Yesterday, Microsoft Corp. closed out its five-day Worldwide Partner Conference in Toronto with a presentation by CEO Steve Ballmer. The topics covered had little to do with his company’s Xbox initiative, but speaking with CNET News.com reporters after his speech, he addressed the console--and its future prospects.

Commenting on both the company’s successful entry into the software-based business sector and the inroads made into IBM’s turf, Ballmer turned the conversation into an opportunity to blast the competition in the game sector. In a style worthy of an Xbox Live trash-talking tirade, he took it directly to Sony.

“Look at what we have done with Xbox,” Ballmer told News.com. “We may still be losing money, but we have gone from nowhere to a significant player with a whole different approach. We've generated something brand-new.”

His outlook for future success included a prediction that the Xbox Next would supersede the PlayStation 3 as the world's top gaming console. “I bet we can take Sony next generation. I am betting we can take Sony in the next generation,” Ballmer said with apparent conviction.

The full interview can be read at GameSpot’s sister site, News.com.