PS3 vs. Xbox 360 vs. Wii: The Current Breakdown

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Now that the annual video games trade show E3 is over and done with, the state of the console market is a lot easier to predict. In short, the PS3, Xbox 360, and Wii are all hitting their stride and demonstrating outstanding lineups. No matter which machine you favor, you're going to be torn between decisions. But for once, it's easy for us to be optimistic about the future of all three major platforms. It's looking to be an epic year indeed -- even for the PS3.

Trimming $100 off the $599 price of the PlayStation 3 was starting to look like Sony's first smart move this generation, but we really should have known better. After a flurry of mixed messages and rumors towards the end of E3 2007, details emerged that the price cut was more of a discount on end-of-line stock, and will run out within a few months. One step forward, one step back.

Sense isn't something that's been in ample supply with the PlayStation 3's marketing campaign thus far. That's a shame, because E3 saw the machine's upcoming game selection really start to impress. Sony dished up exactly what we were hoping to see -- a catalog of impressive, original, and tantalizing titles that, for the first time, really make the machine look like a good deal. LittleBigPlanet, Killzone 2 (for real this time), and Infamous all showed well, and the PS3 is also set to receive cross-platform sure-fire hits, Madden 08 and Grand Theft Auto IV.

WATCH KILLZONE 2 TRAILER WATCH INFAMOUS TRAILER WATCH GRAND THEFT AUTO IV TRAILER

Meanwhile, Microsoft's games division could be forgiven for looking a little smug. Unusually, the company chose to focus its E3 presentation almost entirely on games coming out in the next six months rather than showing off flashy pre-rendered demos of games that could be years away. Given the lineup the 360 has to look forward to over the next six months, their confidence looks to be justified.