The current generation of console hardware is in its twilight, at least for early adopters who are ready to take on the next big thing. From the outset it was anyone’s game with all three major giants of the industry delivering products with strong potential. After six years of fierce competition it is clear that there were no losers in this battle. Each of the platform holders essentially had disparate levels of success, making for a healthy industry. I do however have a winner in mind, but first I will list some of the pros and cons of each.
Nintendo Wii
They by far shipped the highest volume of hardware with a lead of almost 30 million units over their rivals. By that metric they would be the clear winner. However there are many caveats. After a strong start for software, the attach ratio to hardware eventually declined to settle at a lower figure than the other consoles. A possible explanation is that many consoles were sold to non-gamers as a means to access the mental and aerobic fitness software available, but these customers do not consume as many games as ‘core’ gamers. Additionally most third party software titles performed poorly leading to poor third party support. As for digital download titles, sales figures sucked to the point that they have almost evaporated by the end of the cycle; conversely digital sales on rival platforms are healthier than ever with Minecraft for Xbox 360 recently setting new records on that platform. Hardware sales also dramatically declined late in the cycle, with weekly sales now consistently lower than their rivals to slowly chip away at that now sub-30m unit lead. All told, the Wii had an unprecedented first few years but burned out of the race early. “A candle that burns twice as bright, burns for half as long.”
Sony PS3
All-time hardware sales are marginally below Microsoft to be at 3rd place. However the PS3 is and has always been the most expensive console and has the most potential to finish strong when they can finally get down to low prices that are attractive to people with low income. Hardware and software sales are generally good all ’round, although 1st and 3rd party exclusives never hit the same highs as Nintendo’s Mario and Microsoft’s Halo. The vulnerability of PlayStation Network was exploited in a high profile hack job, although Sony bounced back and took care of their customers by offering free games. Move controller did poorly relative to Xbox Kinect. Poor decisions early on regarding system software affected Sony’s ability to deliver on popular customer demands, with too little memory reserved to ever allow cross-game voice chat, sluggish XMB performance while a game is running, and a poor file system leading to hard drives becoming increasingly fragmented, and lengthy install times for downloaded software. PS3 overall has been good and steady all along, but never dominant, which is a change from Sony’s position a generation ago.
Microsoft Xbox 360
The bad first. In my eyes the RROD issue was the greatest tragedy of this generation. Be it flawed design or shitty build quality, the first run of Xbox 360 consoles had a death clock and inevitably broke down in huge numbers. Microsoft did the best they could to please all those effected at great cost. Today couldn’t be any more different; the revised 360 console with its efficient SoC processor design and relocated fan is quiet and reliable where the original hardware was loud and faulty. Incredibly, the system software has undergone an even bigger transformation than the hardware, with at least two major redesigns of the entire user interface. Microsoft have had the biggest success with DLC and digitally distributed full games thanks in part to intelligent placement of deals and advertising on the top level of the UI. On a software technology level, Microsoft are way ahead of their Japanese counterparts, being very progressive in rolling out new features and updates, UI improvements, the best network experience with Xbox Live, and the most advanced motion gaming with full-body motion capture provided by an array of sensors in Kinect. All these efforts allow 360 to feel like the most modern console currently available despite being the oldest at almost 7 years of availability.
Winner: Xbox 360
After 11 years in the console business, Microsoft are now in the best position they have ever been, making great profits, having great industry support, and still growing. Last generation they were losing money, and PS2 killed them in volume sales. Not the case today. As a platform holder they are very innovative, being the first to start a social gaming network with voice integration and achievements, the first to start digitally distributing games online with the XBLA portal, and the first company to offer a true indie gaming opportunity on a console: any individual can download the XNA developer tools for free, make a game and make money by selling it on Xbox 360. They had arguably the worst start of all three consoles this generation, but have undergone an amazing transformation, and today, I rate Xbox 360 as the biggest winner of the 360 vs PS3 vs Wii generation.
As a disclaimer, 360 is not necessarily my favorite console and no flamebait intended in making this evaluation, I just think MS deserve praise for what they have achieved.
In all honesty, the entire post sounds of pure fanboyism. I could probably explain further, but it would personally just hurt my brain trying to reread over what you said.
I think anyone who compares consoles will get this accusation. I tried to justify my choice as best I could. Xbox 360 hardware is ahead of PS3 in all-time sales, ahead of Wii in month to month sales, ahead of both in the success they are having through online digital sales (XBL subscriptions and DLC) which is only going to become a more important area in the next gen cycle.
PS3 wins!!!!!!! Great console with blu-ray equipped, also graphics are amazing!!!!!! Also predecessors did great job too with alot of cool games!!!!
hahahahahhaha
I get its an opinion but what a wrong opinion
Don’t talk shit if you’re not going to back it up. Xbox has sold more, more members. That alone proves the author’s point.
The 360 has an entire year’s worth more sales than the PS3. given that they sell approx 10-15m units per year (each) an advantage of 2.5m more 360 units sold than PS3 units in my eye constitutes a fairly big failure to take advantage of a year without any competition.
Not to mention, if you bought a 360 when it launched, and have always had an XBox Live gold membership, you have spent more on the 360 than someone who bought a PS3 when it launched, considering the PS3 was also one of the best Blu-Ray players avaliable at the time of launch too, it’s clear 360 fanboys weren’t thinking when they said that the PS3 was too expensive.
All that being said it’s true the game sales on the PS3 haven’t been what they are on the 360 – then again the PS3 tends to have a wider genre variety than the top selling 360 games
Opinion are like Ahole we all have one .
No, the PS3 won. But that is irrelevant considering the PC is the best. By the way the PC was doing all the things the Xbox was before it even came.
XBOX Winner!
360 ahead of PS3 in world wide sales?? Try again dude, the PS3 has been ahead for a while now.
Total sales winner:wii
Continuing sales winner:ps3
Popularity:xbox 360
Lets face the facts… you CANT Say that one console wins over another its all based off opinion. Also it depends on what you mean by winning as i state above all consoles won in some form or another it depends on what you find the most important. Oh, aswell lets not forget the consoles arnt over until all three consoles for next gen come out lets not even compare them untill then! Its like comparing a red apple vs a green apple they both are the same thing yet so different. Its just absurd that people even attempt to make these articles anymore because by now you should all know where a million people say this won a million say it didn’t. I mean there are people still rolling ps2 for fuks sake! Just let this shit die.
Point taken, but it’s always fun to do these comparisons, and the amount of comments and page views suggests people are very interested in this stuff. It’s a good driver to get people discovering the blog but shouldn’t be taken too seriously.
Fair enough =D
Nobody won yet, but the ONLY thing very clear is…SONY LOST! And they are going to lose even more next gen as their financial status is very dire. Also the PlayStation brand has lost face, showing very clearly with the Vita being dead on arrival.
Systems sold: DS and Wii
Games that sold over 10 million made by Console makers: Wii and DS
Games that sold over 5 million per console: Xbox 360
Sytemems trying to discise themselves as something new and still wont sell: PS Vita (PSP-Go V.2)
Red ring of Death replaced with Circular Ring on games from system: New design Xbox 360
Killing frachises this Generation and loosing over 6 billion (and counting): Sony PS3
The Wii is marketed at kids and burned out. America is in love with the xbox and the only counrty who can afford xbox live subsription in mass numbers.PS3 dominates the world market in sales.The ps3 is double the sales of xbox worldwide as of today .ps3 has narrowed the xbox lead to 2mill units.Given the xbox one year head start and sony’s new ps3 slim and eventual price cut.I think sony and xbox will finish this generation in a dead heat in system sales.The next generation system will be the one to watch.Xbox american fanbase is there bread and butter but are these same customers willing to keep forking out money to microsoft.The Wii u and nintendo are irrelevant they are not marketing to adults but rather to kids like toys r us.If sony can keep system price low and launch at the same time as nextbox I think this race will be alot different.There is no doubt america’s obsession with xbox but can it ever translate to the worldwide markets? That is the test for microsoft.Sony is entrenched worldwide which is the only reason they are still around, i think ppl forget that sometimes.
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Sony are the biggest losers on the Planet. That is why the entire company is going down and they have no money to build a good offense or let alone a defense against MS who can just buy everything. PlayStation is the brand for paupers – a poor man’s console and the new Super (yeah right) Slim version proves that.
You are a complete moron who has no idea what he is talking about. I mean i can’t even fathom how mentally challenged you must be to think the way you do. PlayStation will always be better. Plus didn’t they just spend over 380 million dollars on buying Gaikai to combat competitors next gen. I totally call that not having money for a defense you moron.
Here’s the deal. The bottom line is people are gonna swear by their system. My brother is and always been a PS head. I have all three. The Wii is in its own class and its hard to compare it to the other two. I think it all comes down to value. The PS3 gives you the most bang for your buck. Free online play, games look fantastic, and a good price for the system. With all that said I play my 360 the most bc, to me the games look more vibrant, but i love the PS3 exclusives. So my choice is the 360 but the better value is the PS3.
actually. despite the fanboys in denial in this post, xbox 360 did win.
to win you need to be what gamers are talking about the longest. it has nothing to do with sales, it has nothing to do with the number of games. this is why the original xbox won last gen, the games people were talking about were halo and KOTOR.
the reason the 360 won this gen is actually pretty simple. it had a huge begining. even with RROD 360 was what gamers wanted in a console. it had the best games with good online.
the PS3 took way to long to have its potential realized, and even the better PS3 exclusives don’t compare to the 360 exclusives.
the final 3 years have been very different though, PS3 games have gotten much better, xbox hasn’t had many exclusives other then halo/gears/forza/fable which gamers are getting tired of. the only reason the 360 is still top dog is multiplatform games.
90% of multiplatform games are better on 360 then ps3, its just fact if the company that made the game isn’t in japan you can almost gurentee the PS3 version will look the same or worse despite the power of the console, and chances are it will be some sort of bug in the game that makes it run worse.
ME3? looked and played better on 360. Skyrim? definitely better on 360. COD? BF3? both believe it or not are much smoother on 360
though exclusive titles for PS3 don’t have this problem multiplatform games this gen have been what gamers have talked about.
Next gen? I predict sony will win.
the last 3 years have been the worst of the 360. Many gamers got a ps3 to try the exclusives. PSN+ is a big deal, if sony keeps it up the next playstation might not just be a good console, it can be a good bargain as well.
If the next playstation has cross game chat, better online play, and continues to make exclusives worth playing and does better with PSN home and PSN+ sony could probably win next gen without much competition.
the reason sony lost this gen was the lack of quality in exclusives for the first have the gen, and lack of multiplatform games this entire gen.
Sony won’t win next gen, they are almost nowhere now and going there fast.
MGS4
Demon’s Souls (best new ip this gen)
Uncharted 1-3
God of War 3
Killzone 1-3
InFamous 1-2
Resistance 1-3
Heavy Rain
Little Big Planet 1,2
GT5
Motorstorms
Yakuzas
Heavenly Sword
Journey
Twisted Metal
Warhawk,Starhawk
Upcoming:
The Last Guardian (yes it will come out)
The Last of Us
God of War: Ascension
Beyond: Two Souls
Sly 4
Playstation allstars battle royal
FF vs 13
Agent
To each his own but i know which console is my winner
also only 1 company puts out more new ip than both its competitiors
and has the the HD standard format
Yeah all IP that doesn’t sell well and loses that company even more money.
Look at Sony’s stock chart for the past 12 years and laugh yourself to an early grave!
The only reason the stock charts are lower is because the playstation 2 completely destroyed the xbox by 6:1 sales. Now its about even, but sony is selling more with microsoft having a year headstart. Most of the exclusives are also AAA titles which do sell really well. Stop being delusional, the xbox has no exclusives.
Lotsa sequels in that list ya got there.
Before I start. I own all three systems.
In terms of numbers and innovation. The Wii won with the most sales and creating motion controls for better or worse. The Wii started out strong and even became a phenomenon at one point, but after a while the public got tired and too many lazy and bad third party games turned the Wii into a door stopper. Wii’s were collecting dust in closets across America.
The PS3 started out bad with a ridiculous launch price. Coming off the success of the PS2 and being king of the hill. Sony’s arrogance got the best of them and they paid for it. They learned from it though and got back on their feet and made a huge comeback, but piracy hurt them along the way and in the end they had to settle for third place.
Now what system really defined this console generation? The Xbox 360 by a mile. Xbox Live and online multiplayer was where it was at this generation. Like it or not this generation was driven by online FPS games. The Halos, Gears, Call of Duty, Battlefield etc. The best place with the largest community to play those games was on the 360. So in the end I think the 360 won this generation.