While Sony languishes in DRM hell (and console date slippage), Microsoft and Nintendo are getting into position. Only Microsoft will hit the 2005 Christmas season - and it looks like anyone who wants an XBox 360 will have to fight off the holiday crowd:

Wall Street has been expecting Microsoft to deliver more than 2 million of its next generation consoles to retailers worldwide this year. On Monday, though, P. J. McNealy of American Technology Research lowered his expectations to the 1.8 million 2 million range. Friday, Banc of America's Gary Cooper said he believes the company will ship just 1.4 million 1.6 million.

...

Complicating matters is Microsoft's plan for a worldwide launch of the 360. That means those initial shipments, whatever they turn out to be, will be split between North America, Europe and Japan. McNealy said he expects Microsoft to send roughly 900,000 to 1 million units to North American retailers, 600,000-800,000 to Europe and another 100,000-200,000 to Japan.

Go read the whole thing, and notice what's happening on eBay already. By getting to the release post first, MS is going to reap a lot of excitement. Nintendo isn't sitting still though, and it looks like they intend to stay at the low price end:

Microsoft's Xbox 360 has adopted a two-tier price strategy ($299 for a bare bones version and $399 for a souped-up machine). Sony, meanwhile, has shouted from the rooftops the PS3 would be a pricey piece of equipment. Nintendo, though, seems ready to lowball its competitors on the retail front.

"Value has been a key card for us this generation and we'll continue to play it," Fils-Aime told me. "Do I expect us to be at a lower price point than our competition? Yes I do. Have we determined a price yet? No we haven't."

Sounds good to me - I'll have my eyes on both the XBox and Nintendo this year. Sony can sod off until the show evidence that they've found a clue.