In a piece of news that is sure to throw gasoline on the smoldering remains of the fire that is "The Console Wars," Japanese gaming magazine Famitsu has published a reader poll indicating that respondents are marginally more satisfied with the 360 than the PlayStation 3.

1.4 percent of respondents said they were dissatisfied with the 360, as opposed to 5.3 percent for the PlayStation 3. The most common reason for the dissatisfaction for the PlayStation 3 was the price. For the 360, people reported that they didn't like the price and the hardware reliability. 39.3 percent of PS3 owners self-reported either extreme satisfaction or satisfaction, where 40 percent of 360 owners said the same.

Before anyone gets too excited over these results, keep in mind, this is a very flawed measure of actual gamer opinion about these systems for a number of reasons:

• In spite of the "hard numbers" and trappings of science, this is not a random sampling of Japanese gamers, but rather, a sampling of gamers who both read Famitsu and have the time and inclination to answer a poll. That's likely a much smaller and more specific group than all Japanese gamers.
• Further evidence of how skewed this sample is: 43 percent of respondents said they don't own a Wii. Given the sales numbers in Japan, I'd be very surprised if 43 percent of Japanese people are currently Wii-less. let alone Japanese gamers!

• The first question in the poll asks whether the respondent owns the system they're talking about, so it may be that respondents were expressing satisfaction and dissatisfaction of system they don't actually own.
• Not many people own a 360 in Japan and it seems reasonable to assume that a "cult" item like that would inspire a loyalty that a "mainstream" item like the PS3 does not. Thus, leading to people's claims to be more satisfied.

So overall: Be careful of polls. They can be a really convincing way to tell lies! Here are the system-by-system results anyway, though:

Nintendo DS
377 replies
• Don't have a Nintendo DS: 15.1 percent
• Dissatisfied: 7.4 percent
• Somewhat dissatisfied: 14.1 percent
• Ordinary: 21.8 percent
• Satisfied: 22.5 percent
• Extremely satisfied: 19.1 percent
Composite Satisfaction Score: 3.4

Wii
376 replies
• Don't have a Wii: 43.3 percent
• Dissatisfied: 4.3 percent
• Somewhat dissatisfied: 13.3 percent
• Ordinary: 12.5 percent
• Satisfied: 18.4 percent
• Extremely satisfied: 8.2 percent
Composite Satisfaction Score: 3.2

PSP
387 replies
• Don't have a PSP: 15.5 percent
• Dissatisfied: 4.1 percent
• Somewhat dissatisfied: 5.6 percent
• Ordinary: 11.4 percent
• Satisfied: 46.3 percent
• Extremely satisfied: 17.1 percent
Composite Satisfied Score: 3.8

PS3
361 replies
• Don't have a PS3: 41.6 percent
• Dissatisfied: 5.3 percent
• Somewhat dissatisfied: 7.6 percent
• Ordinary: 6.2 percent
• Satisfied: 22.7 percent
• Extremely satisfied: 16.6 percent
Composite Satisfied Score: 3.6

Xbox 360
370 replies
• Don't have an Xbox 360: 53.5 percent
• Dissatisfied: 1.4 percent
• Somewhat dissatisfied: 4.3 percent
• Ordinary: 0.8 percent
• Satisfied: 16.2 percent
• Extremely satisfied: 23.8 percent
Composite Satisfied Score: 4.2

Source