Sony to launch Xbox Live-killer?

Word is spreading like wildfire around the gaming community about a supposed scan from the upcoming March issue of PlayStation Magazine that seems to indicate Sony is planning to launch a "full-frontal assault" on Microsoft's Xbox Live service. This new "PlayStation Network" is promised by a Sony insider to meet or exceed all of Live's capabilities and incorporate both the PS3 and PSP. Since no further details are available, we're gonna consider this "bigger than Live" talk to be just primping until we actually see some specs and screenshots. It's not a big surprise that Sony is heading in this direction--a recent online questionnaire signaled as much--the only surprise here is why it's taken them so long to get their act together (and the current fragmented online options don't count).

[Via Joystiq]

[E-Rock @ Jan 31st 2006 6:26PM]

Yea, and I hear you can play against people on Mars and in other dimensions too! The people that work in Sony's press department are on better drugs than I've ever had.

How about a launch date for that PS3, or a price point, or a look at the acutal controller, or the actual box (is it as big as the blu-ray players?), etc.

[gnome @ Jan 31st 2006 6:27PM]

It will be quite easy for Sony to kill the XBOX methinks... Especially if (dear) Microsoft keeps shooting itself in the foot...


p.s. Aaaah...Nintendo LIVE! Now that would be a service

[Deluxe @ Jan 31st 2006 6:32PM]

Actually, I commend sony for taking their time and not rushing it. Through better developement comes a better product, wouldn't you say?

[mdnetguru @ Jan 31st 2006 6:36PM]

Like everything PS3 related, I'll believe this when I see it.

Which means I don't believe it. It is weird how little Sony has said about the PS3, yet people still believe it's coming out this spring?

[GunForHire @ Jan 31st 2006 6:51PM]

It's going to take Sony a long, long, long time to even match Live, let alone surpass it.

Microsoft have spent years, and billions of $ building the Live infrastructure, with some of the best people in the business at hand. MS live and sleep online software, whereas Sony can't seem to make a good piece of software let alone a full online service to save their lives (SonicStage anyone?).

More Sony meaningless hype. Just like how PS3 is coming out in spring. Yea....

[John @ Jan 31st 2006 7:01PM]

Based on all the bad press that MS has received on the availability of X360's, this is just a good time to take a swipe at the best online service. Time will tell. When is the PS3 coming... I won't hold my breath.

[aleandro @ Jan 31st 2006 7:02PM]

sure its like napster saying they will beat itunes....

[Tim @ Jan 31st 2006 7:04PM]

@ #3. We haven't seen anything for the Rev but the controller and the fact it can play old nintendo games. We have seen no videos or screenshots or even any official announcements of games that are being made for it but people still think it's coming out this year.

I think this PS3 online service is going to own just as much as Live owns for Xbox users. I can't wait to see all the X-bot comments about how this will fail or not even exsist. If Sony delivers with this online service, Xbox fanboys will have nothing to boast about except "ZOMG HALLO 3".

[ucif @ Jan 31st 2006 7:18PM]

I am a spammer: [e-mail]

[mike @ Jan 31st 2006 7:20PM]

s. Aaaah...Nintendo LIVE! Now that would be a service

---

i hope you're joking

http://nintendowifi.com/global/index.jsp

[Zach @ Jan 31st 2006 7:20PM]

I dont believe it, but then again I dont believe anything Sony says.They over hype their products and they break to esey

[jc @ Jan 31st 2006 7:53PM]

Good job, Sony. It's coming out in 2010, right? just after PS3 launch.

[josh @ Jan 31st 2006 8:10PM]

Tim, saying that sony is not going to pull it off does not necessarily go hand and hand with being a MS fan boy. Sony has had very little success at creating viable online services in the past. Sony Connect anyone? They have a reputation for writing bad software, and a well deserved one.

Also stating that online services are a strength in favor of MS is not the result of blind fanatacism. They have years of general corporate experience with online services and existing internet infrastructure to handle it. Moreover the current Xbox live has been long out of its infancy. They have been steadily improving it since the first xbox came out whereas Sony will be releasing a version 1 untried product.

Sony may eventually get something to rival live, but unless they went out and hired a whole lot of existing talent and have been working on this for at least a couple of years it sure isn't going to happen at release. My inclination, based off of Sony's history, is to think that this will be at least a couple steps behind compared to the ORIGINAL roll out of live.

[Sean @ Jan 31st 2006 8:28PM]

If this is true its really no surprise or even registers as a shock since Sony has to compete with the XBox and right now the big reason for buying Microsoft's console is LIVE. Some of the commentaries here seem to view Sony like Nintendo, as a gaming company that can't possibly build a network for their console, but Sony is more than capable of hiring the best in the industry to build such a network and they have as much money as Microsoft to 'throw' at its development.

If this network comes to fruition for the PS3 I doubt it will rival LIVE since Sony will be playing catchup, but given time this is good news for all gamers as competition to Microsoft's LIVE will result in a better product for both formats.

[dfunked @ Jan 31st 2006 8:56PM]

Remember that story on XLink Kai and the PSP.....

[djphatjive @ Jan 31st 2006 9:05PM]

I think sony is getting worried. I mean they have been all talk. They havent shown a single thing to back up everything they have said.

At lease with the 360 it has done exactly what it said it would do. And I believe I heard somewhere that most of the first games are only running off of one core. So think of COD2 times 2.

Sony has nothing. Never really did. All they really have is RPG's. And that is why it does so well in japan. If microsoft wants to get the 360 going good over there, offer up a bad arse rpg that will only be avalable on the 360.

Sony needs to give up. They have always lied about there products. And sence they are in trouble with money, and there playstation line is there only cash cow right now. Of course they are going to say anything they want to keep people from buying a 360. But they will find out that sony is full of crapoa after they reveal that the playstation 3 is $1200 dollars. They will probablt pull a internet thing where you sign up for there live service for 20 years and you can buy it for only $399. lol


djphatjive

P.S. But if it is only $250 or something, I'm getting one. Lol

[RazorElite @ Jan 31st 2006 9:11PM]

Ha, well said Josh. As usual, Sony over-hyping. I would have to see that one to believe it. XBLive has been around for years, and has had the backing of one of the biggest companies in the world with some of the deepest pockets and most knowledgeable (when it comes to online services). XBL has been consistently improved since the beginning and has been taken to new heights with the X360 and I can't name an online gaming service which is comparable...especially Sony's laughable attempt at online connectivity for their PS2. So for them to actually release a service which will surpass XBLive at launch is next to impossible. All this Sony is doing will just make PS3 as good as X360 anyway. It's already being released a year later with very little technologcial improvement, most likely much higher price, difficult to develop for, worst controller ever and more and more exclusives are coming to Xbox. So if they doesn't have an amazing online service, they're just pretty much screwed. So let's hope for their sake they will, that way, they can actually be competition.

[Jed Merrill @ Jan 31st 2006 9:25PM]

Sony is only five years late getting started on this. It will be a while before they catch up to MS, if ever.

Nintendo, on the other hand, seems to be doing better than Live, due to better WiFi games and the price (free!) They have made it to half a million users seven times faster than Microsoft did, and nearly a month ago recorded over 3,000,000 connections. They still won't catch up for a while, but are on track to, with the right games and the Rev's retro Virtual Console.

[joe @ Jan 31st 2006 9:37PM]

@ #14 Sony has lost a bunch of $$ the past 1 or 2 years, and there company isn't as big as Microsofts. I HIGHLY doubt the PS3's live will be as good as the Xbox 360's, #1 Sony has a rep. of hyping things up a bit too much. #2 Yeah, Sony can hire the best in the business, but Microsoft hired the best for the first Xbox and got even better with the Xbox 360, so im guessing the PS3's live will be ok but they need experience. #3 Sony has already lied to us (about the Spring launch) and we only know the specs of the dang thing, so I think this "our live will be better" is just another lie to keep people hyped.

[hussein rawat @ Jan 31st 2006 9:58PM]

for me it is going to be this... if sony do not release a killer live type app, then i am going to the Xbox Live camp. simple as that.

[Jed Merrill @ Jan 31st 2006 10:02PM]

The CD format that made Sony's PS1 number one is going to hurt them badly on the online front. Nintendo will capitalize on the Virtual Console in building its online service.

Meanwhile, MS has a seasoned version of its Xbox Live available on the 360 that Sony may match in features but not likely in value. I 150% agree with whoever said Sony can't make software. Their success to date has been due to third party support that WILL NOT CONTINUE if Sony does not meet sales targets on the PS3...something I think is doubtful at the anticipated $399 to $500 price range. Developers may even lose money with the high development costs. It will be virtually impossible for them to match their current generation success at this price and late stage in the game...

I am certain they will do better than MS and Nintendo did this generation over the next five years, not a small feat for a $400 to $500 system, but so will MS and Nintendo. I anticipate a lot of formerly exclusive PS2 franchise titles will make their way to these other systems due to this loss in Sony market share.

Overall, I predict Nintendo comes in first by a narrow margin, with Sony second due to its relative popularity in Japan over 360, and Xbox 360 beating Sony in America and fighting for first with Nintendo (who will dominate in Japan.) Nintendo will win out overall primarily because they have differentiated themselves into what will be a must-have system whether you own a PS3 or an Xbox 360 or neither. Meanwhile, MS and Sony will fight for the same gamers, and only one system is likely to be sold in this price range to each gamer. Note that there was NOTHING to differentiate the GameCube other than games, other than the fact that it did not have a DVD player built in. This is a new game for a, now more grown up, WiFi enabled Nintendo.

[spencer @ Jan 31st 2006 10:10PM]

Not as Big as MS RIGHT whatever. not as big are you kidding sony is huge you xbox fan bots. 70% market share big so your talking out of your kmmm. Sony has been around for a while now this is no new thing for sony I have had sonys for more than 3 times the life of the xbox so they are not new. and they domonate for a reason. You xbox fan boys can cry all you want about sony not talking but they dont talk until they are ready to wow people. On a side not there is more intrust in SONY's ps3 than there is with the 360. You all will see the ps2 online was not so great but it kills the xbox in sales. PS2 won in sales this christmas and so did the PSP more than the 360 and guess what they made money off of those sales. 360 = rushed product. So keep living in your world but when its out you will want to play in there's. 54gigs worth lol I cant wait till sony kills 360!!!! and its coming and dont act like I am a new to gaming I have a 360 just like some of you.

[frozin @ Jan 31st 2006 10:15PM]

Honestly, nintendos online service is the best, and its always going to bee the best. You buy the console (DS, Rev w/e) and your online, and it works, and that's it. Thats why the service exploded so quickly. Its free. Sony's will cost much more than LIVE to make up for the money they will lose on their ridiculous console. Sony has played their cards horribly regarding the PS3, and it will be quite embarrassing when a weak $200 system like the revolution ends up selling more units than ps3- and for one reason:its fun.

remember fun?

[spencer @ Jan 31st 2006 10:19PM]

According to the article, Sony started work on the online service shortly after the launch of the Playstation 2 Network Adapter. The broadband adapter did not come with a centralized online service to connect to, and game companies were slow to create their own servers to use for online gaming. In addition, each server set up by an individual gaming company did not share data with the others, so buddy lists and online status indicators would only work when a player was in a particular game. Sony realized that their online support was "too little, too late" and hurried to correct it for the next generation Playstation console.


"They are committed to matching Xbox Live (on the Xbox 360) feature for feature, and then some," said an unnamed developer.

[josh @ Jan 31st 2006 10:20PM]

wow, seems like there's nothing but microsoft fanboys on this page. now im not pleased with either company, both seem to like to screw over the customer, but i sure do hope that sony makes the ps3 good (and available soon) along with some kind of online service. it would go far to ease doubts if they would actually make an official statement.
-can't we all just get along?

[spencer @ Jan 31st 2006 10:25PM]

The rumors that Sony has been considering an Xbox Live-type service for the Playstation 3 have now been confirmed. According to the independent print-only magazine PSM, a unified online service run by Sony is definitely a go for the PS3:

Sony has just delivered final development hardware to US game developers. We can confirm that developers have already begun meetings with Sony's support teams to make sure their games are compatible with the as-yet-unnamed PS3 online service. "It's very real," one source tells us. "They are dead serious about it. They've declared, and I quote, a 'full-on-assault' on Xbox Live."

[Toe TagR @ Jan 31st 2006 10:29PM]

I used to love sony products, and they all let me down. I wasted so much money on that friggin Mini-disc player and begged all my friends to buy one with me. How embarasing. Microsoft products never let me down. They do more than expected.
As far as sony's live plans, I WONT BE ANOTHER GUINEA PIG!!! Am I right or wrong?

[Jon Wolfe @ Jan 31st 2006 10:46PM]

The list of consoles I have owned goes as follows (in chronological order): Sega Genesis, Playstation, Playstation 2, Xbox, Gamecube, (psp if you can even count that) and Xbox 360. I was VERY dissappointed with the PS2. Sure it performed well, but only for a few months before it crapped out. I just don't trust Sony anymore. Period. I say if you are going to get one console buy American and get a 360. You don't think the Japanese buy Japanese? If you are going to get two, get the Revolution. I've always liked underdogs, and Nintendo is a synonym for innovation.

[J @ Jan 31st 2006 10:55PM]

I am continually amazed by people who seem to have this notion that Nintendo will actually come out on top with the Revolution. This after having seen only the controller with no mention of price, definitive specs, features, third-party support, or games. Nintendo has been losing business since the birth of the N64. They have made a smart move in carving out a stable niche for themselves with the GCN and DS, but that is just what it is, a niche. I seriously doubt they will ever manage to dominate the console industry in the next decade.

[Jotenks @ Jan 31st 2006 10:57PM]

Spencer (#21 as of this time), you have made one of the most ignorant and poorly thought out comments i've had the misfortune of ever reading on engadget.

1. The reference of Sony's size was regarding the company as a whole and their current net worth vs. Microsoft's. As to which company is larger, I do not know and therefor make no claims. Yes, they have a larger presence in gaming currently, but that does not translate to being a wealthier company.

2. Sorry, but sony does have a track record of overhyping their products and not delivering the promised results. You only have to look at the supposed power of the emotion engine to realize this. Microsoft also does this, but to a lesser degree and in a lower key manner.

3. The PS2 and PSP won in overall sales simply because the units were cheaper and available to sell! Once technology hits a low enough price point, you see the demographic shift sharply to lower income brackets that could not previously afford it. For example, I work at Best Buy and the "$299" computer is by far the best seller. It sucks and can't provide the experience of more powerful systems, but cheap people and people who can't afford more go crazy over it (there are also morons who think it's just as good as a $1700 system....they just get rude when they find out it can barely handle windows XP, let alone Doom 3).

The main reason ,though, is simple availibility. If there were enough 360's available to consumers, they would have far outsold the older systems. This would be the same with any new console from any of the companies. They just weren't there to be sold!

4. There really aren't any consoles that turn a significant profit. In most cases, they cost more to make than they are sold for. It's the games and accessories that drive the profit margin.

5. I won't even touch the flawed product comment, because that really depends on your point of view and personal bias.

6. Any game for any modern console or pc that requires 54 gb's of space is either the longest game in history or has the sloppiest programmers on the face of the earth.

7. Learn to spell. Syntax errors and occasional misspelled words are ok (I probably made both mistakes in this post), but please at least look over what you wrote to find the glaring errors.

This is not really meant to be an attack on the ps3. I do own and favor the 360, but the ps3 will surely have some merits over it (other than graphics, since I stopped caring about those after the N64). There are pros and cons to any console, and each one is the personal best for different people. This was really just meant to address Spencer's post, as it really annoyed me for some reason(s).

P.S. If it makes you feel any better, I'm writing this on a Vaio pcg-frv37 laptop running XP. See, they CAN coexist!

[mike @ Jan 31st 2006 11:02PM]

I wasted so much money on that friggin Mini-disc player and begged all my friends to buy one with me. How embarasing. Microsoft products never let me down. They do more than expected.

----

LMFAO!!!!!!!!

Wow.. Seriously.. Ever heard of.. ..

no that's just too easy..

[Jason @ Jan 31st 2006 11:13PM]

It just goes to show how out of touch Sony is with the consumer...

1.) Blu-Ray is being designed totally for the industry players and not the consumer... they are more worried about making sure you can't do anything outside of playing a disc you buy from them than what consumers want to get out of a next gen format.

2.) There little mess up with the music CDs that contained software that ONLY allowed you to burn the files using a hack rootkit that installed when you put the disc in.

3.) With PS2 they didn't think people cared about how easy it was to get online and play a game... Microsoft saw that it was one of the major areas of interest for gamers when they released the first xbox...

4.) Why in the world do you put 2 1080p outputs on a game machine when 99% of the people who will buy the machine wont be able to play it on one 1080p tv let alone 2... why... because that way they can sell you more of their TVs!!!

Now they have had several months to sit back and watch all the great things that have come out of LIVE for the 360 and they even sent out a form to their "users" to find out what was important to them... maybe they will finally start looking at what their customers want to get from their products!!!!

I don't doubt that Sony can make a network capable of being like LIVE... they run MMO's like Everquest, etc... why cant they make something like LIVE for the PS... the real question is why haven't they done it yet and why cant they tell anyone anything about a system that is due out in a couple of months!

[Kevin @ Feb 1st 2006 12:26AM]

wow, engadgets' comment system brings out more brand loyalty than i have ever seen. wow. anyhow.

Who is to say Sony hasn't been working on this for some time. I think people forget that when you hear about it is not neccessarily when the project began. Just because you hear about it today doesn't mean they just started writing the code. Read the headline on the picture "Sony's Top Secret..." well that does it for me. Give it more time to develop. It may stomp Xbox Live and it may not nobody knows yet so give the "you are a fanboy" and the obsessive brand loyalty stuff a rest, it gets old after awhile....

[Sean @ Feb 1st 2006 12:44AM]

#19 joe:

I never said Sony's attempt would be better than LIVe, in fact I said I highly doubt it would be close to the 360's version of LIVE since they're playing catchup. Now, considering more information is coming out that points to an ongoing Sony 'live' development since they introduced the network adapter knowing they would have to compete with the XBox my doubts are less, but I still think the experience Microsoft has with LIVE will put them on top... but you can bet Sony isn't going to just lay down and let them have that market.

#30 Jason:

3. this premise that Sony didn't care about the consumer getting online when they introduced the PS2 is the biggest load of revisionist crap I've read thus far in this fanboy war. Only 5.2 million homes had a broadband connection in 2000 when Sony launched the PS2, and even fewer had a decent connection for the years during the PS2's development. In other words, Sony certainly did not predict the coming of the online gaming age for consoles, but considering the broadband penetration at the time of launch they certainly can't be faulted or blamed by not adding a network adapter for the console.

4. This one a hypocritical statement is you consider your comments on point 3 about the lack of network capabilities in the PS2. To come back in your next point and blast Sony for putting 1080p connectors on the PS3 because not everyone has a TV that can run the connectors while in almost the same breath crucifying Sony for not looking forward enough to the online world is ridiculous and shows how little you have to add to this discussion.

Point of this is Sony is not going to let Microsoft grow the XBox as THE online console, they're going to put up a fight, and to be honest I'm glad. Competition is a good thing, even for gaming consoles.

[theburn16 @ Feb 1st 2006 12:57AM]

it's so funny to hear all the microsoft and nintendo fanboys bash sony for not releasing any info on the ps3 but you never hear anybody bash nintendo for not releasing any info on the revolution. heck we dont even know the real name of the revolution and it's supposed to come out this year. but everybody forgets that sony didn't show any videos of the ps2 until 2 weeks before it launched in japan.
and to the idiot that said the only reason sony put 2 1080p outputs on the ps3 was to sell more tv's...well duh. kinda like the only reason microsoft made it where you only have certain capabilities with xp pro and home, but if you have xp media center you can do a lot more....hmm, i wonder why that is...oh yeah to sell their more expensive products and make money like any good business.
who knows if ps3's online service will be as good as xbox live, probably not for the first year or so. yes, it's taken xbox live several years to get to where it is now, but it's always easier to catch up than it is to jump out front and lead. and right now all sony has to do is catch up and they'll once again lead this generation in sales because they're always gonna dominate in japan and will be able to atleast tie microsoft here in the states.

[Tim Quernemoen @ Feb 1st 2006 1:16AM]

I have three sony gaming products and zero microsoft gaming products, that said I love the fact that Xbox has come into the gaming arena. If it wasn't for the Xbox, who knows how long it would take for Sony to come up with a new console or how long it would take to impliment strong online features.

Though, anyone who discounts Sony is out of their mind. Sony is not like Nintendo that will live or die by the sales of their current console. They have the backing to do pretty much whatever they want. With their current market share, they could release a half assed system and still capture the majority of market share with the PS3. It would probably be the last though.

Since I have not played XBox Live, I don't really know how great it is, but I don't think Sony has to beat XBox Live in order to suceed. Even if they come close it would be a drastic improvement over what they have now(which is nothing). With that they can keep those on the fence.

I'm the kind of casual gamer that will not buy more than one system, so it will be good if Sony starts telling people like me why I should wait.

Honestly, I've been thinking of getting a 360 instead of the PS3 so Sony better start and keep the news coming out.

[GamerG @ Feb 1st 2006 3:02AM]

This smacks of desperation to me.

There is no way they can match Microsoft in this area they are a hardware company pure and simple. MS simply are so far ahead in this area in technology and expertise its untrue... how can anyone believe anything Sony say if they can match it "and then some"

[jmm36 @ Feb 1st 2006 3:03AM]

I don't believe Sony can compete--in fact, this may turn the tide of popular opinion to the issue that will most hurt Sony. Meanwhile, Nintendo is in a much better position to capitalize on online with its Virtual Console service. I think this one will be between Nintendo and Microsoft. The best Sony can do is copy Microsoft, which will make them look like a cheap copycat, and they won't be able to copy Nintendo at all.

Honestly there is just no Sony content I can imagine being compelling online. The closest thing I can think of is downloading media onto your PSP. If you already have an HDTV to take advantage of PS3 graphics, why would you want to take anything portable?

This can only make Sony look bad compared to BOTH of its competitors, don't you think?

[David @ Feb 1st 2006 3:08AM]

calling it xbox live killer is just another of Sony's smart marketting plan. Their fanboys believe in whatever Sony claims, and Sony knows that even though, at the end, they never fulfill promises, their dedicated fanboys won't blame them.

[Jed Merrill @ Feb 1st 2006 3:20AM]

Nintendo is the least likely console maker to "live or die" by one console. They have $5 billion in cash reserves, made another half billion this year IN PROFIT (compare to Microsoft's $1.2 billion loss each year for the last five years) and can always rely on the DS, which is killing Sony in week to week sales.

Meanwhile, another Microsoft failure (and $6 billion single generation loss) will not make MS share holders happy or confident in an Xbox 720. No one will call for Bill's head, but they may ask Bill to give up on games.

Sony, meanwhile, has only been the most profitable in the last generation because they sold five times as many consoles as either of the other two companies (many of which were faulty, including the two I bought.) Considering that Nintendo's profit is on average four times that of Sony per game and the fact that Sony will lose money on the first systems out while Nintendo makes money, and chances are very small that Sony will make more money than Nintendo over the next five years. Add in the Gameboy Advance and DS, each of which individually are outselling the PSP, and Nintendo may well have made more money than Sony every one of the last five years!

Is it any surprise that Nintendo's stock has risen 6.9% in the last week?

[boden @ Feb 1st 2006 3:35AM]

Its not 3 months since Sony said the PS3 wouldn't have any online infrastructure. It looks like the popularity of Live has rattled their cage a bit.

That said, a bit of competition for Xbox Live in the online market will be just what the consumer needs. I'm sure those bug fixes and new features will roll out a lot quicker if Microsoft had to fight to keep its customers.

[Cem @ Feb 1st 2006 3:39AM]

Sony would be stupid not to develop an online service. The PS3, PSP and other hardware with network-capacity could benefit from it (Blu-Ray dvd-players, hdtv's etc.). On the software-side, Sony has a lot to learn from MS though, so it will not be easy.

[Pat @ Feb 1st 2006 6:00AM]

This is simply PSM and their "sources". I'm sure Sony is cooking up something nice, but this kind of talk isn't particularly useful ("Live-killer" etc.). But I guess you guys need to give yourself an opportunity to talk about Sony breaking promises, eh? Just remember - there's zero quotes from Sony in that article.

[Geir E @ Feb 1st 2006 6:12AM]

Why on earth does this looks like a bunch of teenagers trying to convince themself that their hard earned cash put into the xbox 360 was worth it?

Sony is a master of putting out the good word about the products to keep the anticipation up. might become too much and end up a bit dissadisfied but they've always came up with top notch stuff. The PSP is a brilliant piece of machine, the PS2 was in its time, the PS1 was amazing when it first came. They shrunk both the ps1 and ps2 and now they're very handy and still capeable machines.

Sony know what to do, they know without a decent live system they're going to have trouble getting the last straw on the buyers. I'm not convinced it's going to surpass the new xbox live, but it's going to be great.

So just let time tell, i'll be here waiting to see what's the fuzz about ps3 is all about.

[WizarDru @ Feb 1st 2006 8:00AM]

For years, Nintendo had not internet strategy to speak of; now they've gone into that space in a BIG way. Their wifi initiative is IMPRESSIVE. Not as sophisticated as Sony or MS's offerings, true, but so simple that it trumps them on some fronts. It took me three minutes to set up my DS to use the wifi...and then my games ran just fine. It's pretty much a given that whatever Ninty does for the revolution, it will be in the same vein: limited options implemented tightly.

Xbox Live is a different kind of service; part of the Xbox strategy has ALWAYS been to sell online services as much as the actual console itself. With the 360, MS is pushing beyond simple conceptual stuff right into expanding beyond games. With stuff like Live Arcade, you're getting more of a glimpse where MS is going...turning the 360 into an entertainment hub. Is downloading shows in the same way that iTunes does that far off? I don't think so. Xbox Live features the most robust online experience about; a unified interface for dozens of games that requires precious little work to get going. It is the BIG DOG that Sony needs to meet, head on.

Sony's internet strategy traditionally has been "we'll get you there, then it is someone else's job to do something". The haphazard nature of Sony's online implementation might have been a competitor for the Dreamcast's online presence, but against Xbox Live, it was bringing a knife to a gunfight. Implementation from companies like EA are the only thing that make it viable...but having multiple accounts and logins to make an online service work is weak. The effort required, for example, to get your portrait into Tony Hawk Underground was tedious...and would be much worse for someone less tech savvy.

If Sony is going to compete in this arena, they need to bring it large; historically, Sony has failed to do this. Hardware is a strong suit for Sony, but interfaces and integration with other systems have not. Does anyone doubt that Nintendo WiFi will become a subset of Ninty's online strategy? Is Sony going to extend their PSP internet "strategy" to the PS3? If so, that's a black mark against it, IMHO. Sony's fear of customers stealing their intellectual properties has led to poor DRM, hobbled devices and root kits. I find it hard to believe that any online presence that the PS3 offers isn't going to have to bear that cross as well.

[Criag @ Feb 1st 2006 10:24AM]

Sony will probably hire MS to build and support it for the first two years...

Thats the only way i see them being able to step in the LIVE world and not have major issues..

MS has a ton more time into LIVE.. Now if they could just get Bungie to get rid of all you Dam Hacks/modders that can't play Halo we'd be all set....

Yeah i said it Modders S@CK

[Sam @ Feb 1st 2006 11:53AM]

The success of the Nintendo DS in Japan shows that Japanese gamers will opt for the cheaper product in lieu of a more expensive, more technologically advanced product, and I think that is why Nintendo is going to win in overall sales in this generation. Put a 200-300 (price not finalized) Nintendo Revolution, which out of the BOX is ready for online play, and put it up against the Xbox 360 which costs 700 dollars out of the box (Once you buy live, a couple of games, and the wi-fi adaptor) to get onto live, and the PS3 which will be a reported 500 dollars PLUS the cost of games which will probably bring the total cost of owning the system to around 800 dollars, and it's very VERY clear what the Japanese are going to buy.

On the issue of Sony building an "Xbox Live Killer" it's all a load of crap. The Xbox live service is built on a server farm that would make any other server farm in the world blush. For sony to even GET THE SERVERS, it would probably bankrupt them and that is forgetting about the cost of Research and Development for the service. The strength of live is in the servers which to this day have NEVER caused me to lag, and the installed user base of Xbox Live fanatics.

I'll be buying a PS3 (I need Metal Gear.. I need it more than I need to breathe) but there is no way I will buy into their hype over this thing. It's more or less an Xbox 360 painted silver with the PS3 logo, and expensive yet useless technology like Blu-Ray and the "Cell" Processor inside. Way to go Sony on shooting yourself in the foot with your awesome R&D costs.

[Here comes the Judge @ Feb 1st 2006 11:55AM]

Game Over for Sony. Can you say vaporware = PS3.

Microsoft has delivered on the 360, they put followed thru and pulled off one of the hardest launches in history. While Sony and Nintendo scramble to catch up. (typical Japanese of copy and not create = cars, tv's, pc's etc).

Microsoft has Live up-n-running now. Nothing sweeter than playing PGR3 on-line talking trash & racing with people from all over the world. Not tomorrow or next year but right now! Can Sony or Nintendo?, no.

Oh by the way Sony, where are my Toy Story 2 grafx for my PS2? Where is my online AOL support & web browser? What do I do with the add-on hard drive that you offered no support? I can't even save games to it.

Please just stop now, admit defeat & save face. Start making games for the Xbox 360 and all will be forgiven.

[Danny @ Feb 1st 2006 12:52PM]

Thank you M$ fanboys, for coming on to this thread to rant about the ambiguities that Sony is well-known for. We're all refreshed and challenged by your points of view.

:/

[David @ Feb 1st 2006 1:24PM]

PSN--PlayStationNetwork. Not that bad. But we all know it's going to flop.