Ever since Sony's PlayStation 3 released people have been claiming that the next year is going to be "The Year of the PS3." Every year since the PS3 released, however, the PS3 has remained in a firm third place when you look at the new gen system sales.

As someone who used to be a Nintendo and Xbox fanboy I have to admit a bit of pleasure at seeing the bragadocious Sony fanboy fervor over the plight of their chosen system, and have also felt more than a little satisfaction of watching Sony main stays like Kaz Hirai squirm while trying to act like they are still the leader of the gaming world.

From the price, to the long development cycles, removing backwards compatibility, not putting God of War 2 on the system, Heavenly Sword... There are simply too many mistakes that Sony made with the PS3 for me to even count.

As an ex-fanboy I should be ecstatic, but instead a strange thing has happened.

You see, instead of sitting on the side lines and heckling the PS3 fans I felt like it was my duty as a game seller (ex-game seller now) to own all the major systems so that I could intelligently comment on their libraries.

By owning a PS3 I have seen the number of strides that Sony has made over the life span of the PS3. Sure, they could and should have had more games out by now and should have never let some exclusives get away that did. But while I thought the idea of Sony as the strongest first party developer was just a myth, they have proven to me that they are pushing the art side of this industry forward more than any other first party.

Sorry, Nintendo. I respect you for getting fat middle-aged women to buy a $90 piece of plastic, but you have been pumping the same old crap out for years and expect me to grin while I eat a five year old re-heated bowl of unsweetened oatmeal! No Thanks.

I still love you... I just wouldn't marry you.

I think there is a better chance than ever the 2010 will be "The Year of the PS3" for a number of reasons.

Firstly, the system is finally down to a reasonable price. Since Microsoft screwed up and just met your price with the most expensive model they have allowed for a one for one comparison... and they lose out because of the expensiveness of the network adapter and the lack of Blu-Ray.

Sure, I would still chose my 360 over my PS3 if I was forced to only keep one system, but I think that by the end of next year that balance will have shifted enough that the PS3 library will more than stand up to what the 360 can offer.

Secondly, next year we are going to see both God of War and Gran Turismo come to the system. While I think GT has lost a bit of the luster it once possessed, if Polyphony can get the game up to the standards set by GT4 then the PS3 will finally have an exclusive game that can stand toe-to-toe with Forza. 

Thirdly games like Heavy Rain and The Last Guardian will be there to balance out the more pop fare of God of War and GT, and will help bring over even more consumers who want to see what the idea of 'games as art' is really capable of.

I might end up being wrong. Maybe the PS3 will only be able to eek out a tie with the 360, and I truly would be fine if that happened. I think the most important thing, not just for Sony, but for all gamers, is that each of the main system holders end up in a solid economic state.

While I think it would be easy to cry for the death of a system you do not like, I also think you would be applauding something that is damaging the health of the whole game industry.

2010 might or might not end up being 'The Year of the PS3" but I do know one thing... My PS3 is going to get played a lot next year. A whole lot!