Greenberg: "we'll outsell the PS3" in 2010

By Tom Bramwell Published 24 February, 2010

Plus: MS will be "thoughtful" with Natal.

Microsoft bigwig Aaron Greenberg has predicted that Xbox 360 will outperform PlayStation 3 in 2010.

"We believe we'll outsell the PS3 for the full year," he told Destructoid. "We did in 2009."

"We never underestimate the competition. We know they have a lot of great games. They're very formidable. They have great history in this industry," he added.

"But we believe if you are a gamer and you want great games, we have more titles, more exclusives, we have the leading online community, and being able to bring really completely innovative technology like Project Natal to market this holiday, are all things that make us unique."

Speaking of Natal, Greenberg said that Microsoft would resist the urge to flood shops with mini-game compilations and other tat simply to get the exotic-sounding controller-free sensor rig off and running.

"This new category of controller-free games and entertainment is going to bring all types of new experiences that have never existed before," he claimed.

"We want your first impression to be a great one, so we're not just going to dump products because we can, we're going to be very thoughtful about what we bring to market."

Earlier this week British comedian Jonathan Ross tweeted that Natal was "not quite there yet", although Eurogamer understands his impressions were based on the same pre-release setup Digital Foundry ripped to pieces last summer.

Updated Natal presentations with retail game demos aren't expected until later in the year, with our money on E3 in June. Natal itself launches this Christmas.

Picture of Tom.

About Tom Bramwell

Tom is Operations director of Eurogamer Network and Editor-at-Large of Eurogamer.net. He joined the company in February 2000.

Read more articles from Tom by visiting the Tom Bramwell archive page.

You may also like...

Comments (67) Latest comment 2 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • AphoticCosmos #1 2 years ago

    That's great.

    Now stop pandering to the idiotic fanboys and get back to work, Greenberg!
    Edited by 1 at 24/02/10 @ 08:31

  • Negotiator #2 2 years ago

    Got to love Greenberg he tells like it is, no PR bullshit.

  • reality_cheque #3 2 years ago

    It's hard to believe he's really a PR man. He actually sounds like he's talking sense!?

  • iHAZaCHEEZ3burger #4 2 years ago

    Fanboy bait :)

    If Natal captures the public attention like they're expecting then I think the 360 will sell plenty more than the PS3, if it doesn't I think it will be a close call like 2009.

  • woodnotes #5 2 years ago

    I don't think 360 did outsell PS3 for the whole of 2009 on a worldwide basis, even factoring in the pre-Slim dismal first half of the year. In the US it did though.

  • Moonprince #6 2 years ago

    "Now stop pandering to the idiotic fanboys and get back to work, Greenberg!"

    That is his job bro..

  • skullstorm #7 2 years ago

    How does he keep coming up with these totally original, intense pearls of wisdom time after time? You'd think others in his position would be like a stuck record.


    Oh...

  • Yodith #8 2 years ago

    Less pointless dick-waving, more game-making, please.

    Unless, of course, Natal can accurately detect the motion of a human penis, in which case carry on. The next Leisure Suit Larry game should be A LOT more interesting.

  • LHH #9 2 years ago

    I'd love some actual exclusives. Will have to see what Natal promises I guess.

  • Odessa #10 2 years ago

    On the german Eurogamer site they had an article about a tv-reporter who wrote that they have time to fix it till October, which could be the release month then :)

    After this article here i suppose it is right, cause if you "only" sell it on december, you just have one month with higher sales numbers.

  • altitude2k #11 2 years ago

    At least they're nice enough to drop in a compliment. That's more than Sony or Nintendo do when they say stuff like this.

  • Goodfella #12 2 years ago

    The words of Peter Kay at the Brits spring to mind. 'What a knobhead'.

  • Doctor_What #13 2 years ago

    @ woodnotes : I suspect you're right on that one. I'm pretty sure that it would have been very close.

    Maybe Greenberg's got pre-Natal depression?

  • iHAZaCHEEZ3burger #14 2 years ago

    If Natal does well in Japan it would help the 360 sell a great deal aswell, but thats a big if as they don't seem to like the 360 much there.

  • FireMonkey #15 2 years ago

    @wile_coyote - I haven't heard of anyone selling a 360 to buy a PS3. To be honest most people I know have a 360 and only a few have a PS3. That really doesn't mean anything though as that's just the people I know and not the entire world.

    The way I see it is they are both decent machines that do things slightly differently and both have slight benefits over the other but to be honest I don't feel there is anything in it and it all comes down to personal taste.

  • Negotiator #16 2 years ago

    Goodfella its "nobhead", and what exactly makes greenberg that?, please tell.

  • KayJay #17 2 years ago

    Touché

    /waits for next punch :-)

  • sarcasmoidosis #18 2 years ago

    I don't think people sell their 360's to buy a PS3. If for no other reason, just because their (presumably older model) 360 has almost no market value whatsoever. I bought my Elite before the price drop at ~350 Euro and would probably have to sell it at 230-ish now (maximum value).

    More on the topic: I don't really care if you outsell, undersell, oversell or whatever. I already bought your box and the competition's box too. Now gimme games!

  • Goodfella #19 2 years ago

    @ Negotiator

    They're ALL knobheads (PR people), with a K, the correct spelling.

  • Sunyavadin #20 2 years ago

    Unless, of course, Natal can accurately detect the motion of a human penis, in which case carry on. The next Leisure Suit Larry game should be A LOT more interesting.

    Okay, this might be enough to make me buy it.

    Go on Microsoft, you know what you have to do for extra sales!

  • Peew971 #21 2 years ago

    I predict the Wii will outsell everyone

  • Retro_ #22 2 years ago

    I'm glad the fight for 2010 is on and there is no clear leader, it means both MS and SONY will deliver which can only be good for owners.

  • drumbaby #23 2 years ago

    ".........more exclusives"

    Had I been drinking coffee at that point it would have ended up all over the keyboard.

  • Goodfella #24 2 years ago

    Indeed, more exclusives? he said that with a straight face?

  • schnide #25 2 years ago

    No, sorry - the 360 won't outsell PS3 this year, that's my prediction.

  • Murton #26 2 years ago

    MS waves willy at their own X10 event, Sony then whips theirs out for the sake of it and MS come back and get it out again. It's getting boring now.

    We'll sell more than you - some of the more devout fanboys who love the taste of a good window might care about this, but the vast majority of gamers don't care which console sells more, they want to hear about the games. Something which Greenberg seems very, very misinformed about if he thinks the 360 has more exclusives this year or even at all.

  • welshben23 #27 2 years ago

    It's interesting that many of you praise or agree with a person from Microsoft when they spout bullshit but when a person from Sony does it you're all spitting feathers. No idea why. Anyway, I love both consoles. Just give me the bloody games.

  • welshben23 #28 2 years ago

    teh9182...The 360 may have more exclusives but for me the PS3 exclusives are better.

  • Goodfella #29 2 years ago

    @ teh9182

    Can we have a list for each please?

  • metalmike25 #30 2 years ago

    This is strange, only the other day some Sony mouthpiece was saying the same sort of thing and everyone got ridiculously angry. Today we get comments that i hope are being sarcastic but i fear are being serious like this:

    'Got to love Greenberg he tells like it is, no PR bullshit'

    Have any of you had a good look at yourselves and thought 'what the fuck is wrong with me'

    All these PR people are paid to bullshit and sell you stuff, don't think for a second that they actually believe anything that's coming out of their mouths

  • TruWari3r #31 2 years ago

    Outside of xbla vs psn


    360 exclusives this year

    Mass Effect 2, Splinter Cell Conviction, Alan Wake, Crackdown 2, Fable 3, Halo Reach


    PS3 exclusives this year

    MAG, Heavy Rain, God of war 3, Modnation Racers, The Last Guardian (I Hope this year), Yakuza 3 or 4, True Crime


    Am I missing something?

    Now I’m just pumped I have both consoles but I’ll be getting all the 360 exclusives and only gow3 and the last guardian for the ps3. Maybe later heavy rain when it’s cheaper, didn’t like the controls and the camera in the demo.

  • BillyBrush #32 2 years ago

    @Welshben

    that's a fair point....i think saying 'we'll sell more blah blah blah is stupid on both sides.

    But...to be fair to him. He say:

    "We never underestimate the competition. We know they have a lot of great games. They're very formidable. They have great history in this industry," he added.

    And Sony reps, would just stick to the digs without any of the respecc, so erm...that bit was rather gracious and above the level of his...peers

    I've probably just dug my own grave by pointing that out...ho hum

  • Yodith #33 2 years ago

    @TruWari3r: you're missing GT5, if it actually arrives this year.

    To be fair though, MAG, Modnation Racers and True Crime aren't really the same calibre as the rest and Yakuza won't be to everyone's taste. That said, Alan Wake and Crackdown 2 could go either way, based on what we've seen so far.

  • BillyBrush #34 2 years ago

    @Tr3 wari3r

    In terms of your list, True crime is multiplat and i doubt you'd be seeing Yakuza4 this year given how long 3 took.

    however, such lists always miss a lot and to be honest 1 vs 1 is not really how it works.

    How it does work is that playstation fans will like all the playstation games better because they're on playstation, and xbox fans will like all the xbox games better because they're on xbox.

    Though there might be the odd one that sways people to buy an extra box...those being Alan wake, The last guardian, and possibly splinter cell? and god of war if you're 15 (y'see couldn't hold it together for a whole post, shame on moi).

  • woodnotes #35 2 years ago

    @ TruWari3r: True Crime isn't a PS3 exclusive.

  • bmxbandit #36 2 years ago

    Hey kids, let me draw your attention to the pre-order chart in the corner ... Playstation is an established brand, just because you fetuses are discovering gaming, doesnt make your opinions right! : ]

  • fknetwork #37 2 years ago

    @ SHARXTREME
    You have a big knob on your head, muppet

  • Les #38 2 years ago

    With regards to exclusives, people are mixing existing catalogue and upcoming games here. Existing catalogue will in all likelihood not boost 360 sales all of a sudden again as they're no new factor. And future exclusives appear to be about equal between the two platforms so is also not much of a differentiator.

  • GamesProgrammer Verified Games Team Programmer, Eutechnyx Ltd. #39 2 years ago

    Hes only talking about the US, not worldwide.

  • chessboxer #40 2 years ago

    You would expect the 360 to have more exclusive games than the PS3, it was released 15 months earlier.

  • metalmike25 #41 2 years ago

    ^^^^

    Why did someone mark this down??

  • GamesConnoisseur #42 2 years ago

    Console flame war round 2,178th

    Yawn!!

    Greenberg talking to the converted and the market, to ensure MS stock and value of Xbox division is kept high. I don't think it was a good PR, despite being multi platform, people will know I prefers X360 over PS3.

    However I didn't think that MS had most exclusives, but when it's come to no of games I wish to play the most, X360 has slight advantage but down to preferences. Ie loved Mass Effect 2 but not keen on M.A.G. But that's me. There are more worthy multi platform titles than exclusives for either anyway!

    I counts exclusives more as non appearance on rival console ie ME2 not on PS3 as X360 practially PC in a box!

  • TruWari3r #43 2 years ago

    Actually the new True Crime is supposed to be ps3 only, at least they said so in december 2009

    true crime

    But yes, both sides have exclusives, both consoles have a lot to offer, either way you're good


    edit: nevermind, developer website says indeed cross platform, ign said ps3 exclusive.
    Edited by 1 at 24/02/10 @ 12:28

  • Stomp224 #44 2 years ago

    Does he mean in Japan? :o

  • Rodchenko #45 2 years ago

    The 360 was launched on November 22nd 2005. The PS3 was launched on November 11th 2006. That's less than 12 months, not 15.

    Wow. You actually took the time and looked up those release dates just to win the argument? Fanboyism does indeed have no limits, it seems...

  • Dizzy #46 2 years ago

    Has there been a year when the PS3 has sold more worldwide anyway? Nobody seems to have actual numbers, and according to those Activision slides the gap is still 8 M, same as one year after launch.

  • Les #47 2 years ago

    "The PS3 was launched on November 11th 2006."

    Not here in Euro-land...

  • metalmike25 #48 2 years ago

    @ Rodchenko

    Hahaha, it always amazes me how some people go to defend a big plastic box. Imagine if they put the same amount of time into something productive, we might all be living on the moon with robot butlers

  • makeamazing #49 2 years ago

    I dont think it matters who says which console sells more, the key will be when the figures actually come in at the end of the year... not the PR from peoples whos job it is (from all three console manufacturers) to big up their machines.

    IMHO, Nintendo will sell most, and i think it will be a close call between Sony and MS, at the moment i think Sony might just edge it.. but then it depends on price cuts (from either). If Sony can take another price cut this year, then to be honest it should in theory sell more.

    I really dont think Natal or Arc will have a massive impact this year. I expect the Arc to work better in games, but Natal to have the better traction (PR), and will sell more.

  • Beano #50 2 years ago

    "Got to love Greenberg he tells like it is, no PR bullshit. "

    I love sarcasm served dry :)

  • Stroller4 #51 2 years ago

    "Earlier this week British comedian Jonathan Ross".

    Jonathon Ross is a comedian? Now that's funny!



    (sorry if it's bindun but I've not had a chance to read through the rest of the comments)

    /runs to meeting

  • cyber_nicco #52 2 years ago

    I don't know which will outsell the other. I, however, hope it's the 360 because I think it deserves it more.

    I just don't enjoy my PS3 nearly as much.
    Edited by 1 at 24/02/10 @ 15:39

  • karooo #53 2 years ago

    US is not equal to the world. PS3 is more popular in EU and japan, japan cancels out the NA lead. I hate how this guy talks about US all the time.

  • Wolverfrog #54 2 years ago

    Well the 360 line up does seem a lot better for '10 than the PS3 line up. I'll say that much. I think both consoles have their merits though.

  • karooo #55 2 years ago

    I am just not impressed with 360 list, I agree with sharkextreme, another halo? splinter cell I will play on PC, i already played ME2 on my PC, Crackdown2? everyone knows its a B grade game, alan wake this looks delicious.

    so what else?

    GT5 alone will make sure PS3 destroys the 360 in EU.

  • ronuds #56 2 years ago

    Compare this with what that idiot from Sony said last week and it's toned down by about four-thousand times. I usually also believe Aaron Greenburg to be a huge horses arse, but in this article he was actually talking sensibly!

    It's SO much better when the competition takes a dirty swipe and you come back looking like the better man. I also happen to agree with him that the 360 will outsell the PS3 this year. I don't know how he thinks it did in 2009, though? Unless he's only talking about the US?

  • Incarta #57 2 years ago

    Natel. Microsoft Wiimote? Or Microsoft Virtual Boy? Only time will tell...

  • DAN.E.B #58 2 years ago

    @cyber nico

    same here thinking of selling mine and buying a better blu ray player to be honest.

  • GreyBeard #59 2 years ago

    The funny thing is that Sony and MS keep having a go at each other because neither has anything good to say about their performance versus Nintendo's market-dominating Wii.

    Both are pushing big this year on motion controls because they are desperate to get in on some Nintendo's action, but if you just judged purely on PR you wouldn't know that the Wii existed! Priceless.

    Its all bullshit anyway, both Sony and MS have great software lineups this year, so there's plenty to look forward to even if you only own only one of the HD twins. And if you own both, things are looking kinda expensive!

  • ronuds #60 2 years ago

    Slice of reality? More like meaningless anecdotal evidence.

  • sarcasmoidosis #61 2 years ago

    I've heard of people sticking hammers up their poopers. That doesn't make it relevant.

  • Loghorn #62 2 years ago

    I'm just curious, what would happen if the Wii were to be at the same level as the PS3 & 360 are in terms of graphics & power & if they were to be very successful with the same amount of fanbase that's going on right now? IMO, most likely, most 3rd party games wouldn't have even existed on the PS3 at all, especially considering that it's the hardest platform to develop & port games onto, & there would be some 3rd party games leftover for the 360.

  • man.the.king #63 2 years ago

    @Yodith

    "Unless, of course, Natal can accurately detect the motion of a human penis, in which case carry on"

    As long as the gamer playing is not impotent or have ED or anything :)

  • Spekingur #64 2 years ago

    Nintendo might move more hardware but still, there isn't that much coming out on it for gamers.
    Undoubtedly God of War 3 and GT5 will move consoles for Sony - same will happen for X360 for the new Halo. I think that the X360 is doing pretty damn good - seeing as it MS almost had to bully themselves into the console market with the original XBox. If MS hadn't done so then we, as gamers, would be worse off.
    Edited by 1 at 24/02/10 @ 20:45

  • man.the.king #65 2 years ago

    Whether PS3 outsells the 360 or vice versa, unless the difference is above 8-10 million more (which would affect multiplat decisions), I don't think the number of consoles sold will be affecting me personally (although it looks like some fans - like Negotiator & reality_cheque, for example - have tears of joy in their eyes at the prospect of the 360 selling more :) ).
    Edited by 2 at 24/02/10 @ 21:01

  • Les #66 2 years ago

    "seeing as it MS almost had to bully themselves into the console market with the original XBox. If MS hadn't done so then we, as gamers, would be worse off."

    Buying their way in with Windows/Office extortion money I'd say... And whether it'll be a positive influence on the mid/long term remains to be seen. They kicked off an arms race with Sony that has driven them both to disastrous financial performance. Might actually turn out to have killed hardcore console gaming by driving Nintendo to the Wii...

  • Lamb #67 2 years ago

    No you won't because the PS3 is a superior product. No loud fan, cheap disc drive, lack of wifi, lack of space. You had the games first but now the PS3 is on the ascendancy.

  • Mnia786 #68 2 years ago

    MNore typical MS exec bullshit... keep it rolling lads...