Hands-on with the PlayStation Network

It's not really fair to judge the PS3's online component before, like, the console is actually released and gamers start putting it through its paces, but it's still interesting hear Eurogamer's take on a pre-launch version of the PlayStation Network, courtesy of some exclusive face time with Sony exec Phil Harrison. From the site's extensive coverage of many aspects of the service, the most noticeable theme is that Sony seems to have been closely watching the successes and failures of Xbox Live, and is serious about its promise to meet or exceed all of Live's capabilities. Therefore, many of features that 360 fans have become accustomed to -- consistent UI, multiple methods of communicating with friends, and downloadable content -- are prominently featured in the Network experience, with other aspects -- namely a full web browser, multitude of game-specific mini-stores, and pricing in real currency as opposed to "points" -- clearly designed to one-up Microsoft's offering. Other nice touches here include the ability to create a master account and regulated "associated" accounts (helpful for parents looking to police their kids' usage), a global "Wallet" with which you make all micro-payments (including those required by third-party publishers), and of course, an upgradable OS that leverages the hard drive on both versions of the PS3. Downsides? Unlike Xbox Live, the first iteration of PlayStation Network doesn't let friends communicate while playing a game; even though you'll get a notification of new messages during gameplay, you have to exit the game in order to read them and respond. Also, it's still not clear if / how Sony will implement player rankings a la Live's leaderboards, which is a feature that naturally-competitive gamers have come to expect. All-in-all, though, it sounds like Sony has put a lot of thought into the usability of this increasingly important aspect of the console experience, and assuming that the company is able to overcome potential shortages, lack of rumble, and other well-known nitpicks, the PlayStation Network looks poised to attract the same fervent following as XBL.

[Via PS3 Fanboy and Joystiq]

[Martin @ Oct 16th 2006 1:06PM]

In any case, if I had to pick between Microsoft and Sony, I'd much rather go with Microsoft. I refer to Sony's always overpriced, over hyped products that never come through the way Sony portrays them. Just look for example at their laptop or monitors. Honestly, if the Playstation Network is in fact free, that would really be a sony first. I'd use that as an exception rather than the rule. In general you don't get what you pay for when it comes to Sony and that was even before the whole CD rootkit thing. After that, I'll never buy another Sony product.

[Cody S. @ Oct 16th 2006 6:36PM]

"...game in order to read them and respond."

Since when do you listen to text Ritalin?

Why are you banking on Sony doing updates too? That's terrible logic. You don't need to wait. Just go get an Xbox 360.

Sony isn't going to buy out Xfire, they're too cheap to add rumble to their controllers. What makes you think they will purchase Xfire?

The HD-DVD vs Blu-ray post of yours is utter crap. Engadget isn't plugging the HD-DVD camp. Blu-ray just sucks.

Again with the update bullshit. Sony does not take requests. Take out your PSP for example. There is a HUGE demand for homebrew, but sony continues to patch the frimware everytime a work-around is created.

[Cody S. @ Oct 17th 2006 6:23PM]

Get up Ritalin, it's time to open your eyes.

It's true that Sony does updates, but there is no guarantee that Sony will include what YOU want in the update. Homebrew does more than piracy, there are other practical reasons.

I'm not bullshitting you on the immersion thing. You're just being ignorant. Sony is in oodles of debt and the PS3 will only set them further back until they can bring manufacturing costs down. Sony is too cheap to pay to pay Microsoft for the technology. Bottom Line. Sony had it last gen and wont pay to keep it. That qualifies as cheap.

Blu-Ray sucks because most players are more expensive than HD-DVD players and the reported quality and compression for most movies is BETTER on HD-DVD. Sorry I wasn't clear about that intially, I assumed you knew anything about the war.

Arrogant Sony Fanboys.

[Cody S. @ Oct 17th 2006 9:09PM]

1. I never said what the consumer wanted was best, but you seem to be banking on the fact that ingame message reading/writing will be implemented later in the PS3's lifetime. I'm not an idiot, I know the motive behind every company. It's money. Don't you think a ported linux on the ps3 will make piracy x10 easier? It's like nerd heaven and the PS3 is just asking to be hacked.

2. Microsoft had the very same lawsuit filed against them. They just chose to settle it out of court. Sony had the opportunity to do so, but arrogantly declined. Games always feel extremely stale to me without rumble on. Whatever, your experience.

3. Go ahead and post the article.

[Hardcore @ Oct 15th 2006 10:53PM]

Hopefully Sony beats Microsoft at their own game of stealing other companies' ideas. Giving a big FU to Microsoft.

[Alcaron @ Oct 16th 2006 9:36AM]

...by...stealing their idea?

That would make Sony...better...in your mind?

[Cody S. @ Oct 15th 2006 11:06PM]

"Unlike Xbox Live, the first iteration of PlayStation Network doesn't let friends communicate while playing a game; even though you'll get a notification of new messages during gameplay, you have to exit the game in order to read them and respond."

That is dumb.

Sorry Sony hopefuls, Microsoft wins this round.

[Abe @ Oct 16th 2006 10:28PM]

Yeah, I gotta agree.
I love how in xbox live I can be playing one game and talking to whoever I want at the same time.

This system pretty much blows.

[Silver R. Wolfe @ Oct 15th 2006 11:10PM]

PNP is looking to be a really solid XBL competitor from what everyone has been saying. I'm assuming that leaderboards will be something that, if not available at launch, would become something integrated soon as one of the many expected firmware updates. The ability to check, send and receive messages during game will probably be implemented as well.

Lookin' good so far. The addition of a fully functional web browser is great.

[Chris Chance @ Oct 15th 2006 11:11PM]

Sorry to say this to engadget viewers and engadget and those others potential ps3 fans but theirs no way this can beat XBL... and the reason is a fundamental one and very simple

It isnt even technical in nature, its a choice sony made and one that microsoft made that will ultimately change the way they both pan out.

Microsoft REQUIRES all developers in all games to Xbox Live enable their games, they have to support the online world in one way or another, and they provided a strict framework (that they are building on with the developers... like the clan and guild support to be added this christmas).

This means that all games have some form of contact with the outside world, most a common easily usable multiplayer, and those that are singleplayer in nature, atleast some form of statistics against the rest of the world.

And beyond that the score, some may see it as trivial but the vast majority of people are very intent on raising that little gamerscore, here is where sony fell flat as well... games are NOT REQUIRED to implement "achievements or any scoreing"

Developers have already stated that a few games lost multiplayer completely because of sonys unknown strategy, others have said that the plan is just to much of disarray and unfocused for them, they are trying to leave it to the developers to figure it out themselves which many developers have cryed openly about. And the fact a few developers have said they have no plans for achievement/score reporting (was on kotaku a few days ago). This is going to leave gamers distrout and misrepresented.

If i buy a game and i'm a competitive person i expect my score to increase if i beat it every which way to sunday, but if the game isnt required to post back to the score system from sony then i just played this game and recieved no praise at all.

Whats the sense in implementing an online experience and online scoreing/experience points... but then saying "this isnt required for the games though"

Microsoft took the bold step and said NO if you want to be part of Xbox then you have to conform to our entire system and work tegether with the ecosystem... sony went the way of "just let the developers choose"

Why is it everytime we see a review of ps3 online, its centralized around the store? Who gives a f*ck about the store, its just to try to sell things, its the multiplayer that matters, oh wait no one can actually review the multiplayer of PS3 online, because each developer's game will have a different online experience completely.

[Vilppi @ Oct 16th 2006 2:31AM]

"distrout"? "cryed"? "pierce"? "warry"? One thing is for sure: the xbox makes your brian not speel good.

[Abe @ Oct 16th 2006 10:34PM]

Have to agree with you, universal multiplayer support or interaction is why xbox live is the greatest thing since toast.

Plus, who the FUCK needs another web browser???
I already have a computer, with a web browser, which I am currently using to write this comment, why do I need another one??

[KerryB @ Oct 17th 2006 4:39PM]

I agree with you as well, though not with your spelling.

Sony's system my look great, it may have implemented the "Buy more shit" interface as well as can be, but pervasive chat and ranking is what sets XBL apart.

Without those features, it's not going to attract anyone away from XBL.

The XBox assumption of network presense is a very smart way to approach this space, something that appears lost on Sony. For their sake, I hope we're all missing something.

[Patrick @ Oct 15th 2006 11:27PM]

so basically....no gamerscores

I, for one, love gamerscores, it gives me an incentive to keep playing games!
I would have never played Dead Rising for as long as I did if there were no Gamerscore points.

I vote for gamepoints!!!

[Patrick @ Oct 15th 2006 11:29PM]

or achievement points rather

[mike @ Oct 15th 2006 11:47PM]

Yes... a contest us Canadians can enter :)

My favorite 360 game is Saints Row. Its tons of fun and online multiplayer is great.

[mike @ Oct 15th 2006 11:48PM]

Whats the point of this all if you cant even private chat with a friend while playing different games? This is like xbox live on xbox 1 all over again, what a waste.

Disregard my post above. that was meant for a different post.

[Bootes @ Oct 15th 2006 11:50PM]

I don't know about you guys, but I play games to have fun. Not to increase a little gamerscore number that ultimately no one cares, except maybe you.

Cody yes it's dumb to have to quit the game, but I'm sure they will change this. Take a look at Xfire for things to come, hopefully.

[Chris Chance @ Oct 16th 2006 12:44AM]

LOL xfire? you do realise xfire was for one of the first party sony titles... it wasnt for the ps3 itself... get your facts checked... its not "look at things to come" it just shows how undefined the service is.

[Bootes @ Oct 15th 2006 11:54PM]

Should be an about after cares. ;)

[Uchendu Nwachukwu @ Oct 16th 2006 12:06AM]

Sony's got the basics down, but that's not what makes XBL great. Any clown can implement a friends list, profiles and a web-based online store. It takes a concerted effort to implement things like cross-game invites, global muting, status reporting (UnnDunn is playing GRAW on Single Player on level 3), achievements, TruSkill (which requires statistics tracking) and on and on.

Plus the web elements; being able to add Friends, read and respond to messages online, plus the data feed that Microsoft gives to certain sites, enabling things like MyGamerCard.net, 360voice.com and GamerScoreChart.com, sites that can do deep analysis of player achievement data. Just look at MyGamerCard.net and you'll see what I mean.

I mean, Sony doesn't even have an equivalent to the persistent Rep rating or Gamerzones, both basic elements of Xbox Live on 360.

Sony truly has a long way to go.

[Uchendu Nwachukwu @ Oct 16th 2006 12:09AM]

Should have said "being able to add Friends, read and respond to messages on the web site,"

[Smoke_Dawg_187 @ Oct 16th 2006 12:07AM]

Bootes sounds like a Sony employee.

[Zorque @ Oct 16th 2006 12:57AM]

Gamerscores are a stupid idea. If the only reason you play a game is to increase your score, it's no longer a game; it's your job. Why would you want a virtual job simulator?

[Martin @ Oct 16th 2006 12:59AM]

OMG really I mean...what's the f***ing point? No in game chat or in game messages? This is really just typical sony retarded suckage. They just want you to spend more money, not actually have fun. That's all sony is about, spending more money. The xbox 360/Wii beat the PS3 and sony hands down. There's no question that when the Wii comes out I'll have the 2 best systems on the market. Anybody who buys a PS3 is just a stupid fanboy.

[Silver R. Wolfe @ Oct 16th 2006 2:09AM]

Of course, functionality can be added on through firmware/software updates to enable these types of functions.

And anyone who jumps to such manic conclusions about the caliber of a system before getting it in their own hands is a fanboy. A stupid, ignorant fanboy.

[_man1c_ @ Oct 16th 2006 2:08AM]

lol at the virtual job simulator comment.. oh and the gamerscore gives you little incentive against your pierce. you see them having a bigger score than you so you play harder. just like a leaderboard would have you do. at least this is a start for SOny. we'll just see how well it matures in the yrs to come just like LIVE matured to its current state. only thing i would totally be warry of is will all this be around several yrs from now. xfire i mean. at least with LIVE you dont have to worry bout how xfire will evolve and you go along with it. i see that as a crutch for SOny more than anything.

[Martin @ Oct 16th 2006 3:20AM]

sorry my previous comment was meant to respond to the idiot wolfe not vilppi

[Martin @ Oct 16th 2006 3:18AM]

And what, might I ask, would be the benefit to actually using one? All I'm doing is COMMENTING to the article. Which says that you can't talk in game or send messages. And I, being the opinionated, logical person that I am, came to the REMARKABLE conclusion that most people who play online might actually WANT to communicate with their teammates. I know that might be hard to believe, but I'm sure you'll get over yourself for a second to pull through. Anyways, I'm sure that when the PS3 DOES come out, there's not gonna be a whole lot of new things that we don't already know about to discover. Anybody who still thinks the PS3 is worth 600 dollars is a fanboy or just has way too much money to spend. "Get the system in my hands" I wouldn't even consider it.

[rawr @ Oct 16th 2006 11:37AM]

Distrout (adj. dis TROUT'): 1. as mentally deranged or crazed as any of various freshwater or anadromous food and game fishes of the family Salmonidae, especially of the genera Salmo and Salvelinus, usually having a streamlined, speckled body with small scales.

[Joel L @ Oct 16th 2006 3:52AM]

Martin Posted:

"All I'm doing is COMMENTING to the article. Which says that you can't talk in game or send messages. And I, being the opinionated, logical person that I am, came to the REMARKABLE conclusion that most people who play online might actually WANT to communicate with their teammates. "

Martin:

You are wrong. You can talk in lobbies and in-game. Either through voice via headset, or text via the controller or a bluetooth keyboard.

Check out Ted Price of Insomniac (makers of Resistance) doing exactly that, and mentioning the ability to voice chat via headset as well in this video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m1O4uZvBmW0

If you'd like to inform yourself further, watch all the videos, starting with this one:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2xKWvK0v3J0

Things like Medals, ribbons and military ranks, (which are Resistance's achievements) stats, ranked play, how matches are made and/or joined, including late-joining, options, ect. are discussed in detail.

There are 6 videos in this series. If you watch the first one, you will see links to all the rest.

As you will see in this video, Resistance has a very robust online component.

[Martin @ Oct 16th 2006 3:57AM]

"Unlike Xbox Live, the first iteration of PlayStation Network doesn't let friends communicate while playing a game; even though you'll get a notification of new messages during gameplay, you have to exit the game in order to read them and respond." Don't tell me tell Engadget. I just comment on the posted articles.

[Joel L @ Oct 16th 2006 4:12AM]

Martin: I understand. No worries.

Unfortunately, Engadget and their sister site Joystiq seem a bit behind the curve when it comes to PS3 stuff.

I only posted this to help, not to make you look bad or anything. You can only work with the information you have available.

Here's a link to the second video in the series, which seemed a little harder to find due to the clunky way videos are organized on Youtube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RHOkyzElbVw

The others are a little easier to find.

[Borrow A Geek @ Oct 16th 2006 4:52AM]

Upgradeable firmware, networked interface, integrate hard drive. does anyone else smell some serious hacks coming really soon? i give it a year before you'll be able to hack the firmware so that you can play burned games. and do custom mods to it via the hard drive.

[Joel L @ Oct 16th 2006 5:12AM]

This is nothing unique to PS3. All three new consoles will have upgradeable OS features, even Wii.

Since PS3's OS is Linux-based, it should be pretty damn secure, but I don't doubt there will be firmware hacks, ala the PSP.

[JimmyStewart @ Oct 16th 2006 8:21AM]

"Since PS3's OS is Linux-based, it should be pretty damn secure, but I don't doubt there will be firmware hacks, ala the PSP."

Not sure where this came from but the fact that the OS is based upon Linux doesn't have much impact on how secure it is. I'm assuming this is based upon the myth that Linux is more secure than Windows. This is horribly incorrect. Windows seems less secure because it has the largest user base by far... making it the biggest target. There's not much point in exploiting an OS that only exists on 3% of desktops. You're going to exploit the OS that controls over 90% of the desktop market and that means exploiting Windows. It doesn't mean Linux is "pretty damn secure". It means that, at present it's so insignificant that no one is really going to bother with it.

If anything, it would probably be easier to hack an OS based on open source software than a proprietary format. Plop it on a PS3 which people will surely want to mod (like they did with the original XBox)and you've officially made a Linux based OS a worthy target.

[Andrew Paul Baisden @ Oct 16th 2006 8:10AM]

for one thing it is free
secondly it can be updated over time

[riggs @ Oct 16th 2006 8:34AM]

"for one thing it is free
secondly it can be updated over time"

exactly. which is a point that most of these sony haters are missing

[Some Guy @ Oct 16th 2006 8:46AM]

From the eurogamer link the PlayStation Network sound a lot like Xbox live on the original xbox.

No 360 live, but close.

P.S. people need to stop bashing Sony about there PlayStation Network, since Microsoft put close to 5~6 years into Xbox live. This is Sony first or second year with the PlayStation Network.

[Noshino @ Oct 16th 2006 9:27AM]

"The xbox 360/Wii beat the PS3 and sony hands down. There's no question that when the Wii comes out I'll have the 2 best systems on the market. Anybody who buys a PS3 is just a stupid fanboy."

I hope that by "teh best 2 systems" you meant 2 wii's, because the xbox 1.5 is pure suckage....

"They just want you to spend more money, not actually have fun. That's all sony is about, spending more money."

Doesn't MS do the same with their OS?

[Hardcore @ Oct 16th 2006 10:08AM]

I couldn't care less about Sony being "better". I would, however, like to see Microsoft getting a taste of their own medicine and getting done to them what they do to multitudes of other companies.

[Pip @ Oct 16th 2006 9:55AM]

The best features about Live are:

Being able to see who is online while in a game.

Being able to open a chat channel with anyone anywhere at any time. Even if they are in different games.

Being able to invite people into your games even if they happen to be in a totally different game.

Gamerscore. It needs to be said, I have never thought this would be such a big deal, but it is. Nothing gives you more incentive to push on through a game than raising your score. This does not mean the game sucks, or stops becoming a game, it is an added feature, a game within a game. Its just an added aspect of being competitive. If you like it great, if not, ignore it. But the fact is, once you get a taste of getting an achievement for winning a tough boss battle, you'll be hooked.

[dtrenz @ Oct 16th 2006 10:33AM]

Am i the first to notice that it looks like a myspace rip-off?

also, i'm having trouble seeing how Sony has 1up-ed anyone here... sounds pretty weak to me. if they don't offer the ability to do voice chat or stream digital media from an iPod or networked PC, i'm not interested.

[GG @ Oct 16th 2006 11:30AM]

1) Ripoff, copy, mimick, it's all competition, folks. Get used to it.
2) Competition is good for us, the consumer. If Sony's (and Nintendo's) network solution is a success, we may see free Xbox Live. Bonus.
3) I for one have no intention of buying a PS3, but I hope it's a resounding success because, once again, competition is good for the consumer. It forces the major players to innovate rather than simply update (I'm looking at you, iPod).

[Kev50027 @ Oct 16th 2006 11:39AM]

From What I've seen, it looks like the UI is where the PS3 will shine over all other consoles. It has more functionality than any of the other consoles, and it really is a powerhouse with those specs. It also has connectivity abound, I have big hopes for the PS3 even if it has been delayed and it is rather pricey. I honestly think from what I've seen so far it will be worth every penny, and I fully plan to purchase one.

I'm also glad Engadget finally put something relatively positive about the PS3 up. I'm really sick and tired of reading about how much Engadget hates Sony because of the PS3.

[Tom @ Oct 16th 2006 11:48AM]

Guys, the service is free. You have to pay for XBL. I'll take the drawbacks of PSN considering I don't have to pay anything extra for it! Plus, over time, I'm sure Sony will fix the bugs

[dtrenz @ Oct 16th 2006 11:52AM]

It's free? Are you sure they won't keep their old PS2 model of having users pay for online pay on a game-by-game basis? is so, i'd rather pay 1 fee, for xbox live, then be able to play any game i rent or buy online without having to pay again.

[Mathew Kunst @ Oct 16th 2006 12:38PM]

dtrenz - PS2 does not charge for any online gameplay, there are no fees at all.

[Tom @ Oct 16th 2006 12:38PM]

from the linked article:

"Oh - and it's all free, too. The only place you'll be asked to fork over a penny is when you purchase something in the PlayStation Store - all of the online services, from sign-up right through to voice and video chat, are free, as is normal multiplayer gaming. There's no equivalent of the Xbox Live Gold account, where you're expected to pay extra for a further tier of services - the only things you'll pay money for are paid-for downloadable content, or subscriptions to premium services like massively multiplayer games."

[Nate @ Oct 17th 2006 8:42PM]

well you say xbl is going to keep it's fans and they play for the rankings but I know alot of people that play online all the time and they say they are still getting a ps3 because the system is better and well they just want to have the best I guess. They also dont care about the rankings. I'm sure there a alot of people who do but honestly I dont know one person that really pays attention to them or cares that they are there.