The PS3 is very much a complete package. Blu – Ray playback, free online gaming and, due to their huge first – party lineup, the best exclusives available on the market. Sony have more first – party stuidio’s at their disposal than Microsoft and Nintendo combined and it’s starting to show. The PS3’s software was head and shoulders above the other consoles in 2009 not just in terms of quality but in terms of variety. 2010 looks to be even better for Sony with games like MAG, Heavy Rain, White Knight Chronicles, GOW 3, Gran Turismo 5 and Yakuza 3. Then there’s other games on the horizon such as Infamous 2, Resistance 3, Killzone 3, The Last Guardian and Final Fantasy Versus XIII.

Since the launch of the Slim the PS3 has really hit it’s stride. Outselling the 360 every week worldwide without fail and outselling the 360 by more than 2.2 million units for the 2009 calendar year. GOW 3 and GT 5 will both be huge system sellers for Sony (GT 5 especially) and the phrase “It only does everything.” is not just a maketing slogan – it’s reality.

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However the Xbox 360 has done something the original Xbox couldn’t really do and that is take marketshare away from the Playstation brand. So now we see over 39 million systems out there, a far cry more than the original Xbox achieved, plus a game library that is just as large if not larger than what the PS3 currently offers due largely to the fact it was out a year earlier.

The 2nd point is we all know Sony has more in-house studios than Microsoft. So as far as exclusives the PS3 is in a better position. However 2010 looks like another break-out year for the Xbox 360 to combat the PS3 with games like Halo Reach, Alan Wake and Fable 3. Each will be pretty big games to take on God of War 3, GT5 and Heavy Rain and other exclusives. The Xbox 360’s console exclusives are still just as powerful like Mass Effect 2 and Splinter Cell: Conviction too as we can already see from the latest NDP numbers for Mass Effect 2.

What the PS3 lacks that the PS2 had is 3rd party influence. The days of them favoring the Playstation brand are pretty much over. Yes we still see a few like MGS4 and Agent but most will be from Japan now. On the flip side Microsoft has been very aggressive with getting 3rd party support and taking away those key IP’s like Final Fantasy and Tekken and Resident Evil and many other IP’s the original Xbox lacked. They also managed to take away the GTA brand from the Playstation and making it on parity between the two. This has all put the focus back onto Sony and it’s own games. Well those games just aren’t selling like the Gears of Wars and the Halos. GT5 will but very few will reach those numbers. Which again comes back to the importance of console exclusives that are just as meaningful as true exclusives. M.A.G. and Heavy Rain will not sell as well as Mass Effect 2 so which is more favorable of selling consoles? The fact is the largest portion of each games library falls back onto 3rd party titles. This is what’s keeping the PS3 from reaching PS2 status. The biggest incentive is blu-ray and consumers can now get a blu-ray stand alone player for under $150. But for the videophile and gamer the PS3 is the obvious choice. It currently offers the best value out of all 3 consoles at the moment. But don’t expect that value to stay forever as Sony will most likely keep that $299 price point to gain profits after all the losses it has so far taken. The Xbox 360 and Wii can still cut costs and be profitable at the same time. Those two consoles are simply cheaper to make.

Plus with Natal coming out this could also swing things into Microsoft’s favor. Or it could be a complete bust. We just don’t know yet and the Sony fans will obviously think it will be a bust.

All I can say it’s nice to own both. This leaves me in a position to enjoy games like Mass Effect 2 (as I’m not a PC gamer and besides, how does that help the PS3 anyways?) the upcoming Alan Wake and Heavy Rain and God of War 3. I’d hate to be a position like some fanboys who are just optimistic to their console preference and pessimistic to the competition. Those people are the real losers.