PlayStation 3 vs Xbox 360

• Introduction
• Under the Hood: PlayStation 3
• Under the Hood: Xbox 360
• The Software Line-Up
• Seeing in High-Definition
• The Movie Format War
• Conclusion

The Software Line-Up

Here, the Xbox 360 already has an advantage, although Microsoft's launch wasn't without its stumbles. Gamers have been very vocal about their disapproval of multi-system ports appearing on the 360 for $10-$20 more, without offering any extra features. Amongst the common titles, however, Microsoft has already seen a few standouts and as the summer presses on, more are sure to come.

The big news at E3 was the dual platform release of Grand Theft Auto 4. Hitting both the PlayStation 3 and the Xbox 360 at the same time, the announcement was good news in several ways. As one of the highest profile titles on the market, Rockstar would have only allowed the game to go exclusive if it thought there was money to be made. By going multi-platform, Rockstar has already signaled publicly what many developers have been saying privately -- the next generation will see Microsoft and Sony on equal footing.

Gran Turismo 5 Metal Gear Solid 4

Of course, exclusives will be hitting each system. Sony has already announced Gran Turismo 5, Killzone 2, Devil May Cry 4, and Metal Gear Solid 4; these games are all system sellers, but Microsoft hasn't been holding back either. On the Xbox 360 release calendar are the highly anticipated Gears of War, Forza 2, Chrome Hounds, Mass Effect, and the sequel to one of the world's best-selling franchises, Halo 3. Though both systems have a number of franchise sequels on their release lists, it's interesting that the PlayStation 3 is heavier on the numbered titles than the Xbox 360. (For more on the hottest upcoming games, see our Best of E3 2006 Awards.)

Both systems support backwards compatibility, though how the two do so varies. With the Xbox 360, Microsoft has supported a limited number of Xbox titles via emulation. Not all games run, though those that do tend to run well. And because it's software support, the compatible games list has increased since the system's release.

Gears of War Mass Effect

For the PlayStation 3, Sony originally announced that it too was going to go the emulation route, but last year it promised compatibility with its entire PlayStation catalog. A tall order to be sure and the current rumors out of Japan have indicated the attempt might have been a bit much, even for Sony. Japanese magazines are now reporting that the PlayStation 2 chipset will be integrated into the PlayStation 3 hardware in order to run previous titles, much like the PlayStation 2 contained the original PSone hardware.