Even the so-called "fanboys" would agree, the Sony Playstation 3 has been trailing the Nintendo Wii and the Xbox 360 in terms of sales since the day the PS3 was launched. Sony promised consumers that it will regain the market leadership by the end of 2007 - a leadership it once enjoyed with the Playstation 2 (PS2) - but it didn't happen, mainly because of the lack of console-defining exclusives. Sonly promised consumers that 2008 will be the PS3's year, but this didn't materialize despite strong showings from Metal Gear Solid 4 (MGS4) and Little Big Planet.
And now, Sony has once again promised that 2009 will be the glory year of the PS3.
Its patrons are becoming impatient. Industry experts believe that 2009 is the "make or break" year for the PS3. 2009, they say, is the year that will either mark the PS3 as a worthy entry to Sony's series of console excellence, or brand the PS3 as a market failure despite its clearly superior engineering.
For 2009, the PS3 is banking on 5 key titles that it hopes will finally bring the console to the top of the sales charts. These games are:
1. Killzone 2. Released last February, Killzone 2 - one of the PS3's most hyped games, which the industry has eagerly awaited since 2004 - is well on its way to saving Sony's reputation as a leader in the video game market. The title sold 2 million copies on its first month, a feat that is truly fascinating for a game which is exclusive to a single console.
2. God of War 3. Since its first installment, Kratos has quickly become the poster boy for Sony, and God of War has quickly become the flagship title for the company's gaming division. No matter how bleak things look when it comes to sales, Sony can always be comforted by the fact that the next God of War is just around the corner.
3. Final Fantasy XIII. The PS3 lost big time when Square-Enix decided to publish FFXIII on the Xbox 360 as well, at least in areas outside Japan. The next installment of the blockbuster Final Fantasy series will still be exclusive to the PS3 in its country of origin, and this will most certainly help boost the sales for the console. Outside Japan, FFXIII may still win some console sales, as the Final Fantasy franchise has long been associated with Sony's machines and given the long playtime provided by the game, issues on the Xbox 360's engineering reliability may force buyers to choose the PS3 version.
4. Uncharted 2: Among Thieves. Its predecessor, Uncharted: Drake's Fortune, was the first "must buy" exclusive for the PS3. The sequel, which is said to combine elements of Gears of War, Tomb Raider, and FPS multiplayer mayhem, will be a hundred times better than the original. Gamers are excited about Uncharted 2, and this will reflect on the PS3 console sales.
5. Massive Action Game (MAG). Forget Resistance 2's 64-player team death matches. Prepare for a truly wide scale war with MAG, one that will involve up to 256 players at the same time. Little is known about the game, however. If it lives up to its promises, it can be the PS3 title that will make other FPS multiplayer games obsolete. If it doesn't, it will be the Kane and Lynch of 2009.
Will these games finally catapult the Sony PS3 to the throne it once owned unchallenged?
Only time, and your gaming dollar, will tell.