Comments on: Why the Xbox 360 will win the console war

Don Reisinger thinks the Xbox 360 will win the console war. Something tells us Sony and Nintendo will disagree.

[slayorofgods]

Actually the numbers forget about the year advantage of the 360.
Data for VGChartz.com
these data represents sales from launch after 75 weeks for each system.
Wii - 25,458,000 (best start for any system)
PS3 - 11,818,000 (about the same sales figures as the ps2)
360 - 9,716,000 (3rd place, but slightly better then the original x-box)

I agree that if wii sales die down earlier then the ps3/360 they would eventually overtake it. However the evidence I collected is then in favor of the ps3

[mbed0123]

i must say that people really do get all excited over this "console war" thing. to be honest i have both systems, the 360 and ps3 that is. and i would have to say that i like them both a lot. i bought the 360 before the ps3 was out, why, because it was the only hi-def console out at the time. i do think that the ps3 is better in a lot of ways, especially in power. and when a lot more developers get their heads out of their *****, the games that run really well on the 360 will run even better on the ps3 when ported over. wait and see when devs actually start to develope on the ps3 initially and then port it over for the 360. if you want to consider sales and where they are today, i think every should seriously take into consideration that the 360 has, oh just about a year on the ps3 when it comes to release. the 360 really should have adopted the hd dvd concept, that might have given it a glimpse at a chance to stick around another year or two. microsoft will more than likey do the same and can it withing 2 years and come out with something off the wall to try and compete with the power of the ps3. and man, everyone, don't take it so damn personal when it comes to these blogs. i mean do you all work for sony or microsoft to where you feel that compelled to really get into it with these people, seriously, its just a game: system.....

[marbanno]

I would agree that the PS3 has tons of power and developers havent found its potential yet. However, I don't believe a port will ever be better on the PS3 as shown on many many ported examples. Where the PS3 will shine is when developers create dual platform titles based on system it performs on. GTA is just one example and I'm sure the next Star Wars game will show how well the PS3 can perform as Lucas Arts are focusing on development on the PS3.

[eazy80]

Don Reisinger might have not a PS 3 but he does have two things right. One is online gaming is important because I bought GTA IV on my PS 3 and try to play online and had trouble finding a game with so many options. So I sold it back to Game Stop and bought one for my Xbox and guess what I found plenty of games on line. A factor that Don did not mention is Xbox Live Arcade. This is a major stepping-stone that could win this console war, which PS 3 and the Wii do not have. The Second reason is the good relationships that Microsoft is creating with game making companies. These two reasons should win the console war.

[aviazn]

"the rate at which its sales are increasing." Shouldn't that be acceleration (second derivative), not velocity? At least with respect to user base.

[Spiza2]

Hows the downloadable user created content on the 360? Oh wait...

[marbanno]

I'm always amazed by the fanboyism generated by console blogs. The most relevant posts are from those owning 2 or more of the consoles. As an owner of both the 360 and PS3, I think the article is a fair opinion of what will happen this time around. Regardless of your personal preference or "skewed" stats (meaning those which ever side you prefer) one thing that has not been mentioned is the fact that all these companies are out to make money. If you are a PS fanboy it is unfair to say that MS has failed or will fail simply for the fact that they have made a significant impact on the gaming community that was for the most part solely owned by Sony for over a decade. The fact that there is a console war is a testament to MS's tenacity and strength in the market. Regardless if they come in "last" this time around, MS has expanded a product line and continues to position itself to gain market share. It's also interesting to note that the XBOX is really the first hardware produced by a company founded that was founded on software. The success of the 360 has not been piggybacked on other hardware it sells.

Sony on the other hand has done well by providing a comprehensive High Def flexible system. It's popularity in countries outside of the US is a product of a very diverse entertainment product line as well as having an established foundation in the gaming world. Do people really want to change what they are used to and comfortable with?? The PS3 allows Sony to synergize a host of its products and while there are arguable problems with the PS3 it also functions to sell other Sony products. There is no doubt that the PS3 will be highly successful. As much as the PS2 selling over 100 million units? Doubtful but where's the statistic about the attachment rate of HDTV's or stereo systems? etc. etc.

Nintendo's strategy is very different from MS and Sony in that the system is not "next-gen". However, this is not to say that they will fail either because of the DS and its target market. It would almost appear as if Nintendo is taking a board game approach to gaming. They will continue to sell the hardware regardless of the lack of next gen and its something that can be pulled out of the closet and played at parties. I like to play monopoly (the traditional board game mind you) but I don't pull it out everyday to play. But you can bet I sure own the game.

I guess my point is to remember that these companies are out to diversify their products and ultimately make money. While it makes fanboys happy to make claim of a console war, in the end the competition is pushing gaming to new limits and creating a great environment for gamers across all the platforms.

[resolved1982]

this is something that has been pointed out many times, the sales figures show how many ppl have which console, in eurpoe u can get a multiplayer online game no probs. It's simple the more ps3 sales overtake 360 the more ppl there will b online to play against! & psn is free & ps3 sales have overtaken 360 in europe. As for the Xbox Live Arcade, well for a start if I wanted to play those kind of games i just use my psp I wud'nt buy either a ps3 or 360 to play them. Then there's the downloadable back catalogue of ps1 & ps2 games that r ever expanding & available to download for a mere couple of quid. Then we have the whole year advantage microsoft had on the ps3. In no previous console wars did any console have such a massive advantage. Even with this they lie only slightly ahead of the ps3 in global sales of which the ps3 is closing on with every passing week the official release lists for both 360 & xbox show more game slated 4 release in the coming year many of them exclusive titles & moving to utilise the full power of the ps3. Then you Gran Turismo 5 out next year but the prologue alone shipped serious numbers of ps3 units alone so just think how that will work when the full massive title is released. MGS4 well already top of the preorder charts in the UK, the ps3 also 3 other titles in the top 10. 360 has 3 as well but 1 of them is gers of war classics at 10, GOW2 only sits at 4. As for good relationships with game makers, why are so many opting to make for the ps3 alone & have been since the ps1 polophony & konami among them, 2 of the biggest makers about!! Then we have blu-ray now this may not of had much effect on sales yet, but this will also have to be tied in with the growth of HD TV's that go to 1080 to enjoy the full benefits baring in mind that the ps3 is currently the cheapest blu ray player which funnily includeds a whole multitude of other things to play music upscale normal dvds & downloading of current psn content video at 1080 & will become more popular in time. Microsoft are obviously running scared with their price cuts & lets bare in mind that 2 sth that does sth u really need the elite version which is'nt that much cheaper than a ps3!!!

[ward64]

Please tell me how blu ray relates to online.

If you're talking digital distribution then you obviously have NEVER used it yourself.

Lets take direct to drive as an example, or Steam. Get the game on launch day and you're lucky to get it in 10-20 hours (and i'm talking with a 10mbps connection here) because there just is not enough bandwidth to go around, period.

Have a nice weekend Don, get your wife something nice with that backhander MS gave you.

[Masuyo]

Wow I'm boycotting this site now. This is the most biased piece of garbage I've ever read. How much did you get paid to write this piece of crap? Did your page get enough hits to make it worth selling your ignorant soul? Don Reisinger, have you transfered any MP3s to your xbox lately? What about the fact that the PS3 has more power, more features, full integration with the PSP, amazing DLC, free online play, and if you passed 1st grade math you could add up the cost of everything the 360 would need to be on par with the PS3. Here's a little hint: $200 HDDVD addon (useless now) + $100 wifi dongle + $150 extra for an elite for HDMI = you're a moron. I suspect the system will be dead in about 2 years and the PS3 will be going strong well into 2016.

I'm very angry right now. You're a complete idiot. (I own all 3 systems)

[Digital-Nitrate]

Don Reisinger

Could you write a more misleading article? I mean really. I get that fanboys like to promote their choice in consoles, I suppose to justify their decision and preference, but to go so far as to attempt to mislead people by publishing false facts and manipulate numbers and leave off pertinent information in order to do so is rather malicious... especially when it's being published on a major tech site like CNET.

Oh well, looks like I won't be adding your name to my list of reliable sources for tech news, info, and options.

[Commandoclone87]

Wow... Am I the only one who looked at the paged and realized that this is a "Blog" not a news article. Don even stated that it was his "opinion".

And if you actually read the article and not just the title, you might realize that there are valid points (i.e. MS's Live has been around for a lot longer than Sony's online services and as such has worked out many of the bugs still plaguing my PS3)

[gerrrg]

2 1/2 years after the Wii has come out and it's still a tough find in the US. Fils-Ami said that the average shelf life for the Wii in America is one hour. That NPD report of 42% is notable for what it doesn't say: most of those games are relatively simple user-to-user interactions. Why do you need an Xbox 360 to play poker or scrabble online when a Wii will suffice? The real winner is the Wii. With an open platform and coding that isn't nearly as complicated as that for either the Xbox or the PS3, only the hardcore gamers will find the Wii completely unsatisfying...and I'm betting the proof is in the pudding - people I know, that haven't owned a game system in the past decade are buying the Wii, not the other brands. This outside-the-hardcore-gamers market is broader.

[hfitzhugh]

Why is everyone concerned with which console will win the console war? I also don't understand why people compare the Wii to the 360 and PS3. Competition is good for the market and it is great for gamers. Just looking at how little Madden has changed over the past few versions illustrates this point. The fact that Sony and Microsoft have to compete with each other is the reason we get so many innovative and original games. If there was only one console, there would be no guarantee that the variety of games we can choose from would be so great. Just look at how bad Sega's games have been since they abandoned the console business. As far as comparing the Wii to the 360 and PS3, that is like comparing apples to oranges. The Wii is designed simply to cater to casual gamers. Nintendo proved this by not significantly upgrading the Gamecube's graphical capabilities. 360 and PS3 are in a league of their own, and they are their only real competition. A significant amount of exclusive Wii users would not be interested in the 360 or the PS3 because of their perceived complexity. The console war is a good thing for all of us and we should not be concerned with which company is doing the best, only that the competition continues.

[techmulticast]

Personally I felt Wii, 360 and PS3 are not juz battling to be the king of game console.
With the convergence of home entertainment devices, It seems like they are battling to be the king of home entertainment devices.

360 is a media center extender (stream contents, mp3 or video from ones PC or external sources, PS3 has a in-built BluRay (mayb for future game's file size, but currently I felt they are gunning for those HD-movies).... I am not that sure abt Wii since I seldom read up on it, maybe it is the only console solely for game.....
So it is more then juz gaming arena....they are having a dead or alive match. To be the darling of ur living room.

I am not sure who will win. But it will defintely be nice to be around and watch them battling it out, implementing their plans/strategies. We wll certainly have a few laughs while we watch some of their screw up plans or amaze by their smart moves. Importantly, we will likely benetfit from some price reduction. So lets the fight continue, may the best win (hope they don't juz paid their way to victory). lol.

[ReVeLaTeD]

Blu-Ray: Moot, since the games are being installed to the hard drive anyway, negates the potential benefits.

PS Store: Moot, because it's rarely updated with new content, whereas the Live Marketplace seems to be adding stuff daily.

Online gaming: Moot, Xbox Live has and will always lead here. They did it better long before Sony even thought of online gaming back on the original Xbox.

Games: PS3 has its library, but generally speaking, Xbox's exclusives are usually better received. Common games almost always perform better on 360, with a few exceptions (Fight Night, for example, but that was due to additional development time between releases).

Other features: Custom soundtracks, which Xbox has had for nearly a decade and Sony STILL doesn't do. Controller batteries - the 360 features replaceable batteries whereas the SIXAXIS must be completely replaced (for a HIGH price no less).


I own all three systems, but the 360 gets more game play out of me.

[glennbg]

Exactly. Don't forget the that Xbox is way ahead in movie downloads, too.

[Vassili_06]

Wow, you truly are a liar buddy. For starters
Playstation Store: Updated daily, including movies, shows, games, demos... maybe you didnt know theres already 450+ movies on the PS Store?

Controller batteries: What? ROFL, this right here proves your a 360 fanboy "Controller batteries - the 360 features replaceable batteries whereas the SIXAXIS must be completely replaced (for a HIGH price no less)."... Um, ya... guess what? maybe you should check, CONTROLLER CHARGER COMES WITH THE PS3. Check your facts before you post fanboy.

Online gaming: Moot? so region locked P2P servers (Xbox 360) beats Non region locked Dedicated Servers (PS3) these days? Get your head out of your ass kid, theres a reason why PS3 exclusives support 32-256 multiplayer, while Xbox 360 exclusives support only 8-16. And incase you didnt know, P2P = Player to player servers, something thats absolete, theres a reason why it died out in the PC gaming world, that reason being Dedicated Servers.

Blu-ray: Moot? So 18GB Xbox 360 disc's beats PS3's 50GB Blu ray discs? yep.. guess so. Maybe you should wonder why Halo 3's campaign is so ****** short (5-6 hours, offical IGN clock) while Resistance 2 has a 17 hour single player campaign, 16 hour Co-op campaign (Co-op is a whole different campaign) and then 60 online multiplayer.

Microsoft has you forking out 50 a year for ****** P2P region locked servers (P2P in the real world is free). Sony's PSN has Dedicated 24/7 servers for their games, at no charge to the gamers (Much like how Steam for the PC works, Dedicated servers at no cost). So ya, i can tell you dont have all 3 systems, your just a fanboy who poses as the guy who tried it all.

[lefil]

What a bunch of retarded fanboys. Microsoft has already lost the console war . I can tell you right now how this generation will tun out:

First place: Nintendo
Second place: Sony
Third place: Microsoft

[TrevorBG]

You're joking right?

That or you're just a fanboy.

The 360 will indeed win this generations console war. And if you think otherwise then you either work for Sony or you have your head in the clouds.

[RROD360]

Hey yeah yeah graphically you cant tell the differance between the 360 and ps3 but your wrong. with both in 1080i or 720p you can't tell the differance but when you switch to 1080p which the ps3 is capable of doing and not the 360 there is a huge differance. 1080p you can see alot more texture and colors are better then something viewed in 1080i.

[libarak]

I being a 360 gamer for only one reason is the experience of Xbox live, i have met hundreds of friends, downloaded many movies and shared many experiences, Gaming is no longer just about playing but about the soical interaction just like school is not just about learning but about the social benifit. Microsoft did rush the system and ended up paying for it with quite a few flaws in their console but the 360 in the end is the best system out their because of its only advantage which is Xbox Live and what that brings to gaming. And to you people who think live should be free I disagree. One of the greatest reasons gaming online on the 360 advanced so quickly was because they had sort of like funding to enhance there product which they did. And for those of you who are saying this is coming from someone who only plays 360 I have a wii, PS3 and a 360 and I play all of them almost equelly. The PS3 to me is the better console in general because of hardware and so on but the experience you get with a console is what impacts you the most. My experience with PS3 i give it a 8/10 and that is because it's media experience and online experience (not including bluray) is ok. The Online needs improving and to me the only way they can do this is by chargin 20 bucks for a year or something. The wii i give 6/10 because it does not cover all types of games the average gamer wants to play but covers only a few. Also it's online attempt is pathetic. The xbox 360 i give 8/10 because of its hardware problems and lack of connecting media with other operating systems. I give it the same as PS3 because its live service gives it a huge advantage. It creates a whole new world for the gamer. So depending on what your looking at to me the 360 and PS3 are tied due to certain advantages. If sony ever gets their online gaming service as high as Xbox live then PS3 will be the supreme no doubt about it. But intell then i agree that the 360 will win this generations war unless sony does this. Because gamers are looking for both social fun and Fun in general.

[amber0728]

by glennbg May 8, 2008 12:02 PM PDT
Oh and I forgot one thing. If Sony Corp. was as confident as the Sony fans, here's an idea...stop making PS2 games. Force them to pick between PS3 and Xbox 360....that will solve this competition by years end....

One of the greatest off the cuff comments ever. As many have already posted the ultimate deciding factor is games and the future of gaming is 'shared experience online.' Sony can tout it's installed base till the cows come home but they must be shaking in their boots when noting how MS went from ZERO (a few years ago) to 50% online, 20%+ overall owners. As for the RROD ... blah blah blah ... 4 business days from phone call to repair PLUS some free online play and download credit. Boo Hoo ... so hard to deal with ... move Halo and Gears to PS3 - exclusive - and I'll dust off the hyped bluray and play, until then ... just give me my 360 and a few friends for HORDE on Gears 2.