The better of the two applications

[foodstamp]

Since I am a student, I need to know which one is better for game architecture, Maya or Max?

[Drew Smoot]

both have been used to make great next-gen games but you will find more studios use MAX in the gaming industry.

[^andydavis_02]

True.
Most studios use Max.
Studios are also happy to take on Maya people however.
In my experience, having used both packages from their first versions, Maya is a lot smarter under the hood.
I'm a technical artist, and it's a lot easier to use Maya if you want to do anything really tricky.
If you're a more arty artist than a tech one though, expecially if you want to go into games or architecture... Max probably would be handier because of it's popularity with games studios and it integrates well with Autocad for architectural purposes.
However, if you want to get into the technical side, such as shaders, technical animation, rigging, Python scripting (for talking with other software packages).... go Maya!
Ultimately, it's possible to set up the two packages to behave almost identically if you learn Maxscript and/or MEL. I have my Max set up to be just like my Maya, exactly the same tools and shortcuts, with my personal function sets driving both.

Unfortunately, the real answer if you want to be a 3d professional is learn both.
God only knows why Autodesk develop two packages that are almost identical.
I haven't worked out what the purpose is of having both.
It's the equivalent of Coca-cola buying Pepsi, but still selling it as a brand product.
Assuming that you don't stay with the same company till the day you retire, you will be swapping from one package to the other constantly as I have!