backtop

Print E-mail del.icio.us 58 comment(s) - last by crazyblackman.. on Mar 13 at 9:43 PM
Sony shares some of its more interesting facts about the PlayStation Network

When it comes to online console gaming, Microsoft’s Xbox Live is the undisputed leader. But not all games are on the Xbox 360, and Xbox Live isn’t the only service in town. Sony’s PlayStation Network is the foundation of PlayStation 3’s online strategy, and unlike Xbox Live, it gives a great deal of control to the developer.

Speaking at the Games Developer Conference, chronicled by GameSetWatch, Sony’s senior developer relations manager Chris Eden said to his audience, “With the PlayStation Network, a lot of the land is still up for grabs ... Sony want to manage, but not own the platform.”

Eden’s point is highlighted by Epic Games’ release of Unreal Tournament III on the PS3, made possible by Sony’s permission for drop-in game modification support. Epic has said that Microsoft’s restrictions on Xbox Live content interfere with the developer’s intentions.

Another differentiating point between the PlayStation Network and Xbox Live is Sony’s lack of a cap on the size of downloadable games. Microsoft launched its Xbox Live Arcade with a 50MB total limit for downloads, only to bump it up to 150MB following the threat of games not releasable due to the restrictions. The PlayStation Network has no limit for PS3 games, with the only limit being 1.8GB for PSP downloads (the capacity of a UMD).

Recently, game developer Capcom has expressed mild grief over the 150MB limit size on Xbox Live Arcade for its upcoming Street Fighter II HD Remix and Bionic Commando Rearmed, stating that the Xbox 360 would run with lower resolution artwork than the PS3 version in order to accommodate Microsoft’s 150MB limit.

Eden also revealed that Sony allows developers to set their own prices. “We don't set or recommend prices, or have price slots,” he said. “Sony just acts as a digital reseller, you're free to set your own prices.”

Even though the PlayStation Network is a free of charge, not every PS3 owner is partaking in the service. Only about half of all PS3 owners have gone online, with 82 percent of them having downloaded at least one piece of content. Over 46 million pieces of content, likely including free videos and movie trailers, have been downloaded from PSN. Other information gathered from the network is that 92 percent of the audience is male and 79 percent are between the ages of 18 and 34.

Comments     Threshold


This article is over a month old, voting and posting comments is disabled
It's in the cards
By Chaser on 3/11/2008 3:51:14 PM , Rating: 4
Sony has done a commendable job at updating the PS3 and expanding its capabilities. In hind sight Sony's plan for the PS3's future was thought out well and unlike the views of many they didn't base their goals on the competition or critics.

My point is 6 months ago the PS3 was about doomed by many of the experts in here. Too expensive, no games, having a BR player was wrong, etc. But then again blue Ray was also predicted doomed by HD DVD's pricing advantages, no regions and more. All the while the PS3 continued along with little regard from their critics and stuck with their plans and in my opinion it is paying off.

The PS network, it's design is also am example of looking in the long term, good for them.




RE: It's in the cards
By saiga6360 on 3/11/2008 4:13:20 PM , Rating: 2
Well at the height of the format war, I didn't think the PS3 was a good product, at least from a cost perspective. I bought one recently and I must say it is rather impressive.

Now if only the cost of software would go down a bit more.


RE: It's in the cards
By deeznuts on 3/11/2008 4:25:17 PM , Rating: 2
Actually at the height of the format war, it was the same product as it is now. You just had HD DVD supporters saying it wasn't a good value ;)


RE: It's in the cards
By saiga6360 on 3/11/2008 5:08:25 PM , Rating: 2
Well the fact that there was a 'war' and uncertainty made it an unattractive buy. Now that all the format nonsense is over with, those of us who cared not for either camp and just wanted an HD format to use on our TVs finally have the something that won't end up like the Betamax. Playing games and media streaming with it are all great bonuses.


RE: It's in the cards
By robinthakur on 3/13/2008 1:00:54 PM , Rating: 2
It looks like the general perception of the PS3 versus 360 is now turning around. You can see that MS is getting slightly nervous as well, with their defensive price cuts in Europe. With MGS4, FFXIII and the rest coming up, plus Bluray you will start to see the PS3 explode. People have so far been blind to the 360's many faults including paid for Gold XBL online matching service (Oh Dreamcast how I miss thee...) the jet-engine like running noise, upcoming lack of games, the loss of face for backing the losing HDDVD and the big white elephant in the corner, which nobody likes to make eye contact with, the monumental fact that *33%* of all their consoles fail at least once. As soon as that fact became public knowledge, I think it turned alot of potential customers off to it. 360 apologists might beg to differ, but their opinion is hardly unbiased.

I have always been impressed personally by the tank like build quality, sleek interface and expandibility of the PS3 compared to my 360. It seems to have been thought out for the long term. The high initial cost masks the fact that for alot of what Sony includes, you have to pay for on the Xbox. Best thing is that it looks stylish and is whisper quiet. Anyone complaining about lack of games for it doesn't live in the here and now, if you look at the actual games out right now, most of them appear for both consoles.

I've been turned off the XBL by the thought of having to pay for it. I download trailers, demos etc on the PS3 network and it seems really nicely designed. Online play is a bonus I haven't ever used on either console, so cannot comment. So overall despite everybody else's early jitters, I can see the PS3 going from strength to strength and Microsoft having to resort to their cheap trick of cutting a generation short to make way for a new console yet again...pretty soon actually. I see 2008 being the 360's last big year.


RE: It's in the cards
By crazyblackman on 3/13/08, Rating: 0
RE: It's in the cards
By MonkeyPaw on 3/11/2008 6:04:57 PM , Rating: 2
Hindsight is a beautiful thing. Had BluRay lost the format war, Sony wouldn't look so smart anymore. MS took the safer approach--they just kept their HD drive external and waited for the winner. Sony really got lucky on their big gamble on BR and a $600 console. They got lucky again when MS shipped noisy, poorly manufactured 360s. Sony needed a few breaks, and they got them. The most you can comment Sony on is that, unlike MS, they built a reliable product.


RE: It's in the cards
By mmntech on 3/11/2008 7:04:08 PM , Rating: 2
Even if Blu-ray had lost, it would have still proved smart to include the BD drive in the PS3 in the long run. We're at the point where games (ie MGS4) won't fit on an 8.54gb DVD9 disc. You'd have to be blind not to see that coming. The question is whether console gamers will want to put up with multiple discs. They're a fickle bunch. Look at how much they whined at the 5gb install for Devil May Cry. They don't put up with the crap us PC gamers do.


RE: It's in the cards
By AlphaVirus on 3/12/2008 1:38:33 PM , Rating: 2
quote:
Look at how much they whined at the 5gb install for Devil May Cry. They don't put up with the crap us PC gamers do.

Lol, and to think that is the only way us PC gamers can play a game, by installing to the hard drive. Depending on your hardware it could take in upwards of 10 minutes to install a game, and not to mention if the game has multiple cds you are looking at a lot of time spent on an install.

Sims series anyone? 4 discs included to install + expansion pack cds to install + making sure you have a cd key for every disc...


RE: It's in the cards
By wallijonn on 3/12/2008 4:12:10 PM , Rating: 2
quote:
Look at how much they whined at the 5gb install for Devil May Cry.


Why is it that copying the game to an HD dic drive, which the 360 does not do, took half an hour? That's why they whined. The 360 doesn't allow game copying to the HD but it played just as quickly. Why?


RE: It's in the cards
By 3v1lkr0w on 3/13/2008 12:20:00 PM , Rating: 2
quote:
Why is it that copying the game to an HD dic drive, which the 360 does not do, took half an hour? That's why they whined. The 360 doesn't allow game copying to the HD but it played just as quickly. Why?


Are you asking why does the PS3 require the install and it only runs as fast as the 360 version which doesnt require an install??? The reason is because the 360 has a x12 speed DVD player and the PS3 has a x2 speed Blu-Ray player. Data can be read alot faster from a DVD game in a x12 DVD player then a Blu-Ray game can be read in a x2 Blu-Ray player. That is why the PS3 version requires an install. Without the install people would be complaining about the load times instead.


RE: It's in the cards
By deeznuts on 3/11/2008 8:27:20 PM , Rating: 2
quote:
MS took the safer approach--they just kept their HD drive external and waited for the winner
Safer for them. Their consumers who bought the HD DVD are stuck holding the loser of a format war.

With Sony, even if Blu-Ray lost, the format would still live on in the form of a proprietary game medium. And lets face it, everyone except HD DVD fanboys knew, either they would share the crown, HD DVD and Blu-ray, or Blu-Ray would win. With the PS3 selling at a worse case scenariou 20M+ units AND sony owning a studio, there was no way for Blu-Ray to lose completely.


RE: It's in the cards
By 3v1lkr0w on 3/12/2008 6:12:36 AM , Rating: 2
quote:
Safer for them. Their consumers who bought the HD DVD are stuck holding the loser of a format war.


So true...I backed Blu since the beginning, but i do own a HD Player Add-on for the 360, for one reason, and one reason only...it came with a free copy of Heroes Season 1 on HD-DVD. As of now I own 6 free HD-DVD movies, Heroes Season 1, and the Oceans Trilogy (only because a store near me was charging the 30 dollar DVD price and not the 60 dollar HD-DVD price)

I wish there was a trade-in policy for all my crap HD-DVD movies...would increase my Blu collection from 30 to almost 40. ^_^


RE: It's in the cards
By whickywhickyjim on 3/11/08, Rating: -1
RE: It's in the cards
By TerranMagistrate on 3/11/2008 7:47:11 PM , Rating: 2
From the perspective of retarded Xbox fanboys? Most certainly not.

But then there's reality.


RE: It's in the cards
By Farfignewton on 3/11/2008 8:27:23 PM , Rating: 2
quote:
There still are no games.


Apparently you bought a bundle with out a pack-in game. Get an advance on your allowance and go to the store. You have to buy the games separately, Sony is not going to mail them to you.


RE: It's in the cards
By bgm063 on 3/12/2008 12:35:39 AM , Rating: 2
For every time I hear somebody mention that the PS3 has no games, I guess what some people really mean is the Xbox360 has no games as well... I mean other than the exclusives is it me or does the Xbox360 and the PS3 share alot of the same titles since the PS3 was release?

And as far as that limit on XBL, that does kinda suck. I don't own a 360, and I honestly didn't know that situation existed.


Xbox Live 150MB Limit
By gaakf on 3/11/2008 3:35:29 PM , Rating: 2
I really don't get the point of this limit anymore. How many people actually save arcade games to their xbox memory cards? I'm willing to bet that far more people out there would prefer 300MB or 400MB games with better sound and graphics than highly compressed lame visuals with some added special effects.

Lose the limit Microsoft!




RE: Xbox Live 150MB Limit
By darkpaw on 3/11/2008 3:40:18 PM , Rating: 2
I think a big reason they still have the limit is due to MS sticking tiny ass harddrives in most of the systems and overcharging like crazy for something bigger.

I own both systems and one of the few things Sony does do better then MS is open storage and download options.


RE: Xbox Live 150MB Limit
By omnicronx on 3/11/08, Rating: -1