Now it may seem that committing your loyalty to Sony, Microsoft or Nintendo is a world apart from committing to a political or religious stance – after all, the stakes of politics are the leadership and government of society and the world, and the stakes of metaphysical belief can seem even more serious to both atheists and theists. Why should videogame fanboys be so invested in their loyalty to one platform over another?

Remember that the parts of the brain activated in partisan response are those involved in assessing risk and reward, and cognitive dissonance is involved in protecting one’s prior decisions against disconfirming evidence. The reward in the context of videogame players is the enjoyment they will earn from playing the games on the various console systems, often in the form of fiero (triumph over adversity) – that hot and addictive emotional reward from overcoming immense challenge – but this is far from the only form of reward to be found in play. The decision each fanboy has made at some point in the past is which console will give them the greatest emotional reward from play – and for loyalists who stick with one console manufacturer from generation to generation, this decision was made a long time ago.

It's worth a look see; Bateman concludes that fanboyism will never go away, but it does give us a chance to look at an "unseen aspect of cognitive dissonance that we are all subject to but can rarely catch a glimpse of without exceptional circumstances."

On Fanboys [Only a Game]

So this weekend, he dragged his PS3 back to the same Game Stop where he bought it to trade it in for another Xbox. This, even as a friend in line with us complained about his Xbox acting up now that it's out of warranty.

I gasp! Instead of letting the consoles live in harmony, saving his money so he could have both a PS3 and an Xbox 360, young Master Wells instead went the trade-in route, at GameStop, no less. But how could he possibly make enough money to get a console and games with just the PS3? The answer may terrify you.

How did my son come up with the difference between the trade-in price and the new Xbox? He made $300 this weekend selling his decked-out World of Warcraft character on eBay.

Wow. I sure hope he mailed whoever won the CD key and packaging, because otherwise he just violated the End-User License Agreement, and...yeah, nothing at all will happen. $300? Anyone want a level 70 mage?

So all's well that ends well for Jane Wells and her son. He has his Xbox 360 back, and Jane learned some important lessons in the process.

1-the gaming experience is more than a few games and cool graphics.

2-repeatedly doing trade-ins at Game Stop is a money losing proposition.

3-PC games like World of Warcraft can actually MAKE you money.

4-don't talk to your mother about these things.

Oh Jane, we're going to miss these little chats. *wanders off to cry*

The Final Chapter In PS3 Vs. Xbox 360? [CNBC]

Apple has the infrastructure in place through iTunes to create a real value proposition for those that want to extend the capability of their console beyond gaming and has the cash — about $20 billion — to not only invest in the best components on the market, but in an online gaming experience that could rival Xbox Live. That cash could also be put to good use by acquiring major developers (did someone say Take-Two?) that could go from third-party powerhouse to Apple's first-party publisher."

Having just bought an iPod Touch last week despite having a perfectly functional Zune with 10 times the storage space, I can see Don's point. Apple has gone beyond making products. Now they simply create things people want. Would you want an Apple gaming console?

Apple is the only other company that can release a game console [The Digital Home]

While Madden intercepted the top three spots in August's NPD software sales chart, Nintendo nabbed the next three, with Wii Fit, Mario Kart and Wii Play continuing to show well.

But what about August's other attention grabbing debut, Too Human? See for yourself.

01. Madden NFL 09 (Xbox 360) - 1,000,000
02. Madden NFL 09 (PS3) - 643,000
03. Madden NFL 09 (PS2) - 424,500
04. Wii Fit (Wii) - 394,900
05. Mario Kart Wii (Wii) - 328,700
06. Wii Play (Wii) - 200,200
07. Soulcalibur IV (Xbox 360) - 174,000
08. Too Human (Xbox 360) - 168,200
09. Madden NFL 09 (Wii) - 115,800
10. Guitar Hero: On Tour (DS) - 111,200

Not a bad showing for Silicon Knights' Xbox 360 exclusive, especially in light of Too Human's mixed reception, but not exactly a good one either. We're a little more than impressed by Soulcalibur IV's second month showing on the charts, given its solid sales the previous month. Given that it was released here very late in July, however, we can't say we're too surprised.

And Wii Play? We'll let NPD Group analyst Anita Frazier convey just how well that title continues to perform.

"Wii Play continues its remarkable track record, achieving a 44% attach rate to new Wii hardware sales for the month," Frazier wrote. "It has remained a top-10 game each month since it's February 2007 introduction." And with no Wii remote shortage!

Overall, folks in the United States dropped $550.67 million on video game software in August.

Thanks to the NPD Group for providing us with monthly software sales data.

Hardware sales were mostly down — save for the PSP — with the PlayStation 3 seeing its three month streak of dominance over the Xbox 360 broken. Microsoft's recent price cuts on the 360 should go a long way to helping it next month as well. But we're getting ahead of ourselves...

Hit the jump for of Console War's August casualty count.

Nintendo DS - 518,300
Wii - 453,000
PSP - 253,000
Xbox 360 - 195,200
PlayStation 3 - 185,400
PlayStation 2 - 144,100

NPD analyst Anita Frazier highlights the Wii's success for the month, writing "Across hardware, software and accessories, products for the Wii platform contributed 28% of total industry dollar sales for the month of August."

"The PSP and PS3 systems achieved the greatest percentage gain of all now-gen systems," Frazier noted. "The sales acceleration of these systems, combined with the recent Xbox 360 price cuts should fuel future growth of this category." Yes, it was a rather impressive month for the PSP.

August's monthly take on the hardware side was $394.53 million, just 3% better than the previous August. Total hardware sales for the year amount to $3.73 billion, a much more positive 20% improvement for the same period from 2007.

Thanks to the NPD Group for providing us with monthly data.

My son still owns his PS3. I asked him if he likes it. Yes. I asked him if he regrets trading in his Xbox 360. Yes to that, too. Why? He says that while he enjoys the quality of game play on the PS3, especially the graphics (and no discs have been scratched yet), he misses all his friends on Xbox Live. I've noticed that he's not playing the PS3 very much, and, in fact, he's reactivated his old "World of Warcraft" account...

He misses his friends and has turned to World of Warcraft? Jane, your son isn't a finicky gamer, he's just lonely. Perhaps if you let him out of that gilded cage you've placed him in long enough to live...dammit live! *wipes at tear* She always makes me cry.

Young Master Wells is currently working on saving up for a new Xbox 360 so he can enjoy the benefits of both systems, which seems like the perfect thing to do. Appreciate video games in all their form and function! There's a good lad!

Maybe Microsoft's new price cuts will encourage him to do that. Then, perhaps, we can unite as one nation, one household, behind both consoles. That will only leave out the Wii, which, I'm afraid, he wouldn't be caught dead owning.

Gasp! There's a twist at the end! There is only one appropriate reaction, and that reaction is this.

PlayStation, Xbox And Post That Launched A "Thousand" Emails [CNBC]

"We're quite confident our holiday sales will be good," Sony spokestypes tell Gamasutra. Touting Blu-ray playback and "the broadest and deepest software lineup in the industry," the corporate communications team at SCEA questions the long-term sustainability of the cuts.

What we're curious about is if anyone out there in Kotakuland has been holding out this long on the "next gen" purchase, opting to "jump in" and giving up on that PlayStation 3 purchase because of the price adjustment.

Analysis: Pachter Suggests, Sony Rebuts On Xbox 360 Price Cuts [Gamasutra]

This apparently shows the SKU for the no-hard drive Arcade model. Other cuts are said to be coming for the Pro (60GB, $299) and Elite (120GB, $399), a development first reported by Ars Technica.

VGChartz follows the pic with a detailed analysis of what the new price points could mean for Microsoft, and the timing behind the price change. An excerpt:

The scheduling of the drop is telling as well. It takes place 1 week after Square Enix's 'Infinite Undiscovery' and 2 weeks before Harmonix/EA's 'Rock Band 2' - both exclusive to the Xbox 360 platform at the time of release and pricedrop (obviously, Rock Band 2 will ship in November for the other platforms).

The writer also peers into a crystal ball of sorts to guess at the production costs of the 360. Conclusion, down from $525 at launch to $140.15 to $182.19 today.

VGC Exclusive: Xbox 360 to Cut Arcade Prices to $199.99 on Sept. 7th [VGChartz.com, thanks Loaded Statement]

Worldwide console sales can pass the $180 million benchmark by 2011 even in an economic slowdown, said the analyst group, since high gas prices encourage people to entertain themselves at home. While the report sees Wii as the likely overall install base leader, it is critical of Microsoft, stating that "for the 80 percent-plus of game consumers that do not play FPS games, the Xbox 360 is not the system of choice."

The sales performance of the PlayStation 3 has been less than stellar, but Sony has survived. The Xbox 360 was unable to take advantage of Sony’s struggles to build the type of large lead needed to maintain a long-term advantage. The PS3 survived the onslaught of AAA Xbox 360 titles that hit the market from late 2006 through 2007.

Halo 3 had great sales, but it did very little to enhance the Xbox 360’s overall position in the marketplace.

Full report and more stats than you can shake a Wii remote at:

Led by the PlayStation 2 (PS2), the “128-bit” generation of video game systems has reached a record global installed base that is expected to exceed 180 million units. Of course, the PS2 was the best-selling game system ever.

With high hardware prices and a slow start for most of the current generation of game systems (Microsoft Xbox 360, Nintendo Wii, PlayStation 3), DFC Intelligence had originally forecasted that it would not be until 2012 that the installed base for the current generation started to match that of the 128-bit systems.

However, 2007 was a record year on all fronts, as sales of PC and video games reached an all-time high and overall worldwide industry sales soared over the $50 billion mark. DFC Intelligence forecasts that sales for the current generation of systems will pass the $180 million mark in 2011.

Ironically, a slowing economy can actually help the game industry. Video games provide a high rate of entertainment return and high gas prices actually encourage people to stay home and play games. The latest DFC Intelligence forecasts predict that all three systems (360, Wii, PS3) will have a solid installed base. Nevertheless, it looks like the Nintendo Wii will be the overall installed base leader. The Wii has enormous momentum and appeals to the broadest audience.

In doing retail checks over Memorial Day weekend, the item that everyone was asking about was the just launched Wii Fit. However, none of the retailers we visited had any in stock. It is because of this type of demand that DFC believes in 2008, the Wii could set a record for most console systems sold in a single year.

Of course, many of the biggest games are not even coming out for the Wii. Halo 3 and Gears of War were exclusive to the Xbox 360. The upcoming Metal Gear Solid 4 is only going to be on the PlayStation 3. The biggest title of 2008, Grand Theft Auto IV, is only available for the PS3 and Xbox 360. In other words, for many third-party publishers the more important race is between the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3.

Two years ago about this time, DFC Intelligence asked the question, “Could Sony Go From First to Worst?” At the time, our less than definitive answer was: maybe. We argued that much would depend on the execution of Sony and its competitors over the next few years. Two years later, DFC can say with more confidence that we do not think the PlayStation 3 will be the third place system. DFC forecasts that the PS3 will overtake the Xbox 360 in 2009 and finish in a strong second place behind the Wii.

The price of the PlayStation 3 has come down to a reasonable level and the software lineup is finally starting to look fairly strong. Most importantly, Sony was able to keep the PlayStation 2 installed base active. For its recently ended fiscal year, Sony Corp. reported that hardware unit sales of the PS2 were down by 7%. From our perspective we would say they were ONLY down by 7%. This is amazing for a system that launched in 2000. The PS2 managed to outsell both the PS3 and Xbox 360 in 2007.

The sales performance of the PlayStation 3 has been less than stellar, but Sony has survived. The Xbox 360 was unable to take advantage of Sony’s struggles to build the type of large lead needed to maintain a long-term advantage. The PS3 survived the onslaught of AAA Xbox 360 titles that hit the market from late 2006 through 2007.

Halo 3 had great sales, but it did very little to enhance the Xbox 360’s overall position in the marketplace. The Xbox 360 is the system of choice for fans of high-action first-person shooter (FPS) games. However, for the 80%-plus of game consumers that DO NOT play FPS games, the Xbox 360 is not the system of choice.

In our upcoming Genre Forecasting report, we look at expected sales by platform based on genre. While the Wii may have the highest installed base, there are not expected to be any mega-hit FPS titles on the platform. The average FPS title is expected to have 60% higher sales on the Xbox 360 over the PS3 and over three times the sales of the average Wii FPS game.

The biggest uncertainty in forecasting the market five years from now is estimating the impact future, unannounced systems will have. In building our forecasts, DFC Intelligence has assumed that some new systems will launch in the 2011 to 2013 time frame.

However, these forecasts are very hypothetical and are made under the assumption that a new generation of console systems will look very much like the past generation of game systems. This may not be the case, and right now we do not even know who the major players will be.

How soon will Nintendo want to launch a new system with the Wii being so successful? Will Microsoft still want to stay in the game business given their losses? Is Sony really serious about pushing the PS3 to a ten year plus life cycle? Will new game systems just be an extension of the current game systems with some enhanced features and services? These are questions we are currently unable to answer.

One thing that is worth noting is that DFC has built in different models for how fast the current systems will be retired and how heavy consumer purchasing of software will be for each system. We call these factors respectively the active installed base and software tie ratio.

The Xbox 360 has a high software tie ratio, but given technical problems among many early units it also has a fairly high retirement factor. The Wii has both a lower software tie-ratio and a higher than average retirement factor. On the other hand, one advantage with the PS3 is its durability and what is expected to be a fairly strong software tie-ratio in the long-term.

For this reason, the DFC Intelligence forecasting model indicates that software sales for the PlayStation 3 will surpass software sales for the Wii in 2012. Of course, by this time, software sales for all systems are expected to be on the decline.

The biggest story over the next few years may be the declining overall importance of the console systems. Last year Sony’s biggest selling game system was the portable PSP. Meanwhile, the Nintendo DS blew out all records for game system hardware unit sales (portable or console) in a single year.

From a pure revenue perspective, the biggest system for software sales in 2007 was the PC, if you include revenue generated from online services. Like we said, 2007 blew away sales records on all fronts. Right now it looks like 2008 will be even better.

Record Game Sales in 2007 Are Just the Start for the Soaring Video Game Business [DFC Intelligence]

We're thankful that Mr. Kim has moved the goal posts, as we had resolved ourselves to the fact that the whole conflict between multi-billion dollar corporations was already over. Thankfully, we have something to look forward to. Shane's lithe dodging of Game|Life's questions about motion sensing controllers for the Xbox 360 and future Rare titles are equally rewarding. Don't miss it.

Microsoft's Shane Kim: First to 100 Million Wins [Game|Life]

• Wii - 714,200
• Nintendo DS - 414,800
• PSP - 192,000
• Xbox 360 - 188,000
• PlayStation 3 - 187,100
• PlayStation 2 - 124,400

Totals were down across the board, with the Wii taking the least hit from March to April, each piece of hardware showing in the same position as the previous month. Despite that month to month drop, hardware was up 26% over April of last year.

Total hardware spending in April amounted to $426.2 million, compared to $339.2 million spent in April of 2007.

NPD analyst Anita Frazier pointed out that more Wiis at retail, obviously, means more Wiis sold. And while some Wii owners may bemoan a lack of new releases—Mario Kart Wii aside—Frazier writes that "With a couple of blockbuster games already in the market this year, and with Wii Fit and Rock Band still to come in the next two months, the pipeline of content to continue to drive hardware acquisition looks very good"

Frazier also points out that less than spectacular sales on PS3 and 360 hardware may not be indicative of underperformance, noting that "[S]ince the game was only in the market for 5 days during this reporting period, that sales lift could very well be evident in May data." To May, then!

When contacted for clarification about the 360's numbers versus the Wii's—which stood at 24.5 million worldwide as of March 31, according to Nintendo financials—Microsoft reps told us that "Xbox 360 has the largest global install base of any current gen high definition gaming console." That emphasis? Mine. They also apologized for any confusion this may have caused.

Hey, it happens. Even I forget I have a Wii sometimes and it's right there, mere feet from my face.

Don Mattrick, the *deep breath* Senior Vice President of the Interactive Entertainment Business, Entertainment and Devices Division, said in a statement that "History has shown us that the first company to reach 10 million in console sales wins the generation battle." Microsoft also points out that it leads worldwide, with a 19 million strong install base and 12 million Xbox Live users.

Impressive numbers? Absolutely. Expect to hear "But we got there fastest, not first!" and/or "Not my problem!" any second now.

Xbox 360 First Gaming System to Reach 10 Million in U.S. Console Sales This Generation

Xbox LIVE tops 12 million members globally as Xbox 360 console sales hit more than 19 million worldwide.

REDMOND, Wash., May 14 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — Microsoft Corp. today announced that the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system has sold over 10 million units in the U.S., making it the first current-generation gaming console to break the 10 million mark in the U.S. The U.S. install base contributes to global sales of over 19 million, more than any other current-generation console.

"This year will be the largest in the history of the video game industry, with Xbox 360 leading the charge in the U.S. and abroad," said Don Mattrick, senior vice president of the Interactive Entertainment Business in the Entertainment and Devices Division at Microsoft. "History has shown us that the first company to reach 10 million in console sales wins the generation battle. We are uniquely positioned to set a new benchmark for the industry."

This announcement comes on the heels of one of the biggest entertainment launches in history, "Grand Theft Auto IV," on April 29, 2008. Gamers eager to experience "Grand Theft Auto IV" online helped boost Xbox LIVE global membership to over 12 million this month. Fueled by an unparalleled combination of access to friends and family, the best online gaming features, and the best entertainment content, the Xbox LIVE service has doubled in membership in only one year's time.

"Reaching an installed base of 10 million consoles in the U.S. is a significant achievement and an essential milestone on the road to market leadership," said Billy Pidgeon, research manager at IDC. "Perhaps more important is the Xbox 360 worldwide online base — 12 million Xbox LIVE gamers is the largest community in the connected console games sector, which represents the greatest growth opportunity in the console market and where Microsoft has been the leader for two generations."

Xbox 360 leads with the industry's highest software attach rate, more than any other console this generation, and is home to the best-selling games. With the launch of "Grand Theft Auto IV" in April, Xbox 360 is now the home to more than 16 platinum titles that have sold through 1 million units or more, including hits such as "Halo 3," "Madden NFL 07" and "Madden NFL 08," "Gears of War," "Guitar Hero II" and "Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock," and "Call of Duty® 2," Call of Duty 3" and "Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare," giving Xbox 360 two times more platinum-selling titles than the Wii and a 16:2 lead over the PlayStation 3 in game titles topping one million in sales. Games not only sell better on the Xbox 360, they play better, too: Xbox 360 has 91 titles with a Metacritic review score of 80 or higher, compared with just 22 titles for Wii and 50 titles for PlayStation 3.

About Xbox 360

Xbox 360 is a superior video game and entertainment system delivering the best games, unique entertainment features and a unified online gaming network that revolve around gamers. Xbox 360 has a portfolio of nearly 400 games in 37 countries. More information can be found online at http://www.xbox.com/xbox360.

About Xbox LIVE

Xbox LIVE is the first and most comprehensive unified online entertainment network seamlessly integrated throughout the entire console experience, making it easy for people to find the friends, games and entertainment they want from the moment they power on their Xbox 360 system. Xbox LIVE connects more than 12 million of members across 37 countries to enjoy hundreds of multiplayer games, downloadable games via Xbox LIVE Arcade, free and premium playable game demos, music videos, TV shows and movies in the United States as well as new game levels, characters and vehicles for all their favorite retail games. More information can be found online at http://www.xbox.com/en-us/live.

About Microsoft

Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq: MSFT - News) is the worldwide leader in software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realize their full potential.

Pachter puts the PS3 slightly ahead of the Xbox 360, but the Wii is envisioned to outsell both combined. That may be largely due to Mario Kart Wii sales, but we suspect that a good portion of those Wii sold are simply due to rabid demand.

And, for the record, neither the PS3 or the 360 come close to Nintendo DS sales. In our fantasy world, Nintendo's statement about April's U.S. sales is simply the image above, in obscenely high resolution.

Pachter: Wii Outsold PS3 and Xbox 360 Combined in April [GameDaily]

We've been hearing a lot of chatter about how they botched a comparison video of Race Driver: GRID. In an attempt to show cooler crash physics on the 360, they used PS3's instead — easily identifiable by the controller map in the lower left corner. Doh!

Gametrailers took down the video after getting barbecued in the comment flamewar. But someone already YouTubed it and spliced in comments pointing out the negligence, or worse.

Anyway, here you go. Just shows that console comparison is absolutely the third rail discussion in our neck of the woods. And if you undertake it, everything has to be bulletproof, or you'll get ripped for looking like a shill.

GRID Playstation 3 vs Xbox 360 Comparison is Fishy [onaxis]

And if the Wii's sales might is because it appeals to casual gamers, then it's going to miss out when a title for more traditional gamers releases and starts doing gangbusters business. If a title for the Wii is that good, it's easier to port it over to PS3 or the 360, Caulfield points out. Not so in reverse.

Here's his scoresheet:

Sony: Fresh off victory in the HD-DVD/Blu-Ray war, which will help move consoles long-term. Plus GTA IV looks better on a PS3.

Microsoft: "Best-in-class online experience" which will see tons of DLC to keep it competitive and reaping money off GTA IV.

Nintendo: Pretty much zilch, and kind of backed into a corner. "It's hard to imagine how the sprawling world of Grand Theft Auto IV — which already taxes the multicore processors powering the XBox and Playstation — could be recreated on the Wii," Caulfield writes. This goes for other games like it down the road, too.

Verdict: "Wii won't die, for sure. But Grand Theft Auto IV may have just given a new lease on life to the Playstation 3," Caulfield writes.

How Grand Theft Auto IV Threatens the Wii [Forbes]

In the same release, an analyst points out that the three previous titles, launching exclusively on Playstation first, has helped build up an installation base of loyal GTA Playstation gamers. That brings up a nagging question: If Sony and Playstation can claim (and I certainly think they can) such a strong connection to the GTA franchise, how does the inexplicable lock-up problem, which seems to disproportionately affect the PS3, affect consumers considering a purchase of that console?

Is it — I'll go ahead and put it out there — at all equivalent to Xbox's Red Ring of Death PR nightmare?

Granted, GTA IV is just one title, whereas the 360's horrid, rushed-to-market design flaw can eliminate all gaming on that platform for a month or more. But if Sony is finally turning the corner in console sales thanks to Grand Theft Auto IV then how badly is it damaged by word that this mega-title, aligned to its brand for a decade, has an inexplicable defect?

Existing Xbox owners tolerate the RRoD risk probably for the same reason that existing PS3 owners will tolerate GTA lockup risk. Very few are going to rush out and buy another console because of either. But for those who have neither a PS3 nor a 360, and may be considering between the two for themselves or as a gift, you better believe both Microsoft and Sony obsess over anything on that battleground, no matter how small.

So I'll put the question to you. Is the GTA lockup problem as bad for Sony as the RRoD is for Microsoft?

Gawker Media polls require Javascript; if you're viewing this in an RSS reader, click through to view in your Javascript-enabled web browser.

The analyzing wizards at DFC see an Xbox future filled with doom and gloom, with the 360 "continuing to struggle" in Europe, despite UK acceptance. They have better news for the Euro industry as a whole, with 2008 expected "to break all kinds of sales records." And they all lived happily ever after. The end.

DFC: 360 Likely "Biggest Loser" in Europe [Next-Gen]

I think the battle for the core user is sort of over, if you will. We're heading now well beyond 20 million in console sales.

I feel we've secured that core buyer, and that gives us quite a bit of an advantage versus PS3, which is late to the game and still at a price disadvantage relative to the Xbox.

...the way we're thinking about this cycle from a high level is, the Wii at that lower price-point had a lot of momentum early in the cycle, but as Sony and Microsoft come down the price curve those two should accelerate, and there's a lot of firepower left in their arsenal...

Whether it's dominating with LIVE (but charging for a service that proved unreliable last holiday season), selling 18 million consoles (but with unacceptably high failure rates) or building an incredible platform with XBLA (but accessing retro-seeking consumers more than family casual gamers)—Edge argues that Microsoft is on shaky ground when, with just a few tweaks, it could step to a more stable position. Sure, it's an article with more questions than answers, but it's worth a read for the Xbox 360 fanboy and Xbox 360 hater alike.

FEATURE: Is Xbox 360 Past Its Peak? [NextGeneration]

In other words, even major, industry-shaping publishers have no clue how the console wars will end. So don't feel bad if you can't decide between a PS3 and Xbox 360.

Activision Projects 2008 Hardware Sales [IGN via NextGeneration]

Cost to you? Just €18.00 (about $26 USD) plus shipping from, I believe, Greece. Expect to be chatted up and admonished by real veterans when you wear it!

Console Wars I [Supermandolini]

"It's nice to see the system selling much better than six months ago. But is it a sustainable trend? Is it going to really escalate from here? I'm not so sure."

Sony PS3 tops Nintendo Wii in Japan for first time [Reuters via Next Generation]

Unfortunately, no solid sales figures were provided for the period, with which we could fuel this fire. Instead, Otzman wrote that "It's SCEA policy not to disclose our unit sales numbers until NPD numbers are officially released which will be December 13th." SCEA has decided to stick to cryptic percentage boosts for all of its PS3 sales info.

Good for Microsoft, I say. Those scrappy underdogs deserve to have a little walkin' around money.

360 Rivals Wii Black Friday Sales [Next-Gen]

Under a microscope the PS3 version does look a bit sharper when the two versions are running side by side.

The Xbox 360 version makes up for this with (arguably) better controls and we're also told it runs two or three frames faster than the PS3 cousin, though no-one's going to notice that.

Ubisoft...did a good job. Flamewarthower...running out of fuel. Fanboys...becoming wildly apathetic. The world...running our of ellipsis...

Assassin's Creed: 360 vs. PS3 [cvg]

The 360 and the PS3 are equal in power in my eyes. Maybe the PS has more processing power. The 360 has more available memory. It's pretty much a net, net.

He tells Gamespot:

In an ideal world, I want to see only one major console being retailed on the market, and everyone actually making games for just one console, and bring the price of that console down from what the three currently cost right now.

Ah utopia! So which console wins the bloody war? Is it the PlayStation 3, "exclusive" home to Nobi Nobi Boy? Nope, the game designer envisions a totally new console, something that can shake up the industry. There's plenty more fantasy where that came from at his Q&A.

Q&A: Katamari Damacy director Keita Takahashi [Gamespot]

He echoes Gabe Newell's assessment of the PlayStation 3 hardware at certain points, writing that "code needed to make the PS3 work is most likely only useful to you on the PS3" and that the reasons for dedicating the effort to optimizing the hardware are dwindling. He means the fact that PS3 sales are in the basement.

Booth later writes that "Sony let their hardware be designed by a comity [sic] of business interests", dooming it to third place in the current generation forever.

As merely a consumer, not a developer, it's certainly difficult to disagree that the current third-party offerings on the PlayStation 3 are disheartening. Games perform worse, they're often delayed and they are often devoid of features their predecessors or Xbox 360 counterparts ship with.

PS3 misconceptions and spin [Blog of Booth - thanks, Scott!]

As Takahashi writes, it's a decidedly different attitude, one that's been reflected in Jack Tretton's E3 presser speech and Kaz Hirai's Tokyo Game Show keynote. Both execs approached the opportunity to present a more humble Sony, with Hirai stressing that the company was working to bring down hardware prices and work more closely with third parties.

Is it too late? Many of Sony's PlayStation 3 exclusives have failed to light a fire under consumers and one has to wonder how this holiday's upcoming library contributions will fare in the face of what Microsoft and Nintendo have to offer. We'll soon know if cheap ass PS3s are really all it's going to take.

Dean's Take on NPD numbers for September [The Mercury News]

This will be a leading title at Christmas. We have fully set our sights on it being the number one Wii title but are confident that this title has the potential to also achieve the top slot in the All Formats chart too.

In fact, we see it more of a four consoles, two handhelds market...Christmas will be very strong and we see PS2, Wii and the handhelds leading the way for us.

I don't think it's as binary now as it was with the previous generation. It really depends on your criteria of 'winning'. Some people say it's how many boxes you ship, some say it's the amount of profit you make, some might judge it on how broad your offering is...I think when people look back on this in the future they will see this as a very successful stepping stone in Microsoft's broader entertainment vision.

Winning for Microsoft is really just competing, as their focus is still just to keep another industry giant from becoming the home entertainment PC, the box that hooks to your TV without running Microsoft software (just like it was in the days of Xbox the First). In that sense, Microsoft has secured enough of the market—but more importantly, presence in the market—that they will at minimum cockblock other companies from looking like undisputed entertainment leaders. Well, that's assuming Sony never gets their act together. And they are revving up in a major way and own a lot of their own entertainment properties...

Damn these times are fun.

MCV INTERVIEW: Microsoft [mcv]

An unnamed analyst chalks that victory up to Nintendo's intercontinental domination and Microsoft's non-presence in Japan. Of course, this was obviously written before Microsoft announced the availability of Rez HD for the Xbox 360, a game sure to turn around its fortunes. Just kidding. It's more likely that Wii Fit boards will soon be manufactured from discarded 360 cases.

Nintendo's Wii takes console lead [Financial Times]

One reason why, in a list of very long reasons is:

We also have a lot of faith in the ability of, in particular, Sony, which we see has really got a huge amount of development resources, and they are backing the PlayStation 3 to enormous unprecedented levels for a first party publisher.

One of our core beliefs is that no one buys one of these plastic boxes on technical specs alone, people tend to buy them for content. Our forecasts at the moment are based on the belief that PlayStation 3 has this level of support. The numbers that we're seeing now for the Nintendo Wii, they've come out of the blocks fantastically strongly - no one would deny that - however it's incredibly early in the hardware cycle. There's still another five or six years to play out on this one, and the first big battleground will be Christmas of 2007.

It's an interesting perspective, one that makes me want to read the full report. However, I don't have $3260 lying around for the PDF and I don't think I can expense this one. Michael McWhertor

Screen Digest: PS3 To Lead Through 2010, Wii 'Great Unknown' [Gamasutra]

It's been a lucrative holiday season for video games to say the least, with retailers reporting huge leaps in both consoles and software sales across the board. So which console sold the most systems during the two months leading up to Christmas in North America? According to preliminary findings by market analysts IDC, Microsoft came out on top, selling 2 million 360s during November and December, with the Nintendo Wii a close second with 1.8 million sold. The Playstation 3 brought up the rear at a mere 750 thousand.

Things to keep in mind as you take those figures in. First off, I'd say a fair share of 360s were purchased because the PS3 and the Wii were hard to find. Between that, the Xbox 360's two-week head start, and the fact that the newer consoles had limited availability you can't really take the findings as a measure of console popularity.

What the numbers do mean, however, is that 4.5 million next-gen (or is that current gen now?) consoles were sold in North America in 2 months, representing over $1.5 billion in sales. To put that into perspective, that's a lot more money than I have in my pocket right now. Michael Fahey

Xbox 360 topped US hardware sales chart over Xmas - IDC [GamesIndustry.biz]

(edit) After we ran this story, GamesIndustry.biz corrected theirs, noting that IDC was the company that provided the estimates, not NPD. Our story has been corrected accordingly.

Game Designer and Gamasutra writer, Ernest Adams has published an interesting article on the console wars from the perspective of a designer. It seems that the PS3, while undoubtedly being the technically superior console, is less challenging to the people who create the games.

From a design standpoint, however, the PS3 is evolutionary, not revolutionary. It doesn't change much about our job. It makes it easier to design the same stuff we've always designed, but it doesn't encourage us to try anything particularly new.

The Wii on the other hand, provides artistic inspiration through it's control scheme.

Nintendo has bet the company on a radical new approach to gaming. Gameplay, they said, is really about interactions, not graphics. The Wii Remote gives players new things to do, which means it challenges us designers to come up with those things.

He goes on to predict that the Wii and the PS3 will be this generation's console wars "big two" leaving the earlier launched Xbox 360 in the third place slot previously occupied by the Gamecube.

With all the hype that surrounded the launches of these two consoles, it's interesting to see how the chips all seem to be falling in Nintendo's court, at least for the time being. Consumers and designers love the Wii, so where does that leave the PS3? Will it come on strong in the next year with a glut of really amazing games, pulling ahead in the race when the "novelty" of the Wii subsides? Or will the developers and designers spend more time creating new and innovative ways to use the Wii's control scheme, resulting in more intriguing gameplay?

Graphics vs. Gameplay: The Eternal Struggle. Which will really win out in the long run? Flynn De Marco

The Designer's Notebook: PS3 versus Wii - The Designer's Perspective [Gamasutra]

For now, Microsoft! Don't get too cocky. It's no secret that the New York Times is not a huge fan of Sony's monolith of a console, the PlayStation 3, but the NYT is breaking it down for the vacillating console crowd why they should pick up an Xbox 360 this holiday season.

Writer Seth Scheisel breaks it down feature by feature, comparing each console's online feature set, graphical capabilities, movie playback skills and more. His conclusion?

Right now there is basically no rational reason to buy a PlayStation 3 instead of an Xbox 360.

Damn! Since I fall into the irrational segment, I'll reserve comment. It will probably just sound insane.

While reading the now-gen roundup, see if you can spot the throwaway mention of the Nintendo Wii, some console that you swing at people or something. Michael McWhertor

Duking It Out for a Houseful of Smiles [The New York Times]
The New York Times Hates PS3, Too [Kotaku]