft, Sony); the software is what's selling like gangbusters. For those who are already invested, stores like Game Stop have actually seen increases of profits as each quarter moves forward due to more people not leaving the house as often and focusing more on movies and video games. It's cheaper to buy a video game for $30 - 60 and get hours, if not days, of entertainment then it is for one to leave the house, grab dinner, see a movie, etc, etc, etc.

FF's delay isn't Sony's doing, and it is agreeably better to have a game done right than on time.

As for the Killzone 2 comment, that game did fantastic considering it followed a hugely disappointing #1. Halo is a ridiculously well known franchise that is also insanely popular, they could release a lawn mowing simulator with the master chief and still maintain excellent sales.

My issue with the PS3 is just the sameness of a lot of games. LittleBigPlanet has fantastic art design and a cool level editor, but the gameplay is little more than Yoshi's Story on the N64 (but at least theres an end to the levels.). When the title was first announced, I was almost hoping for another Twinsen game, though Little Big Adventure is long dead now. Ratchet and Clank Future is completely indistignuishable (visuals aside) from the other entries. MGS4 was a chatterbox and while not bad, it was nothing special. Resistance 1 is the single biggest disappointment I've had this generation (I need to give 2 a shot regardless), Call of Duty with Aliens was such a compelling description, why oh why couldn't it live up to it

That said, the multi-console games more than make up for it, and it is a solid all around system (If Sony would support EXT3 on external hdds I would have a whole new use for the thing.) It's well built, has a decent online component (speeds are still nothing compared to the Live network, but hell, it's free.) and has some pretty cool downloadable games (the tower defense game that came out recently being a good example, along with Tekken: Dark Ressurection. Not so in line with the artsy games which come off as novel but deadly dull. Appreciate the effort though)

In the end though, it's hard to justify over the 360 due to the cost difference, but once the prices align a bit better, the real war will be waged.

The blu-ray player is a great addition, though I haven't really used mine a whole lot this year. It does work better than the standalone I bought my parents (bought em a Samsung 1500 during that Amazon.com sale last Xmas (something like 8 blu movies + Blu player = $150)) .... can't wait for that deal to pop up again.

Was unaware GameStop was up in the last year, that's cool~ish.

The first year of the 360 was pretty dry. But so was the first year of the Wii and the PS3.

I'm the complete opposite. (In the past few months, at least).

I don't know whether you are or not...something in the tone of your OP just rubbed me the wrong way.

FF is multiconsole and not made by Sony, so your point is lost on me.

God of War will come out Q1, just like every other God of War.
Gran Turismo will come out when it's ready, I guess, but I'll stick with Paradise anyway.

I didn't buy MGS4 (hate stealth games), but I know it's popular. I don't see how this is any different than say, Bioshock.

inFAMOUS
Uncharted 2
Flower
God of War
Heavy Rain
Killzone 2
Cheap HD upgrades
USB compatibility
Web Browser
Free Online

I agree that Home is absurd, and it's thankfully pretty easy to ignore. System updates usually add value and tend to not brick the system (just saying).

I disagree. Sony will have better first and second party games, has superior hardware (except for the controller), and is a very good BD player to boot.

I think it's a terriffic console that is a marketing push and a price drop away from making some serious waves.

So no, Sony hasn't "officially lost" this whole generation just because you say so.

because he didn't say the ps3 had 8-bit graphics.

For every story like yours, there's one like me. I bought a PS3 last March to use as a Blu-ray player, and as of today I still have not played a single game on it.

But really, does any of this matter? If games are coming out that you want to play for systems that you own, who cares about any of this? It's all bullshit.

1. Final Fantasy is not a PS3 exclusive and the delays are not Sony's fault in any way. Besides, wouldn't you rather have a game that's done right rather than done on time? Games get delayed all the time, and I don't see you giving any credit to inFamous for coming out a week earlier than originally planned.

2. MGS4 coming to the 360 is a rumor. I fail to see how that's a legitimate "chip" against Sony at this point.

3. Home...ok, I'll give you that one. But that's easy enough to ignore since it's not an integrated part of the system. However, I honestly don't mind the system updates. They usually only take a few minutes and I never have a need to play games that urgently.

4. "The negatives far outweigh the positives!" -- I completely disagree, and this is the kind of statement that comes across as console bashing since it seems to be based almost entirely on opinion and misinformation. As I said before, each console this generation has its strengths and weaknesses, but none of them are a bad system to own. If you're really that unhappy with the PS3, you may want to sell it; that's what I'm doing with my Wii.

Regarding this point, I think it's a big deal because people are evaluating Sony based on their position last generation versus this generation. If the PS2 was more in line with the XBox and Gamecube as far as sales, Sony's current results with the PS3 wouldn't be a big deal and trailing the 360 by just a bit wouldn't be an issue. But like you pointed out, going from 120 million PS2's and being bounds ahead of everyone else with both sales and content, it's bigger news when Sony loses exclusives moreso then Microsoft.

Console sales and exclusive library go hand and hand though. I don't believe Sony has a Halo or a Mario in their favor.

This is what bothers me about the Wii. Absolutely no originality. They whore mario around as much as possible, and it seems like every game that comes out has already been released several times (Mario Kart/64/DD/Wii) and never really improves from system to system. I respect Microsft for not using the Master Chief in every game possible.

Starting a war when you're already in the hole by casualties in the millions is not good. Even if the PS3 can match sales with the 360, they are millions behind, and the damage has been done. Sony lost alot of fans this generation to Microsoft...fans that they may never get back.