There’s something oftentimes overlooked with the PS3 vs X box 360 console war…

With the release of Microsoft’s second generation console, the X box 360, they were (and still are) going directly against Sony’s “powerhouse”, the Playstation 3. While the X box 360 got an early start on the PS3, the PS3 has been able to outsell it consistently for every month in 2008 so far.

Why is this?

Microsoft had everything a console launch could want. A huge jump-start on the competition (a full year), a fully featured on-line gaming community, decent launch titles, and decent price tag.

Contrast this to Sony’s launch…

It was late to the market after suffering from several delays, it’s online community wasn’t as featured as Xbox LIVE, and with the exception of several games, the PS3′s launch titles were largely underwhelming. Last but not least, the $600 price tag did it’s part in deflating the console’s hype. (Note: this doesn’t define Sony’s current position)

With a brand name loved by all, there’s absolutely no reason the Xbox 360 should fall behind in sales figures. However, it’s important to note that the brand name here, is Microsoft, which is by no means loved by all.

Microsoft’s underwhelming track record hasn’t stopped with their gaming consoles. In fact, X box 360 failure rates are reported to be as high as 33%. Contrast this to the PS3′s failure rate of less than 1%, and Microsoft doesn’t get placed in a good light.

While a hardcore gamer who could tell you the pro’s and cons of each system off the top of his head, its important to note that the general population views the ps3 vs x box 360 as similar consoles. An important defining factor in the x box 360 vs PS3 console war, could simply be this; One console is made by Microsoft, the other one isn’t.

It’s also interesting to note that the price of games is equal for both the 360 and the ps3, at $60, though this may change with the arrival or services such as gamermediadownload.