Digital Foundry has a side-by-side video comparison up that starts to walk you through the opening boat mission with Soap. At time of press, the video craps out around 20 seconds in. But that’s plenty of time to get a feel for the differences.

Seriously — pitting Wii graphics in any game against graphics in a PS3 game is like pistol whipping a blind kid. And if that doesn’t make you sad, consider the fact that Modern Warfare Reflex hit shelves for the Wii the same day Modern Warfare 2 came out for other home consoles. Talk about a day late and a buck short.

DigitalFoundry- Modern Warfare Wii vs. PlayStation 3 [Eurogamer via Joystiq]

Lens of Truth have copies of the game on both systems, and have posted an exhaustive selection of screenshots, statistics and rollover comparisons, allowing people who own both consoles to see exactly how the two versions stack up.

The short and skinny of the breakdown is that, aside from some bloom lighting and minuscule framerate differences, both versions are nigh on identical, especially when it came to texture quality.

As you’d expect, what with the stellar job Infinity Ward did on Call of Duty 4, which remains one of the best examples of how to handle a multiplatform release on the PS3.

Which means, as is often the case with these things anyway, the decision on which version to buy will probably boil down to which version your friends are buying.

(For reference, in these shots, the PS3 is on the left, 360 on the right)

Head2Head – Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 Analysis [Lens of Truth]

Those sensible types, the ones after a comprehensive run-down of the game across PS3 and 360, cataloguing stuff framerate, lighting and motion, will have to wait for the first reviews to start trickling in. Sorry. Those after a quick hit of superficial screenshot comparisons, however, are already being well catered for.

German site videogameszone have posted a range of screens comparing both console versions of the game, and while they can’t show how the game looks in motion, they can give you a quick look at how the two versions shape up.

As you can see, in these screens, the PS3 version looks a little… flat. However, since the first Modern Warfare remains one of the best-performing multiplatform games on the PS3, remember: these screens probably don’t tell the whole story. And hey, in one or two, the PS3 turns the tables and looks nicer than the 360 version. So go figure.

The above shot is probably the most informative, however, there are plenty more at the link below.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2: Grafik-Vergleich zwischen PS3 vs. Xbox 360 [videogameszone]

Gamasutra’s report on the OTX Gameplan Insight research shows that, for at least two titles, Xbox 360 owners are planning to invest in the PS3 versions of holiday sequels more so than the other way around. Both Assassin’s Creed II and Modern Warfare 2 are seeing a shift in platform choice that favours the PS3, according to OTX.

Why defect? Gamasutra’s report doesn’t speculate on that, but one might assume the reasons are two-fold. In the case of Modern Warfare 2, the option to play the game’s multiplayer portions without the need for an Xbox Live Gold account may be a factor.

The other may simply be the expanded PS3 console ownership following the system’s recent price drop. Both titles appear to be feature equal, but the allure of buying games for the new console you just invested in, well, that might be enough to make the switch. Any other theories?

Analysis: Xbox 360 Gamers Defecting To PS3 For Holiday Sequels? [Gamasutra]

Sony’s recent price drop was in effect for the full month of September, more than doubling month-to-month PS3 sales to the tune of 491,800. That’s easily better than its nearest competitor, the Wii, which managed 462,800 units sold in the United States last month and well past Xbox 360 sales.

None of those consoles, however, managed to outsell Nintendo’s DS platform, which continues its six month streak atop the NPD Group’s hardware chart with another half-million plus sold.

• Nintendo DS – 524,200
• PlayStation 3 – 491,800
• Wii – 462,800
• Xbox 360 – 352,600
• PSP – 190,400
• PlayStation 2 – 146,000

Total hardware sales in the U.S. amounted to $US472.28 million during the month of September, which runs from 8/30 to 10/03, according to the NPD Group’s window. Speaking of NPD, here’s what analyst Anita Frazier had to say.

“All three console manufacturers enjoyed the impact of lower prices on unit sales as the PS3, Wii, and Xbox 360 realised an increase over August of 87%, 33%, and 31% respectively, on an average sales per week basis (keeping in mind September was a 5-week month compared to 4-weeks in August).”

“Compared to last September, the PS3 was the big winner, more than doubling last year’s sales,” Frazier notes. “This portrays a very strong consumer reaction to the price decrease as August and September both realised a lift of more than 70% over the prior month.”

“What I can tell you is we remain confident that Xbox 360 will not only outsell PS3 for the full calendar year, but for this entire generation,” Greenberg told Game Informer. “It is similar to a game of baseball, it is not about just winning one inning, but instead being able to win the game by consistently delivering across all nine innings.” Wonder what inning we’re in now…

Previously Greenberg has discussed the price cut sales spikes, stating that he thought they were short term.

“I actually think the story here is about much more than just hardware sales,” Greenberg continued to GI. “It’s about the entire ecosystem and investing in the future; something we are very focused on. There is also the whole financial side of the equation that people rarely seem to pay attention to.”

Interested in extra innings? Full interview with Greenberg in the link below.

Microsoft’s Aaron Greenberg Looks To Holiday, Beyond [GameInformer] [Pic]

September’s NPD numbers drop next week, and more than one analyst is predicting that the PlayStation 3 will finally come out on top for the first time since its 2006 launch. Wedbush Morgan’s Michael Pachter predicts that the PS3 sold 410K units in September compared to 390K for the Wii and 350K for the 360. Furthermore, he thinks the PS3 over 360 trend could continue until at least the end of the year.

“We believe that the recent round of price cuts may benefit the PS3 the most in coming months, given that unit sales last year were only 1.5 million for the September – December 2008 period. The Xbox 360 has outsold the PS3 for the past 13 months, likely due to a higher perceived value proposition (the Xbox 360 “core” model was priced $US100 lower than the PS3). We think that the PS3 will outsell the Xbox 360 in September, and may continue to do so for the rest of the year,”

Pachter goes on to predict a 250GB version of the Xbox 360 in 2010 to help combat Sony’s increase in market share, and a potential price cut for the Nintendo DS Lite to $US99 should the PSP and PSPgo start taking a larger percentage of the handheld market.

Of course Pachter predicts a lot of things. We’ll see how accurate he is once the NPD numbers are published next week.

PS3 to Dominate as September Game Sales Expected to See Double Digit Growth [Industry Gamers]

To use a sports metaphor, we hear the same thing every time the Lakers, the Yankees, and the University of North Carolina suffer a couple years of disappointment and then come back to contention, as if their rising tide really lifts all boats. But in this case, while Sony might be an overdog brand, the PS3 Slim has definitely provoked a price drop on the other two consoles, and that is objectively a good thing for the video game consumer.

Tretton then gets a little punchy and positions Sony as out-monied by Nintendo – but only because it’s the people’s choice. “We don’t have unlimited money, we cater to a more mass market audience,” he says. “I think we’re willing to take a little bit more risk than a competitor like Nintendo is and ultimately we deliver to the masses on a worldwide basis and that’s what we’ve done for the last 15 years.”

We’ll go with Tretton as far as the PS3 Slim – or at least its price – driving competition to the benefit of the gamer. Portraying Nintendo as a risk-averse console without a mass market, no.

Watch the entire video here.

Sony Winning is Best for the Industry [Destructoid]

What separates the three consoles this generation can be measured in terms of exclusive content. Leaving aside minor differences in terms of DLC or other bonus in-game extras, the real differentiator is the lineup of exclusive games.

I’ve put together a (fairly) comprehensive list of the exclusives coming between now and the end of the year. I know I’ve missed a few titles, particularly some of the Wii releases not intended for a Kotaku reading audience. There are also plenty more exclusives to be found on PSN, WiiWare and XBLA, but those release dates typically aren’t confirmed until much closer to launch, making it difficult to compile a 2009 list. And you could well point out that a couple of the Xbox 360 exclusives are also coming to PC. But we’re just talking consoles here.

Take a look and let me know which of the three consoles has the best lineup of exclusives. Are you surprised by the result? And is your console choice genuinely influenced by the exclusives?

PlayStation 3
* Uncharted 2: Among Thieves
* Eyepet
* Ratchet & Clank: A Crack in Time
* Cross Edge
* Katamari Forever
* Singstar Motown
* Buzz! Quiz World

Wii
* Wii Fit Plus
* New Super Mario Bros.
* Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games
* Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Smash Up
* Metroid Prime Trilogy
* Tales of Symphonia: Dawn of the New World
* Resident Evil: Darkside Chronicles
* Rabbids Go Home
* Need For Speed: Nitro
* Drawn To Life 2
* Marvel Super Hero Squad
* Shaun White Snowboarding: World Stage
* World of Zoo
* Muramasa: The Demon Blade

Xbox 360
* Halo 3: ODST
* Forza Motorsport 3
* Left 4 Dead 2
* GTA IV: Episodes From Liberty City
* Blood Bowl
* Section 8
* Guilty Gear 2: Overture
* Magna Carta 2
* Darkest of Days
* Lips Number One Hits
* Divine Divinity 2

[Pic]

In a much anticipated move, Sony announced a new $US300 model for their Playstation 3 in Cologne, Germany during the Gamescom convention on August 18. The PS3, nicknamed the PlayStation 3 Slim, features a 120GB hard drive and is a third smaller and more than a third lighter than its predecessors.

Ten days later, Microsoft announced that their top-of-the-line Xbox 360 Elite, which also features a 120GB hard drive, was getting a $US100 price drop to $US300.

The new Xbox 360 price kicked in on August 28, Sony’s new lower-priced model started showing up in stores the same week.

The Xbox 360’s director of product management, Aaron Greenberg, told Kotaku that the timing was coincidental, driven more by Microsoft’s ability to save money on internal components than by Sony’s news.

“I think it’s a bit coincidental, but it’s also somewhat logical with both (Sony and Microsoft) making price adjustments at this time of the year because we are turning the corner of the holiday season,” he said.

But Greenberg acknowledged that, with both consoles coming in at the same price, people will be more likely to compare the two when shopping for a new gaming platform.

“We feel like we shape up pretty well to that comparison,” he said, pointing out that Microsoft also sells a basic version of the Xbox 360 for $US200.

“I really think that we are at a point now where it’s less about the back of the box and more about the types of experiences,” he added. “We have a larger line-up (of games) and this holiday, look at our exclusives: Halo 3: ODST, Forza 3, new Grand Theft Auto content.

“If you say (Microsoft and Sony) have two SKUs at the same price point, we are the hands down winner. That’s why, I think, we are the only company growing this year, while Sony is seeing sharp declines.”

On paper at least, Sony’s PlayStation 3 does seem to have some obvious advantages, most notably a built-in Blu-ray player, something the company will make sure consumers don’t forget.

“PlayStation 3 has always had incredible value and now at an even more attractive $US299 price point, paired with a new, and aggressive, advertising campaign, we expect to have an incredible holiday in both hardware and content sales,” said Patrick Seybold, Senior Director, Corporate Communications for Sony Computer Entertainment of America. “PlayStation 3 is the most superior entertainment console on the market and while the price point and the size of the HDD may be at parity between the two consoles, the similarities stop there. With a BD drive, built in wi-fi, free access to PlayStation Network and the best gaming content available, there really is no comparison to PlayStation 3.”

Seybold declined to speculate on the timing of Microsoft’s price drop, but said Sony’s not concerned about it.

“We’re confident the value of PS3 at $US299 surpasses anything else on the market, and our amazing line up of first and third party titles, matched with the incredible evolution of PlayStation Network make PlayStation the clear choice for those looking for the best in entertainment.”

Dropping the price of both Sony and Microsoft’s top-tier consoles to $US300 also means that Nintendo could see a bit more direct competition with its $US250 Wii.

Nintendo has come under increasing pressure to drop the price of their console, which still sells at the same price as the day it launched in 2006.

During an investors meeting, Nintendo president Satoru Iwata told those present that a slowdown in sales wasn’t due to the console’s price, but the number of big hits coming to the Wii.

He added that there currently “aren’t a lot of discussions going on about what exactly to do about hardware pricing.”

Nintendo declined to comment in time for this article about possible Wii price drops in light of the approaching competition from Microsoft and Sony.

But with Wii sales flattening and consumers looking for more bang for their buck this holiday, it would be a smart decision.

Both Microsoft and Sony told Kotaku that they plan to heavily market their new prices during the holidays pointing out to consumers all the things they get for their $US300.

“This holiday,” Greenberg said, “is all about value.”