Five Reasons the PS3 Won’t Overtake the 360 in 2011

With a plethora of exclusive titles set to launch on the PlayStation 3 later this year, fans of Sony’s console are quick to assume that the Blu-ray enabled powerhouse will surpass the 360 by year’s end. While only a fool would deny the fact that Sony has quite an impressive lineup of first party titles – namely Uncharted 3, Resistance 3 and Infamous 2 – there are a number of other factors that have not been taken into consideration. In an effort to squash the ramblings of rabid fans, I will address five key reasons why the Xbox 360 will remain the console of choice in 2011. Note: I do not hold any particular allegiance to either system, I appreciate and respect what each has to offer.

5. Exclusive Games: Sure, some of Sony’s biggest first party titles will hit store shelves later this year, but what’s to say that Microsoft doesn’t have an ace up their sleeve that they’re waiting to reveal at E3? Don’t forget that one of Sony’s heavy hitters already launched this year, yielding respectable, but by no means threatening results. As much as Sony wants the Killzone franchise to compete with the likes of Halo and Call of Duty, it lacks a fan base of the same magnitude. Although we likely will not see a Halo title released this year (unless it’s the much rumored Halo CE remake) Gears of War 3 is set to fill those shoes this September and is looking impressive. Let’s also not forget that the big name blockbusters in Sony’s arsenal are primarily single player experiences. Sure, Drake’s Deception and Resistance 3 will have multiplayer included, but it’s hard to believe that either one of these titles will pull gamers away from Halo or Gears of War. When it comes right down to it, success is determined by longevity, and in today’s day and age, the games with the best multiplayer are the ones that remain spinning in gamers’ consoles. In that respect, Microsoft still has a leg up.

4. Call of Duty: There is no denying that Call of Duty is a mega-franchise. Breaking sales records and topping online charts have become commonplace for the series, making it one of the only first-person shooter franchises to give Halo a run for its money. That being said, the close partnership that Microsoft has with Activision is not something to be taken lightly. Not only does the Xbox 360 get downloadable content for Call of Duty titles before the PlayStation 3, it has also established itself as the best place to experience the franchise. Through various ads and marketing efforts, the public has come to associate the Call of Duty brand with the Xbox 360, and this is a huge deal for Microsoft. So long as Activision doesn’t milk the life out of its prized franchise like it did with Guitar Hero and Tony Hawk, the beloved military shooter will remain a huge asset for the 360.

3. Kinect: Now that all three competitors have released their form of motion control, it’s hard to deny that Microsoft’s controller-less solution is the most compelling. Sony’s Move is simply a more accurate form of the Wiimote, offering little new by way of creativity. The Kinect has become essentially a new platform altogether for Microsoft, rather than simply a second control option – as is the case with the Move. Exciting upcoming games like Child of Eden look absolutely fantastic; while innovative games like Dance Central are redefining the way we play games. Nintendo broadened the audience with the Wii, now Microsoft is taking it one step further by removing an intimidation a controller might pose.

2. The Controller: If the record breaking success of titles like Halo, Call of Duty and Battlefield haven’t already made it obvious, first-person shooters have become the genre of choice this generation, and the Xbox 360 controller is perfectly engineered for this style of play. From the perfectly placed analog sticks to the overall comfort, it’s no wonder that gamers choose the 360 over the PS3 to play their favorite shooters. Sony has refused to innovate on their controller design, making marginal improvements resulting in a controller that doesn’t look all that different from the one packaged with the original PlayStation.

1. Xbox Live: Let’s face it; Microsoft’s Xbox Live service has yet to be topped. It serves as the bar its competitors strive to match and is a service that offers far more functionality than Sony’s PlayStation Network. Sure, gamers are required to pay to play online, but the thousands upon thousands of subscribers should be a testament to how great the service really is. Microsoft set the pace several years ago and Sony is still trying to catch up. Sony’s service still lacks cross game chat and has painstakingly long downloads that take a fraction of the time on the 360. While the PS3 does have Home – a service not seen on Microsoft’s console – it has yet to impress the public and prove that it’s a viable place to invest time. The importance of an online service is only increasing as the years go on, and as Microsoft continues to remain ahead of its competitors, it will be difficult for Sony to match – never mind surpass – the success of the Xbox 360.

Conclusion: While Sony has an impressive lineup of exclusive titles this year, it is likely that once gamers have had their fill of the single player experience, these games will fade into memory. Meanwhile, Gears of War 3 and the latest Call of Duty will keep gamers occupied for hours on end. The fact that the present generation of gamers places such an emphasis on multiplayer and the quality of an online service, it is hard to make a case against the 360’s success. With a massive community of loyal subscribers, it will be difficult for Sony to steal the online space from Microsoft, even with the likes of a new Uncharted and Killzone. In the end, Microsoft’s ability to innovate both in terms of game control and online functionality will give the 360 the edge it needs to stay on top of the PS3 in 2011.