Does anyone out there think that the PS3 had gained any ground since the price drop? I ask because I haven't been keeping any tabs on the PS3 - or any of the consoles for that matter - but I don't want PR/news story opinions, what I really want are opinions from actual consumers.

From the little I've heard is seems the PS3 is making up some ground but I have to wonder if it matters: I mean the PS3 doesn't really have a killer app that'll make consoles fly off the shelves, does it?

I've heard that sales have increased somewhat... but most people are still waiting for the games to show up.

I can't think of a single game available that I would want to buy for a PS3. I'm not saying there are no good games, but there aren't any that interest me.

The more compelling reason why I haven't bought a PS3, besides games and price, is that they have so many configurations out that I'm just kinda confused. 20GB, 40GB, 60GB, 80GB, full backwards compatibility, software-based backwards compatibility, no backwards compatibility... the "two flavors" launch was dicey enough, but releasing more configurations (seemingly with more taken away than added) just makes things more confusing for the average consumer.

It's actually kind of a relief to be sitting out on current gen. DS has proven to be all I need.

A year ago, I thought I might pick up a Wii and be done with this generation. Now, I'm seriously considering both the Wii and the 360. The main games I want for the 360 also happen to be on PS3 (Rock Band and Puzzle Fighter online, although I'm betting we still see a DS wifi version in the next year), but past that...360 is cheaper, less confusing, less insulting, will replace my Xbox 1 because it has backwards compatibility, has a stronger library of games (not killer apps, but stuff I'm interested in renting first and maybe buying later), is equally as powerful, has the achievement system (which I've always liked), and has better online content. And you can't really compare Wii to either of those, as it's a beast in its' own right.

And the last bit of irony is the PS2's best feature was its' RPG's (especially over the Xbox 1). Well, not only am I not into RPG's that much anymore (making them much less of a factor), but the 360 actually has more of them than PS3 does right now. Go figure.

The ONLY hesitation there is the issue with the 3 red lights of doom vs the relative stability of the PS3 (now THERE's a real turn of events). And I've got both Microsoft's 3 year warranty and probably an in-store extended warranty to cover my ass, so that should take care of the problem if it comes up.

Funny thing: I was in a Gamestop the other day and the demo 360 started showing the 3 red lights of doom. Ouch...

I have still not bought a single PS3 game, but I have DLed (just haven't had time or interest to play) Ratchet & Clank Future and Uncharted Drake's Fortune.  It does seem like Criterion is favoring the PS3 because they've released lots of videos of Burnout Paradise on the PSN, so that has me leaning ever so slightly to get the game on the PS3 over the 360 and would make it my first PS3 retail game if I don't get R&CF or UDF or possibly Rock Band (one of the reasons I didn't get that game yet is because I don't want to deal with a powered USB hub... I've got enough things plugged up already... and I do have all that wonderful HD space wasted on a system I never play).

To Goldfish X: Three red lights of doom?

The notorious three lights you get around the power button when "multiple systems have failed simultaneously." It seems stability wasn't Microsoft's overriding concern when building the 360 because there are many sources which indicate that upwards of 40% of older 360s have self-destructed.

I've heard that the newer ones are more stable but either way, Microsoft extended its warranty to three years to cover the problem (but only that problem. My 360 started to suffer from random freezes and I'm pretty sure that Microsoft is going to charge me for the repair. They have it right now).

Yeah, I've had random freezes from day one (literally!), which after 8 months resulted in the 3 Red Lights of Death. Had it fixed for free, and within one month it happened again. Just got it back from the repair center, and on my first start-up it froze again during HL2. Microsoft did a shitty job with the 360, no doubt about it.

^

Terrific... I bought the 360 from a close friend (who replaced his with an Elite) and almost immediately, it started to have freezing problems (often accompanied by an irritating beep). He felt so bad about it that he waived the $100 I still owed him (as the repair is sure to cost at least that). Especially with Mass Effect having just come out, if I have to wait a month to get it back and THEN have it freeze again, I'll be pissed.

The fact that upscaling of PS2 games is the only reason I have at all to want a PS3 is probably a good reason for me not to get a PS3 any time soon.  Seriously... I don't think I've ever been less impressed by a system a year in.  I'll undoubtedly have to get one someday once a Fumito Ueda game comes out, but for the time being, I'm still holding off.  It annoys me that when I eventually go to find one, I probably won't be able to find the only worthwhile one (the 60 gig without gimped backwards compatibility).

Microsoft should have to refurbish all consoles that crash like this, not just the Red Lights symptom.  But they're not that responsible as a company.  Of course, consumers will remember this.

or 20gb model.

In my location, PS3 consoles have been sitting on the shelves for months, while Wii's dont even get to sit on a shelf for more than a day...   That sure doesn't seem like "gaining any ground" to me.

Apparently Sony have nearly doubled their PS3 sales since the price drop. What's more, in Japan, according to some site I can't read (http://www.m-create.com/ranking/), the PS3 has outsold the Wii for three weeks in a row. Still not up there with PSP or DS figures but considering how poor the PS3 was performing, it's a hell of a performance leap.

So, yes, the PS3 has definitely gained ground.

Kinda OT, but reading about the 3RoD really makes me appreciate older consoles where they rarely broke. Granted there was the PS2's disc read error and the fact that you had to blow into old NES consoles and carts to get them to work, but I don't recall hearing anything as destructive or frequent as the 3RoD.

In my best Kranky Kong voice:

"Back in my day, when they made consoles they were reliable..."

Well the 360 definitely seems to have topped every console when it comes to reliability problems. But, yeah, there were many people with problems with launch PS2s and also PS1s. The 360 has taken that to ridiculous levels though. Hopefully it will be the last console with such problems.

"Apparently Sony have nearly doubled their PS3 sales since the price drop. What's more, in Japan, according to some site I can't read (http://www.m-create.com/ranking/), the PS3 has outsold the Wii for three weeks in a row."

That looks like a games chart man   三國無双... isn't that Dynasty Warriors?

I've not heard anything good about the PS3, except that they have VF5.  But, now does Xbox, so I really don't even know about that!

Scroll down - the hardware sales are after the software on that page.  Also, I think PS3 has only outsold Wii two weeks in a row, not three, but I could be mistaken.  I think Wii Fit will probably do wonders for Wii sales in... what, one or two weeks?

My mistake, I apologise,  didn't see that bit in the corner there.  In that case I'm a little surprised, since its the first I've heard of PS3 doing well (even relatively so.)

Maybe most everyone in Japan has a Wii now, eh?

Media Crate has PS3 outselling Wii for only the past two weeks.  Makes sense being as though that's when the price cut/40gig sku, bundle, and new color was released.  I think it'll play itself out like the DS and PSP Slim/Crisis Core situation did, which saw the new PSP Slim outsell the DS for a few weeks before settling below DS numbers.

@ Qui-Gon Joe - I swore we would've seen a spike with Super Mario Galaxy but it just didn't happen.  And with that, I don't know what to expect with Wii Fit.

Ah, okay - two weeks then. Still, it's much better than it was. And, yeah, I don't see that continuing at all but it's a sign that things have improved slightly for the PS3. Given the start, they'd probably be happy to settle into PSP type second place (which does respectable numbers). I don't think anyone is going to get close to the DS or Wii in their respective handheld/home categories.

The thing about the PS3 is that (in my own opinion) it doesn't yet have one must-have game. It's line-up isn't bad by any means but, owning a 360, a Wii and handhelds, I'd have a lot of great games to get through before I'd have worked my way down to a PS3 game. That's just me.

But I don't think it's a Sony are d000med scenario.

The above average PS3 sales actually only for 8 days since for one of the two weeks only the last day was affected by the white PS3 release.

Also to put the PS3's performance in Japan into perspective (it's faring far worse than GCN so far!):

Source

Sales can't spike if they're already selling as fast as Nintendo can make them.

Umm...Wii Fit?

In Japan, the PS3 sales spike is real (at least for now).  In America, things are kind of muddied since you have to discount any increase against what would have happened because of the xmas shopping season anyway (all consoles will go up in sales except for Wii since Wii is supply constrained).

Right now, I really do not want a PS3 at all, save for this tiny little niche Konami game that's supposed to be coming out next spring.  If it wasn't for that game, I'd leap for a 360 so I could have Portal and Bioshock (both of which I'd like to own very much).

"save for this tiny little niche Konami game that's supposed to be coming out next spring"

Which game?  Otomedius *excited voice* ?

God, do I ever want to play Otomedius.  A quasi-sequel to Parodius?  S'yeah, please.

Has a home release even been announced yet?

We're talking about Japan here.  The Wii isn't in such high demand as it was earlier in the year.

Hah.  Nice one.

i will wait till there is a new silent hill game for ps3 before i fork over more money for the console. .. or maybe ill give in when the ps3 Katamari game comes out...

I can't just see people putting money toward a PS3. If they want titles like Oblivion, Call of Duty 4 and GTA4, they can get an Xbox 360 and all of that platform's exclusive FPS titles. If they want unique and engaging games, they can get a Wii. Where I live, a PS3 still costs as much as both of the competing systems total - no games and no BC included.

Short answer: no.

^ And the 360 has way more than just FPS titles currently.  I don't own a single one but have enjoyed my 360 more than any of the other two systems or handhelds.