Being a video game developer (I develop for both, Playstation 3 and XBOX 360) people ask me almost daily which platform I think is better. These are my personal feelings, in no way does this reflect my employer.

Short answer: XBOX 360.

Long answer: Price, performance, visual quality, game selection and online support. I think the XBOX 360 wins in every category.

Price: This is obvious; the XBOX 360 core is only $299. The PS3 is around $499 for the 20GB version. It comes with a hard drive, but you don’t need a hard drive to enjoy a lot of great games on the 360 so I think it’s fair to compare both core systems.

Performance: On paper, the PS3 is more powerful. In reality, it’s quite inferior to the 360. Without getting into too many details, the three general-purpose CPU’s the xbox360 has are currently FAR easier to take advantage of than the SPU’s on the PS3. I suspect a few years down the road some high budget, first party PS3 exclusive titles will come out that really take advantage of the SPU’s and do things the XBOX 360 can’t, but I don’t think the console is worth buying based on this speculation (for some it will be though, we'll have to wait and see how these games turn out).

Pricing and Subscriptions

The silver level service is free, while the Gold level requires a regular subscription. Xbox Live Gold subscriptions can be purchased directly from Microsoft; many retailers and online stores also sell subscriptions, often at a discount. When purchased directly from Microsoft, the Gold subscription pricing is as follows:

Country	1 Month	3 Months	12 Months
Europe	€ 6.99	€ 19.99	€ 59.99
United Kingdom	£4.99	£14.99	£39.99
Australia	AU$ 10.95	AU$ 29.95	AU$ 79.95
Sweden	SEK 60	SEK 179	SEK 549
USA	$7.99	$19.99	$49.99
Japan	¥819	¥2079	¥5229

PlayStation Store

PlayStation Store is a virtual market that allows game demos, trailers, and games to be purchased on the PlayStation 3. The store can only be accessed via the PlayStation 3 XMB under the "Network" category. A PlayStation Network (PSN) account is required to access the store.

 Content

The PlayStation Store contains downloadable content for the PlayStation 3 as well as the PlayStation Portable (PSP), which is regularly updated every Thursday afternoon (in the US) and every Friday afternoon for EU. This includes:

    * Downloadable PlayStation Network games and game demos (demos of PSN games and PS3 games), which can be launched from the HDD of the PlayStation 3. All game demos are free.
    * Trailers for upcoming movies and Blu-ray disc movies, all of which are free.
    * Game videos (behind the scenes, interviews, etc) and trailers. All are free.
    * Add-on game content.
    * Emulated games of the original PlayStation, which can be played and downloaded to either the PlayStation 3 or the PSP with firmware version 3.00 or higher.
    * Content can be viewed on the Official PlayStation Store Site.

 Currency

The PlayStation Store uses local currency to purchase content. For example, one with a US PSN account would buy content in USD or one in Japan would use Yen, etc. This is unlike the Xbox Live Marketplace, which uses Microsoft Points, or the Wii Shop Channel, which uses Wii Points. Money can be added to the "wallet" via credit card or Playstation Card. (See below)

 PlayStation Network Ticket

Credit cards and electronic money (via the Edy system) are currently the only ways PlayStation 3 owners in Japan can purchase content through the Japanese PlayStation Store, but on May 8, 2007 Sony Computer Entertainment announced PlayStation Network Tickets, a form of electronic money that can be used with the Store. PlayStation Network Tickets, set to be available in units of 1,000, 3,000, 5,000, and 10,000 yen, can be purchased at convenience stores throughout Japan. Each ticket contains a 12 digit code which can be input to the PlayStation Network to place credits in the virtual wallet.

The tickets will be available through electronic kiosks at 26,000 convenience stores, including Lawsons, Family Mart, Daily Yamazaki, Mini Stop and Sunkus. There will also be 26,000 post office ATM machines for use to pay for the tickets, although registeration is required first via a special mobile website.

This system is a bit different from the card systems that Microsoft and Nintendo use for their virtual shops. Wii and Xbox Live point cards are available for purchase at standard retailers throughout Japan. Sony has yet to announce a similar program for markets outside of Japan.