As the launch date of the Playstation 3 gets nearer and nearer, industry analysts are busy trying to glean any information they can to make predictions on how console market share will shape up as Sony and Nintendo join the battle. Many predictions have Sony still sitting at the top percentage-wise, but ceding some ground to competitors Microsoft and Nintendo. Gamespot was able to talk with Kaz Hirai about his predictions for this generation of gaming, and about how the system launch is going so far.

Hirai, of course, is aiming at maintaining or increasing their share over the Playstation 2; Sony can’t very well go into the next round thinking they are going to lose. However, once Gamespot starts drilling into launch preparations, things start to get a little vague.

Sony still aims at getting 2 million units shipped worldwide. But contrary to reports a while back that the first PS3 units were rolling off the production line, Hirai admits that they “haven’t started manufacturing yet… they are, again, preparing as we speak to get the manufacturing going.” Retail merchandising is still being planned as well. Apparently, Sony still hasn’t solidified their launch lineup, but software can be delivered in a much tighter window. Still, retailers will need to start lining up the forced bundles soon, and Hirai isn’t willing to even estimate the number of titles that will be available.

Hirai also talks about the PSP: no re-design is planned soon, and Sony seems to be happy with the price point right now, so he again confirms that there are no plans to drop the price of the console. Right now it appears that Sony hopes that new features like the Sony Connect service will help turn things around, and that by offering downloadable video and game content, this will increase the value proposition for their handheld.