Sony's PlayStation 3 sales for November weren't just down year-over-year, they invited a surprising amount of mainstream vitriol, with CNN claiming that the console was "dying on the shelves."

The Washington Times wasn't any kinder, questioning whether Sony was actually "sabotaging" the PlayStation 3 market. Sony's response to PlayStation sales last month was upbeat as expected, but do these folks have a point? Is the PlayStation 3 already a lame duck, desperately in need of "deep price cuts"? Or is it just hard to measure up when the Wii is shattering sales records?

PC World, by way of the Washington Post, however, isn't as gloomy about the PS3's performance and its future as some of its competitors. It theorizes — via careful numbers selection — that the downtick in sales of Sony's current gen console could be chalked up to a shorter Black Friday shopping period. Last year, it was eight days on the NPD calendar; this year just two.

Had it had that extra time, it's possible the PS3 could have had sales on par with November 2007. We'll see how the two Decembers shake out before deciding precisely how doomed(!) the PS3 is.

PC World also takes issue with CNN's claims that the PS3 "just doesn't have any must-have titles exclusive to the console," pointing out (on the verge of fanboyish listing) exclusives like Uncharted, Metal Gear Solid 4, Valkyria Chronicles and Resistance. Yes, those are all great games, but shouldn't the rule that if you build it, they will come apply here?

Is Sony's PS3 Really a Sinking Ship? [Washington Post]