CNet's Console Holiday Ratings: Xbox360 - Mediocre

Generally speaking, it's Microsoft that has the most to worry about this holiday season. I believe the Xbox 360 will take the day when this whole console battle is over, but all in all, it looks like the next few months will be tough.

A quick glimpse at the Gamestop release calendar will tell you everything you need to know for this holiday season. In a word, the games lineup is mediocre -- at best. Sure, games like Call of Duty 4, Assassin's Creed, and Mass Effect will be hitting shelves, but only the latter will be exclusive to the Xbox 360. And to be quite honest, it's the exclusive titles that will shape this holiday season.

Microsoft has already done what it had to do -- get Halo 3 out the door and enjoy unprecedented hardware and software revenue. In fact, the release of Halo 3 solidified the company as a major player in this business for years to come. But the main problem with its strategy of releasing the game so early is the lack of true hardware-sellers. Sure, Mass Effect looks neat, but is it on par with a game like Halo, which is the main reason the majority of people bought an Xbox 360 in September? I doubt it.

Overall Xbox 360 outlook for the holiday season: mediocre.

http://blogs.cnet.com/8301-13506_1-9800502-17.html