Commentary: Sony's PS3 launch will kick the 360's a$$

It's no secret Microsoft's launch titles -- though arguably more diverse than any other console launch -- was far from stellar.

Sony, on the other hand, besides having a history of stellar First Party titles, is taking specific steps to have a potentially huge launch roster, with details hopefully announced at E3 this May.

The stakes are higher for Sony, who needs exclusive games that will make gamers want to buy their console (Microsoft doesn't currently suffer the same problem, since their console is the only Next-Gen box to buy).

So what has Sony done?

They bought Zipper Interactive, the development studio behind the SOCOM franchise. At a time when Xbox was crowing about reaching 1.5 million total Xbox Live subscribers, SOCOM allegedly had 1 million players for a single title. By purchasing them, Sony potentially has an in-house, more controllable launch title with a solid franchise history. A quick spin through the Zipper job listings points to openings for "current and next generation platforms" and "multi-threaded systems". SOCOM for PS3 may not be a flagship title, but it would be a solid multiplayer addition and revenue generator (SKU and related sales).

Sony also bought Guerilla Games, who made the PS2 Killzone, and is "now recruiting for its flagship PS3 title" (Killzone 2). By purchasing Guerilla Games, Sony pulls a Microsoft-buying-Bungie (which made Halo an Xbox, console-selling exclusive), and potentially has an in-house, more controllable AAA launch title. While the first Killzone was supposed to be the "Halo-killer", it fell a bit short. If the next game matches the target visuals and gameplay in the pre-rendered CGIs from last year's E3, I'd buy a PS3 to play that game. But first Sony needs to undo the damage they did last year in claiming the pre-rendered stuff was in-game, and show some real in-game (or better, playable) assets at this year's E3.

Finally, Metal Gear Solid 4, the latest in the arguable strongest PlayStation franchise, from Kojima Productions, is to me the most intriguing of the pending PS3 playables. After reading the Game Informer Magazine interview and looking at the accompanying screenshots, I'm excited about what Hideo Kojima plans to do in terms of gameplay and "heart" for the game, and the promise of "a revolutionary change that will lead us away from the past concept based on 'reality' towards the 'natural.'" Sure, the visuals were admittedly target visuals, but Kojima-san is "confident" this is what the game will look like.

There are even more titles scheduled for at or just after launch, like the Sony/Incognito Studios' remake of Warhawk (which will allegedly be playable on the show floor at E3 this year), the slick and stylish Insomniac Games' Resistance: The Fall of Man (what was I-8) and the sometime release of the Next-Generation Ratchet & Clank.

If Sony could just add a solid launch platformer, they could diversify the appeal of the PS3, and fracture Nintendo's launch -- if Nintendo's launch doesn't fracture theirs.

Not that it will be easy. Sony's giving Microsoft a full year of game catalog development, with spring, summer, fall, and Holiday "buckets" of releases. And though I doubt Microsoft will counter the PS3 launch with "the mythical" Halo 3, they may counter with the Next Big Thing -- Gears of War (site's been down for a couple days; odd, that).

Of course, gamers win with all of this. Especially the lifetime gamers who grew up on Atari, Coleco, and Commodore (the real ones, not the current ones), and have income (if not the time) to buy multiple iPods, DVD players ... and Next-Gen gaming consoles ...