Sony declares war on Xbox Live/Makes Wild Feautre Claims

[njiska]

http://www.joystiq.com/2006/01/31/sony-declares-full-on-assault-on-xbox-live/

Well according to scans of the new PSM Sony has declared war on Xbox Live and claims they will match every feature and beat MS at their own game.

Now because the mag hasn't been released yet this shouldn't be held as fact, but given that Sony and hype go together hand in hand and that Xbox Live is one of MS's biggest guns, it makes sense for Sony to create a distraction like this.

But does anyone think Sony could make good on thier promise and beat Live with their first try? I doubt it.

[hezeuschrist]

I don't think getting it right really has anything to do with it. I simply think they'll NEVER be able to afford it. I think they'll try and do the same thing and fuck it up royally by cutting corners.

Plus, they're going to implement this... when? There's absolutley no way they'll have it ready for any regions launch if they're just gettings started.

[Sylentwulf]

I simply don't think they WANT to. I think they could if they really wanted to. What I think is more likely is them concentrating their online efforts in japan and europe. USA is simply too big and underpopulated to bother with all the servers.

Sony does have extensive experience in the field though. It's not like they haven't done anything with EQ, EQ2.

[Darren870]

No way could they. Also think about how many sony-fanboys would be pissed about going from paying nothing to paying around $50.

[pacmanhat]

Not a chance.

I don't think they'll be able to match XBL on the first or any other try. This is in all likelihood just another gear in the hype machine for Sony. Keep your hopes low, everyone.

[Jibbajaba]

I am a Playstation person all the way, but there is no way Sony beats MS at online gaming anytime soon. This is just more Sony hype intended to lure gamers into passing on the 360 and holding out for the PS3.

Chris

[Joker T]

Sony promises to much. They may make a service superior to that of PS2 online but Live has features that Sony will never be able to beat.

[s1lence]

Not a chance. The live service is fairly well done, but it wasn't until the new live that they got it to the point that its really nice. I see it as all hype, just like the videos of the ps3 games that weren't really ps3 games or videos or whatever it ended up being.

[gepeto]

Microsoft is generations deep in dealing with networking infrastructures and controls most of the software to boot.

While sonys effort may be admirable there is alot of catching up. I just point to xbox and ps2 initial offerings.
When I setup both when they were released the ps2 was a pain to get going the xbox's auto negotiation was was more of a breeze.

Trying to battle them on that front is a wasted effort. the effort would be like Like the ngage trying to grab the phone game handheld market The problem is the xbox live is a beast and it going through it umpteenth upgrade.

Whooever laid out the xbox live plan at the meetings years ago at Ms had a vision far more superior than the competiton. I just laugh sometimes thinking about the sony and nintendo execs scratching there heads trying to figure out where they went wrong and trying to find a way to compete without copying.

That stuff is like an education the more your in it the higher the degree. Nintendo and Sony are in its infantcy when dealing with networking. remember when acclaim tried to upseat madden with its quarteback club series. You played it then was like nah ( Severe work in progress).


The only online game I play on the ps2 is Madden. It could be worse for Sony they could be Nintendo.

[Slate]

I have never played Xbox Live, Or any videogame online for that matter. But sony can not make it better. Sure, they may get more people playing it, But they can't make it better than Xbox live!

[kainemaxwell]

First try, I doubt it. Be flawed on the first try as they learn the inerstructure, while MS has had their hand in networking for years now.

[DigitalSpace]

In AD 2006, war was beginning.

Sorry , couldn't resist. LOL Anyways, I don't think they'll top Microsoft either. It'll be interesting to see what happens, though.

[chrisbid]

It could be worse for Sony they could be Nintendo.

a year ago, i wouldve agreed, but getting Mario Kart DS setup was a breeze

[petewhitley]

It could be worse for Sony they could be Nintendo.

a year ago, i wouldve agreed, but getting Mario Kart DS setup was a breeze

The setup is a breeze but the implementation and infrastructure (or lack thereof) is terrible. Just as it was for Sony with the PS2 online. With online/connected gaming becoming more and more useful and popular, Microsoft's dominance in this area really presents the greatest threat to Sony's market share. If I were Sony I'd be pretty damn worried about trying to beat Microsoft at this game.

[Cmtz]

I'm sure they could do it. I mean look at the DS. The setup is almost as good as live.....




























waiting.....

[unwinddesign]

Sony shouldn't try to copy Live; they should create something different, with its own unique features. Because, quite honestly, if they attempt to create something like a carbon copy of Live, they will fail. Xbox Live was rough around the edges when it was released; how the hell does Sony expect to one up it immediatly? I don't think they do; it's just a smoke screen.

[Ed Oscuro]

I'm sure they could do it. I mean look at the DS. The setup is almost as good as live.....

waiting.....
lmao, so true :) NFGman had an article up about Mario Kart DS @ his site (nfg.2y.net).

[njiska]

Wow all this time and no Sony Fanboy postings. Happy days are here again.

Now as for the topic at hand. CMTZ makes a great point about the Nintendo Wi-Fi connection.

One thing i love about live is that it's fast, blasizing fast and that's largely due to Microsoft's years of experience in the networking field and years of fine tuning.

Now Sony does have experience with MMO networking, but something like live would be completely different.

Sony would need to develope middleware that would have be used by every game and that's a lot more complicted then just making software to use the network.

Plus MS already has the upper hand up on the development side because there's a considerable amount of documentation for Live.

[Half Japanese]

There was a lot of talk at the dawn of the current gen too that was largely undelivered by Sony. Microsoft had some letdowns with the original Xbox as well, but they put a lot more on the table than Sony as far as fulfilled hype. The Xbox, like the Dreamcast, was online roughly a year after its initial release (save your DC nitpicking, the real games didn't hit until a year later). The ps2 hit in 2000 and wasn't online until roughly the same time as the Xbox, despite its year head start.

It would be best for gamers if they did fulfill what they're promising, but I'll wait and see before tossing money in anyone's direction.

[keiblerfan69]

I have faith in what Sony will do. I have a feeling it will be cheaper then LIVE just to try and get others to buy it.

[Push Upstairs]

I think Sony has bit off more than they can chew with this claim.

It's not that they couldn't do it...but they have years of catching up to do and that is going to cost them tons of $$.

[Nez]

Sony is just causing a fuss to get some attention.

[Anthony1]

In another thread, I asked, "Why can't Sony just copy Xbox Live?". Most people responded that the investment in an infrastructure that would be able to do it proper, would just be too huge. I can undestand that thought process, but at the same time, I just can't see Sony not "trying" to have some type of online service that attempts to emulate everything that Live is doing.


Obviously, Sony will try to do certain things to make it look like they aren't basically copying Xbox Live, they will try to make it seem like they are doing it "their way" and better, but, I just can't see them not trying a new strategy with their online space with this new generation. They have Xbox 360 systems in their labs, and they know exactly what Microsoft has done with the 360 and the new Xbox Live experience, and they obviously have the time to look at that and try to match it or beat it. The big question comes down to $$$$$. When you get right down to it, will they really spend the cashola on it? It might be a situation in which Sony feels threatened enough to feel like they "have" to do it, whether they would really like to or not.



I can say one thing, if Sony is really doing this, it's not because they want to make things better for their customers, it's because they feel that they have no other choice.

[Oobgarm]

First try, I say no way. Even if Sony copied Live 100%. If they have success at it, then Sony and MS will go head to head on that front sometime down the road.

It's a tough call, IMO. Sony knows that MS has a one-up on them with the Live service, and whether or not they attempt to create something of their own is really going to be the telltale of how the PlayStation brand is going to fare in the future. Most of the PS2 games out now have cut out the dial-up users, so they're not going to lose anything signifigant from the user base if they go broadband only.

Then again, MS could sweeten their pot and make Live even better.

I'll take a wait and see approach. It really doesn't make that much of a difference to me what happens.

[Lothars]

I am not surprised at Sony doing this

chances are It will be decent at first and get better but honestly who knows

It's more of a thing that it will be a wait and see

Could turn out really good

we will see.

[zot wildstarr]

It is just another example of Sony's P.R. Spin machine at work. They are once again blowing smoke up the proverbial asses of the gaming world. -_-

[njiska]

Another "Leaked Page" from PSM has been released and god damn i can't beleive the bullshit.

Key points include:

* The PS3 will have an online service that surpasses Xbox Live

* PS3 will be your replacement Tivo, yes it will have the capability of being a DVR

* There are many more games being developed in the United States then previously thought

* The PS3 Final Dev kit is faster then expected

* Includes a download service similar to iTunes from which you can download movies, music, etc. (mark my words; it will be called Sony Connect).

* Media Center capabilities will be a step above that of the 360

* The PS3 will serve as a Location Free Player for the Playstation Portable. This means that you will be able to watch DVD's and Blu-ray's as well as downloaded videos inside your PS3 on your PSP remotely via the internet

* the PSP will be able to control thePlaystation 3's DVR functions as well as send files to and from the PS3

* Firmware updates will add new functionality, very similar to the PSP

* Developers are being told to prep for a fall release of the PS3, and it is expected that the online service will launch at the same time

Maybe it's just me but that sounds fake. I mean Sony is the uber hype machine, but god damn that's a lot of crap.

Source: http://www.gamerandy.com/archives/2006/02/new_playstation.shtml

[Hep038]

Sony can easily beat Xbox live.

All they have to do is take all the players that either scream, sing, talk to someone not playing, breath heavily, burp, play music from their radio or constantly cuss into their mic and ban them for life. It will blow the doors off of xbox live.

All joking aside I would love for a age group filter for online gaming. I know their is no way to tell for sure. But I have to think I will not get as many 25 year olds playing rap music into thieir headsets for everyone to hear while I am playing Counter Strike.

[JWKobayashi]

The big question comes down to $$$$$. When you get right down to it, will they really spend the cashola on it?

I agree. Sony CAN do whatever they want. They can hire qualified people to pull this off if they really wanted to. The real question is how does Sony view the inclusion of an online service? Integral and necessary or just a cool feature to have? It'll cost them quite a bit, but they could do it.

And if they plan on launching this year, now is a bit late to get started on this. My guess would be that it's just hype to counteract the positive reaction to Live on the 360.

That being said, I'd love to see Sony catch up with a competitive online service. Competition in this area can only be a good thing for gamers.

[stressboy]

That being said, I'd love to see Sony catch up with a competitive online service. Competition in this area can only be a good thing for gamers.

I think a lot of fanboys seem to forget that. If Sony does actually release a service that is comparable to Live, it will only make our experiences better. Some people do not even seem to want a viable competitor to Live. How can this be a bad thing?

Hell I would like Sony to do it just to watch fanboys explode.. from a safe distance of course.

[DeputyMoniker]

No way could they. Also think about how many sony-fanboys would be pissed about going from paying nothing to paying around $50.

What does being a fanboy have to do with this conversation?

Anyway, back ON topic...no, I don't think they can/will/could pull it off. It's a simple concept, take what Microsoft has done & match it one for one. I mean, the picture has been drawn & Sony just has to copy it, right? Simple. No friggin way. lol. I don't have that kind of faith in Sony. They're full of it when it comes to pre launch hype. Weren't they saying the PS3 is going to be like 150 or 1,500 times more powerful than the PS2? (I dont remember what it was but they had come up with some stupidly high number.) I'll be playing Microsoft quality *PS3 Live* the same day you 360 owners will be watching Blu-Ray. LOL

[-hellvin-]

When sony comes online...the gods and titans themselves shall clash in the heavens.

[Push Upstairs]

They're full of it when it comes to pre launch hype. Weren't they saying the PS3 is going to be like 150 or 1,500 times more powerful than the PS2?

Funny thing about Sony hype. I was thmbing through some old EGM magazines and there were some "screenshots" of the upcoming Playstation system and thier game of choice was "Wipeout". Funny thing about these screenshots was that the graphics weren't PSX quality, they looked more like current gen quality.

I do recall that the Saturn screenshots look like Saturn quality graphics.

Perhaps hype is the one thing Sony knows best? :)

[Mr.FoodMonster]

Hi guys. Remember this thread?
http://www.digitpress.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=78888

Ruh rho, looks like a few people were right, and a few were wrong :D

But, there is no way that it'll be as good as Live though. Live is on its 'second term' and for Sony to come in and say they can do everything better, it just wont happen. They can try, and it might be a decent system, but it just wont beat Live, hands down.

[DeputyMoniker]

Hi guys. Remember this thread?
http://www.digitpress.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=78888

Ruh rho, looks like a few people were right, and a few were wrong :D

But, there is no way that it'll be as good as Live though. Live is on its 'second term' and for Sony to come in and say they can do everything better, it just wont happen. They can try, and it might be a decent system, but it just wont beat Live, hands down.

I hope someday someone will get to pull these threads out and tell me I was wrong.

[njiska]

But, there is no way that it'll be as good as Live though. Live is on its 'second term' and for

Actually i believe we're now in Live v4. 3.0 came out about a year ago. Progress happens so quickly now adays.

[Mr.FoodMonster]

But, there is no way that it'll be as good as Live though. Live is on its 'second term' and for

Actually i believe we're now in Live v4. 3.0 ame out about a year ago. Progress happens so quickly now aday.
Well, I was refering to the fact that its on another system, but that conveys the message just as well.

[zerohero]

I have faith in what Sony will do. I have a feeling it will be cheaper then LIVE just to try and get others to buy it.

As long as it wont be another bs add on like the hard drive that has basically no use unless your modifying your ps2 or playing Final Fantasy online.

I'll just wait, and see what sony will have to offer with their online service like somone else has already stated.

[kedawa]

MS has already played the Guinea Pig for them, so I don't think it'd be that hard for them to get things right, and they can always improve the service over time.

I just don't think Sony cares that much about online gaming in the first place.

Any service they offer will be a content delivery system first, and a gaming netwrk second.

[Lothars]

Well no matter what I think this should be interesting,

I suspect it will also be launched right around the same time as the ps3 but we will see.

[PDorr3]

Honestly all I want is a friends list, voice chat, and maybe a feature like XBL to join friends in their games they are playing, and I will be happy. Seriously I dont need to pay another service just so I can have alot of the same features (most which I dont even use)

[whoisKeel]

Excuse my ignorance, but what does XBox Live offer exactly? I've never had the chance to try it out.

My online gaming experience is limited to (free) pc gaming. I realize that online pc gaming is different because individuals run the servers.

So for me online gaming is pick a game to join or create your own... and play. How would this be hard for Sony?