As the Consumer Electronics Show kicked off Wednesday, Sony sent out a press release that attempted to set the tone of the console debate. Apparently this year's tone will be "crazy ex-girlfriend."

With PlayStation 3 being the only one of the three consoles to see its sales drop this November versus the same month in 2007, and a $200 entry-level Xbox 360 attracting price-conscious shoppers, Sony is gearing up to take a beating in December, January, and beyond. So out comes the spin. First, a Sony exec tells CNET that PlayStation 3 sales were up 130% following Black Friday, which is somehow supposed to be a sign of health even though sales of every product on Earth jump after Black Friday.

And then, this letter:

Keeping Gaming and Entertainment Simple The 2008 holiday season was an exciting time for video gaming and the Blu-ray side of the interactive entertainment industry, and 2009 promises to follow suit. As consumers continue to invest in their entertainment needs this new year, the feature sets of the three multi-functional gaming systems – PLAYSTATION 3, Xbox 360 and Wii – become that much more important to consider. PLAYSTATION 3 has always been about streamlining the gaming and entertainment experience by giving consumers the most features and functionality out of the box, there is no immediate need to upgrade anything to get a rich entertainment experience, as the console comes standard with: Built in Blu-ray drive for HD movies and mind-blowing games

Built in Wi-Fi for wireless gaming and Internet access

Huge hard drives for storing games, movies, music photos and more

Free online gaming and entertainment access through PSN

Ten year's of value with a future-proof system via firmware updates that offer new services and features The Xbox 360 and Wii offer a set of features in their own right. However, when you take a look at the feature offerings side by side, there is only one true winner in delivering total value and price. We've compared the lowest entry points from each manufacturer – PS3 80GB - $399, Xbox 360 Arcade - $199, Wii - $249. The PS3 is the perfect example of a product featuring superior technology and a sophisticated design creating an ideal all-in-one entertainment product. The Xbox 360 requires additional money, multiple upgrades and additional external devices, putting a burden on the wallet and adds clutter to the entertainment center. And the Wii's lack of enhanced features comes at the expense of a comprehensive entertainment solution. So as PS3 continues to evolve without the need for additional parts or expenses, expect the competition to continue peddling add-ons in an effort to keep up with the Jones'.

In other words:* what does she have that I don't?!*

What is immediately obvious here – besides the fact that the writer of this release has a deeply ingrained misunderstanding of the possessive form (year's, Jones') – is a feeling like Sony has finally been reduced to grasping at straws. We needn't even delve too deeply into the half-truths (there are cheaper hard drive solutions for Arcade buyers; HDMI was available in every Xbox on shelves this holiday). But is this really the whole message?

Yes – you get more machine for your $400 with PlayStation 3. But since when has anything but price and killer app games ever decided a console war?

This holiday season and its aftermath may very well prove that Microsoft was right after all to take the hard drive out of the Xbox 360 and put a bare-bones SKU on shelves. Yes: I thought it was a phenomenally stupid idea at the time. Remember "tard pack," the perjorative nickname for the Core SKU that ended up making the New York Post? A $200 game console doesn't sound so retarded in a recession.

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