2008 was an excellent year for the Sony Playstation 3. After 3 years of being beaten up (some would even use the word “raped”) by its competitors, the Nintendo Wii and the Microsoft Xbox 360, the PS3 bounced back with strong exclusives and verified hits like Metal Gear Solid 4 and Little Big Planet.

What’s in store for the Sony Plastation 3 in the months to come? Will the schedule of PS3 releases continue the momentum established by the company in 2008? Will 2009, and even 2010, be the period when Sony regains the throne it was forced to surrender? Will 2009, and even 2010, be the period when Sony will actually realize some profit for their video game console?

Let us take a closer look at the PS3 releases for the said period which possess the highest likelihood of becoming blockbusters for the system.

1. God of War III. Of all the PS3 releases forthcoming, this is the surest hit. Kratos has become Sony’s flagship character. He’s too much of a tough guy to be considered as a mascot, and his adventures aren’t necessarily what we can consider as “wholesome.” Nevertheless, God of War III is THE PS3 release that is destined to sell a lot of Playstation 3 units.

2. DC Universe Online. Think of a persistent world where you can be a hero or a villain, interacting with other real players playing heroes and villains as well as popular characters like Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, and the likes. DC Universe Online is poised to be Sony’s flagship MMORPG, created by the same people who brought us Everquest and Everquest II. It is a PS3 release worth waiting for.

3. Massive Action Game (MAG). With 256-player simultaneous action, it isn’t surprising why Sony is high on this upcoming PS3 release. Sadly, the rest of the video game industry isn’t as enthusiastic given the recent videos and previews released for the game.

4. Uncharted 2: Among Thieves. The first Uncharted was a sleeper hit for Sony. The second one will be 20 times better, and with multiplayer action to boot. Think of the lovechild of the Tomb Raider franchise and the Metal Gear Solid games and you’d get an idea what this forthcoming PS3 release is all about.

5. EyePet. This PS3 release will be a make or break for the system’s EyeToy peripheral. The last (and only) game that made use of the accessory was Eye of Judgment. Will a virtual pet-style title be enough to make the peripheral a good investment for PS3 owners?

6. Gran Turismo 5. Assuming it is released. As it stands, GT5 should’ve been delivered 2 years ago.

7. Ratchet And Clank: A Crack In Time. A Ratchet and Clank game is destined to sell a lot of copies, but not as many copies that would paint the game as a blockbuster. Of all the PS3 releases, this is the most bankable. However, it is not expected to be a system defining title.

8. Heavy Rain. The only game similar to this upcoming PS3 release is Fahrenheit for the PS2, and that game didn’t fare well. Will this game prove to be the breakout title for the new engine the adventure genre?

Numbers don’t lie. Instead of relying on subjective reviews, a lot of video gamers often look at the sales charts to determine whether or not a particular software title is worth the purchase.

This is especially true for owners of Sony PS3 consoles.

With the sheer amount of games available for the Playstation 3, finding the right title worthy of a $50 to $60 investment can prove to be quite a daunting task. Thankfully, the cream always rises on top – on top of the sales charts, that is.

So, what are highest selling games for the Sony PS3 console? Here are the top 7 of the list:

1. Gran Turismo 5 Prologue. It’s not really a game, but sure looks mighty good. Watching this “preview” of the upcoming GT5 is like watching real cars racing against each other. Excitement over the next “full” installment of the series and a low price tag resulted in magnificent sales. Number of copies sold: 3.32 million.

2. MotorStorm. Alas, the benefits of being a launch title! MotorStorm won over a crowd that hotly anticipated the release of the PS3 console with its amazingly realistic graphics and fantastic action. Number of copies sold: 3.31 million.

3. Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots. Konami’s blockbuster franchised continued on the PS3 console. And sales immediately followed suit. MGS4 is the game in Hideyo Kojima’s fables series that sold the most number of copies within a very short period of time. It was the first software title that actually brought about a rise in PS3 console sales. Number of copies sold: more than 3 million.

4. Grand Theft Auto 4. It’s not an exclusive, but the PS3 console was a favorite system for the enjoyment of GTA4. Though the Xbox 360 version displayed better graphics, people preferred to play a lengthy game like Rockstar’s latest masterpiece on a console that won’t collapse because of some unknown cause. Number of copies sold: 2.7 million.

5. Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune. Hailed as the first viable exclusive property for the PS3 console, Uncharted lived up to expectations by providing a gaming experience that can only be described as Tomb Raider meeting Gears of War. It remains as developer Naughty Dog’s bestselling game title. Number of copies sold: 2.6 million.

6. Resistance: Fall of Man. A launch title which is an excellent, exciting first person shooter (FPS), Resistance was a little underwhelming on the technical side. Many criticized its PS2-like graphics which completely undermined the power possessed by the PS3 console. But again, it was a launch title and people were hungry for exclusive games. The result? Number of copies sold: 2.5 million.

7. Heavenly Sword. Dubbed as God of War Lite, Heavenly Sword is a prime example of success gained by being at the right place (or with the right console) at the right time (or early during the said console’s life). There’s nothing bad about the game, but there’s nothing special about it, either. For an audience starved of a button mashing adventure game for their PS3 consoles, Heavenly Sword was easy to embrace. Number of copies sold: a little over 1 million.

Who said that the Sony PS3 is dead?  The fiscal year 2008-2009 has been a banner period for the system, what with a lineup of Sony Playstation 3 games that shook up the industry.  Metal Gear Solid 4, Killzone 2, Resistance 2 and Little Big Planet stood toe-to-toe with the best that the Microsoft Xbox 360 and the Nintendo Wii offered.

And fiscal year 2009-2010 will be no different.

In fact, with the announced lineup of Sony Playstation 3 games for the said period, the console may actually pull off some big surprises in the sales charts.  Next year’s number one console in terms of sales may actually be a Sony product once again.

What are the Sony Playstation 3 games to watch out for in 2009-2010?

1. God of War III.  Kratos is coming back for one last adventure – so says Sony.  God of War III is one of the most anticipated Playstation 3 games for this year, and it is one of the most anticipated Playstation 3 games of all time.  Expect Kratos’ last adventure, and ironically his first on the PS3, to push the limits of what the console can do.

2. Trico.  Think of the original Ico mixed with Shadows of the Colossus and you’ll get an idea of what this game is all about.  Trico features a boy who, instead of cooperating with a damsel in distress, has to work with a giant hybrid of a cat and a bird.  Scaling the giant hybrid is much akin to scaling the titans of Shadows of the Colossus, only this time, you’ll be climbing the body of a friend instead of a foe.

3. MAG.  MAG stands for Massive Action Game, and such title is quite appropriate.  Of all the Sony Playstation 3 games that are coming our way, MAG is the biggest as it features a 256-player battlefield over the internet.  The previous record in the 62-player cooperative death match in Resistance 2.

4. Metal Gear Solid: Rising.  Not really an exclusive, but big news nonetheless.  The newest installment in the MGS franchise will feature Raiden – who became an instant fan favorite in MGS4 by having his entire body transformed into cybernetic parts so that he can become a super ninja.

5. Final Fantasy XIV.  The most shocking announcement in E3 2009.  Final Fantasy XIV is coming in 2010.  It is a Sony PS3 exclusive.  And it will be an MMORPG, much like Final Fantasy XI.

6. Uncharted 2: Among Thieves.  Uncharted 2 is the melting pot of many Playstation 3 games, and even some Xbox 360 games.  It features the exploratory and platforming elements of Tomb Raider, the cover system of Gears of War, the environments of MGS4, and the multiplayer excitement of Killzone 2.  Sold!

7. The Agent.  Rockstar Games, developers of the legendary Grand Theft Auto series, has confirmed that it is building an exclusive for the Sony PS3.  Entitled simply as Agent, the game isn’t expected to be a sandbox-style adventure like GTA.  Rather, it is said to resemble the look, feel and game play of Splinter Cell and Metal Gear Solid.  Not bad, considering that the aforementioned Sony Playstation 3 games are considered as classics.