Sony targets Xbox Live with questionnaire

by Christopher Grant on Jan 18th 2006 4:45PM

In a survey sent out by Sony, they reassure recipients, "We are constantly looking to improve our online service so that it meets all of your expectations." They follow with a list of 33 questions, many asking for responses to features identical to those on Microsoft's lauded Xbox Live service.

While Sony insisted the PlayStation 2's publisher-run model for online play was the best solution, these questions confirm that they're considering targeting Microsoft's service with a much more robust online package. Some features are above and beyond what Microsoft currently offer, including USB keyboard support, screenshot support, a web browser, and EyeToy compatible lobbies.

Read on for the full questionnaire.

[Thanks, Obscene Truth and Ned]

1. On a typical day, how often do you play games online?
2. Do you own a PSP?
3. What is your preferred Online gaming format?
4. What Online Gaming Formats do you own?
5. Do you think you will purchase a PS3?
6. A single identity and password for all online games?
7. Global Lobbies allowing you to play against anyone in the world?
8. Game Lobbies should be language based. (English, French, German etc)
9. Game Lobbies should be based geographically.
10. A standard, interactive lobby structure for all games.
11. Headset support in all online games?
12. A QWERTY keyboard as standard for messaging.
13. USB Keyboard support for every online title.
14. Friend List allowing you to see online/offline status?
15. Friend List allowing you to see what game your friends are playing?
16. Private Messaging across games?
17. A feedback rating allowing you to choose who you play against?
18. Ability to remove players out via a majority vote?
19. Game Host has the ability to remove players?
20. Automatically filter opponents based on connection quality?
21. The ability to download music, game demos and other content?
22. Ability to access the dedicated game forum whilst in game?
23. Ability to take screenshots during the game and share them with friends?
24. Ability to take movie clips in game and share them with friends?
25. Ability to play my music during a game?
26. An in game grief reporting system?
27. Ability to access and manage your gaming profile via PC, PSP as well as PS3?
28. Community features without the need for a game disc.
29. Ability to choose an Avatar for all online titles.
30. The inclusion of a web browser.
31. A specific lobby only for Adults.
32. Service should feature a Global Ranking system for each game.
33. Game Lobbies should be Eyetoy compatible.

Source

Tags: PS3, Xbox-360

Reader Comments (109)

Is it possible that im the only one that realizes Xbox Live is free. Its Xbox Live Gold subscriptions that you pay for. Before I get jumped on I own a PSP and a Xbox/360. First this fanboy crap is old. Second it is my soul opinion that the majority of PS fanboys are in the 13-18 age bracket one above the Nintendo fankids, which is ok. So look at it this way saying that most on here are 18, they were 8ish when PS2 came out. They have not experienced all the false hope that Sony brings to the industry. They all don't know about the bs that was being put out about having partnerships with AOL, Real, Macromedia and many others. With there undeveloped attention spans they so quickly forget about the dead pixels on the PSP. There to busy praying to the god they know as Sony for PS3 to come and save them from the harsh reality of the world, which MS has a nich in all of it. PSfanboys don't even realize the lack of games that the PSP has, because they haven't gotten one so they can save for a PS3. Sony is failing the customer in many ways, even with not having PS3 out now, which I have on pre-order for my fiance. Its ok, were here with you*passes tissue box*, one day you'll be all big and grown-up into Xboxfanmen/women.

Given the recent developments with the PS3 HUB, I wonder how much of this Sony actually soaked in?

MS security robot says:

"DANGER Wil Robinson, DANGER!"

MS is so screwed if Sony implements all those features.

So screwed.

I'm pretty sure USB keyboard support can be worked into any LIVE game if a publisher wishes to do so. In fact, I'm almost positive it works in the Final Fantasy XI beta.

I don't think Sony can build something like that because that's basically Live right now (minus eyetoy) and M$ has been developing that for over quite some time. Since the first xbox's Live went live.

SWEET!

I think it is a little late in the PS3 development to start looking into what people will want in an online service. I suspect this is just Sony seeing whether or not it has made a mistake by not developing an online service.

Even if Sony does decide to start making an online service it certainly won't be open for the PS3 on release. Unless it gets delayed until 2007 sometime.

Um

#1 Sony doesnt have the software expertise to pull off an xbox live type of service

#2Microsoft has invested 5 years of development and BILLIONS of dollars into building the xbox live infrastructure.If sony is just now trying to make a service like live then they are far too late.

What??? Who in the world would waste money and/or time to come up with a survay trying to convince themselves it was a mistake? My guess... it will be released at the very end of this year with shortages, and this will be added to the interface via a firmware update NEXT summer. I sure hope so.

so basically they wanna copy xbox live? i just got off of xbox live and i can download games, movie, trailers, etc. but why would i need a web browser? anything sony would make could not even touch mozilla, thats why i have a computer. and the last i checked i did send a text message on xbox live with my usb keyboard this morning. sony will end up copying xbox live and the hype monster that is sony will sell it to the brainwashed zombies. good luck with the whole drm thing though!!!

Screwed probably not...But oh boy if they do add all this I will be so frickin happy.....SOE is whatI have been mostly anticipaing...cant wait to see what they do exactly....wb surfing,.,,,ooofff...fo geet bout it....

im sick of seeing/hearing wat the ps3 "will" do...enough with the paper specs already...put your money where your mouth is...

brainwashed zombies?

Imitation is the best form of flattery.

I very much welcome a web browser. I don't need to flip over to my tablet when someone's MSN'ing me while using the 360.
If Sony can implement all this, they will be the overwhelming winners again. But I don't see them being able to do this.
The usual Sony smokescreen ...

Sony targets xbox live with questionnarre. Can we copy all of your awesome online features, please?

umm when can I play a preview game on the PS3? Huh Sony?

How are they screwed? I will keep live and use the ps3 service if it is free. Remember xbox already has a eye toy thing they have in the wing and the service is growing. The best thing about live is the downloads and the intergrated friends list, without a hard drive i find it will be hard for the PS3 service to keep up.

Imitate? Why would they want to do that?
I think they have a bit more ambition than that.

FYI: Xbox 360 does have USB keyboard support for all of the dashboard/guide text entry panels (including Live signup), and video chat was annouced as a feature at E3... it's not there yet, but we can presume it's forthcoming, and Microsoft will release a webcam add-on at the same time.

Oh and #1, Microsoft wouldn't be screwed at ALL. Sony would have one more feature (web browser), and less time in the market, probably a less mature product, definately with a smaller userbase. Microsoft is winning the online console wars so far.

So it's not really a questionnaire, it's more of an advertising pitch. I mean really, who'd answer no to

"14. Friend List allowing you to see online/offline status?"

...duh?

So its going to be just like the PSP firmware. Slow.. and bug full.

This all sounds well and good, but is a webcam feature on a console really what we want? It's true that it would cool to be able to see my friends as I talk to them online. It would NOT be cool to have some random guy from across the world showing me a big fat display of his genitals.

the little light over Sony's head just went off. not a moment too soon either.

I really don't care either way as long as:
1. It's FREE!
2. It doesn't delay the launch or otherwise hinder it.

By the way, questions 6 to 33 weren't yes/no answers, you had to select on a scale of 1 to 5 how important you thought the particular feature was to you.

Sir Sony himself on an interview with 60 minutes admitted that one thing Sony does not do well as a company is software.

That being said, Sony could partner up with someone like AOL or Blizzard or even Google and have them build the infrastucture. Or, Sony could purchase the holdings of a failing MMO to get the infrastructure and domain knowledge. There are a few companies they could purchase.

I am sure that whatever Sony does, it will leverage its Music and Movie IP before it will leverage Playstation games. Expect to stream movies and music before games. But, this time if they are smart, it will also leverage the PSP.

This will actually be good for Microsoft -- nothing like competition to help get your game on and to help you innovate faster and smarter.

If they do launch, expect the service to be in Asia before it hits the states.

One other item, and Sony I hope you listening to this one, make sure that the Online APIs for developers are the same or very close to Xbox Live so that developers creating cross-console titles don't have fits supporting two different online requirements.

"We are constantly looking to improve our online service so that it meets all of your expectations."

Um, first you have to have an online service. Second, you have to meet at least ONE expectation. Third, it will have to provide SOMETHING useful and fun. Sony products to date haven't provided any of this. Just disappointments and unreliable hardware.

You would think they would make their PCs actually work first before trying to get a Playstation online.

A web browser sounds neat, but I'll be concern about viruses/trojans if this feature is implemented. I mean LIVE is connected to MS Servers and the chances of getting viruses are lower (it's still possible), but when you start wondering off to other sites and getting your download cache fill with their contents, it'll be ugly (Ahem especially you porn surfers, perhaps 1080p images? LOL). Perhaps antiviral software?

JUST A LIL REMINDER: There are more people who have played PS2 online, than people who play LIVE

personally, i have an xbox, and i dont play it online... because of LIVE, I have a PS2 and i have ventured online a few times... because its free

All I know is that Sony can't make software for crap. Examples being SonicStage/Connect Player they ship with their MP3 players; those are the worst media packages I have ever used. They'd better get a 3rd party to work on their online infrastructure, if there is one.

Just another indication that Sony is nearly a year behind schedule.

Remember, not only does Sony need to implement all this, but they need to send APIs and requirements to all the developers.

This tells me that no games are even close to launch-ready.

Holy crap. I don't want any of this shit. I just want to play games online, with all the essentials (being a USB keyboard) and not lose brain cells trying to do it or set it up.

I'm tired of this online gaming pissing contest. Xbox owns the online console market? As much as the DS owns the Wifi gaming market. This doesn't mean something else can come along and take that title.

The way it looks now, I'm going to be happier with the online service Nintendo will provide with the Revolution. If it's anything like what they've done with the DS, sans the absence of a centralized server, and none of this extraneous bullshit that Sony and MS are constantly piling on, I'll be a happy camper. I don't need 3 goddamn "media centers."

xbox live is allways going to a be a better sevice since the most popu of microsoft products have been online based. eg no .wmv files streaming, msn and hotmail, also the web cam coming later in the year and also msn IM intergration is ment to be planed and possibltys of eposodic content and downloading hd movies and games all via maketplace

but ps3 live would be good, as compeition causes advancements that get passed onto the consumer

If they do an online service like Live, expect it to be rolled-out Xbox style. Xbox was released, a year later the first version of Live was rolled out. PS3 will release, and sometime later PS3Live will release, and be as integrated with the PS3 about as much as Live was with the Xbox. Live on the Xbox was a great first step, but is archaic when compared to Live 360.

Sony needs to forget that Live 360 exists and do their own thing for it's own reasons. Maybe it will be just like Live - eventually. But to try and build a Live clone 3 years behind the competition and have not be integrated into the PS3 would be embarassing.

Oh, and to the FREEEEE boys - if it is anything like Live, it won't be free. Costs money to run these things, kids.

Actually, the creator is xbox live is now on the sony team.

http://www.devstation.scee.com/speakers

(Mike, Networking)

What ever!

I still can't get an xbox 360.

I really doubt - though don't know - that one man created Xbox Live.

This has been done by ps3 before its not new for those saying it is. Its funny to hear the 360 fan boys talk its almost like your scared to face the champion basketball team who has never lost and saying ohhhhh ohhhh you cheated lol. Xbox alone took things from ps1 and ps2 so has every other system. CAN YOU SAY lets put an external drive in out 360 to keep up even though its only for movies lol HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

They need central servers for private use/competition/more players. Look at the PC scene. Game Makers don't provide servers, but there are hundreds of public servers for several games. Even quake 1 still has public servers up and running. Persistant servers allow for regulars to get to know each other, familiarity with server settings, a variety of server settings to choose from, and it allows for easier competition (leagues/ladders).

I don't see why consoles can't be the same, but they need to offer all the tools that PC gamers have. Like global chatting and chat rooms for specific groups/clans, voice programs that are connected to being in a game to use, forums, possibly their own league/ladder organization similar to twl or cal.

Didn't you report about this back in October (http://www.joystiq.com/2005/10/21/sony-online-gaming-survey-for-the-ps3/)? Regardless, the remarks I made then are just as appropriate now if not more so: http://www.coldforged.org/archives/2005/10/24/heres-the-plethora-now-choose-one/

#30 what the hell did you write, i couldn't understand a thing.
Anyways, I think it is a little late for Sony to get into it, but if they don't at least start now it will be too late. I was convinced Sony was dead the moment they announced that they won't have a centralised online service, but now I think there is hope left. Better late than never.

Proof that competition means better products for everyone!

"That being said, Sony could partner up with someone like AOL or Blizzard or even Google and have them build the infrastucture."

There are a few other companies they forgot to mention...and Blizzard as a choice to make a system similar to Xbox Live doesn't seem right.

It's hilarious to see how defensive Xbox 360 fans get. Basically, you are assuming Sony *can't* do something better than LIVE, leaving no room for "what if?". The best part is that, if "LIVE" isn't toppled by that, all you preconceiving dipshots will feel self-reassured about your omniscient abilities, despite the fact that you are basically just guessing.

Did you know that questionaires like this where being made a long time ago, and that development of an online infrastructure has been under way for a long time? Of course not, you only care about Xbox 360, not games in general.

It's natural that questionaires like this are still being made, given that PS3 is getting closer to launch. They are probably just confirming what people want. If it happens to be better and at the same price of PS2 Online (doubtful), it would automatically make it better than the 360 in every way, instead of in almost every way; I bet you would still not buy a PS3 anyway.

The phrase "brainwashed zombies" coming from somebody that has a 360 is hilarious; especially being that it is a product from a company that has way better hyping and marketing departments and tools; not only that, it is offering inferior hardware for almost the same price. "PS3 Brainwashed Zombies", my ass, it's called taking care of your money, dips.

If anyone is credited to being the "creator" or "father" of xbox live his name is Cam Ferroni, who is no longer with Microsoft or is even in the gaming industry at all. In an interview he told me that Live was created by a worldwide team of "Internet Gods" and that one person, or two people would never be able to challenge a live service.

I believe that Sony will not be able to challenge Microsofts Live service because it is too late to begin a service now when Microsoft is fine tuning the details of a 2 million+ member service. If sony wants to compete in the online gaming wars it is going to have to take what it has and improve that.

EyeToy?? It seems to me like they're practically begging for child molesters to use their service.

A reminder:

Sony has been working quite some time on online features for the PlayStation 3.

So, just because you read a questionaire TODAY, doesn't mean they just start thinking about it.

Online API's are already developed and utilized by developers. Sign up for the dev. conf. in March if you don't believe this.

#36...what a tool. Definately a brainwashed Zombie. Xbox Live is not only the best gaming experience on consoles, I would argue it tops most gaming experiences on PC's as well. There is no other service where you can talk on a headset in every online game to state just one reason why Xbox Live is better than any other form of online gaming.

Sony definately does not deserve anything but ridicule for pretty much completely ignoring Online gaming. You Sony Fans should be pissed and demand a solution rather than defend the most glaring problem with the PS3.

And I sure as heck would like to see what Sony comes out with in terms of media player functionality. They are going to DRM the crap out of that thing...will it be Plays for Sure compatible as the 360 is with streaming media from a PC? Will it work with Media Center PC's?

"Inferior Hardware"? I'm sorry, but first of all, the PS3 hardware isn't even finalized, let alone materialized. And secondly, all preliminary technical reviews give the 360 graphics chip the edge. The Cell has yet to be tested and the programming for it going to make x86 look like kindergarden math... So I think the term "inferior hardware" is purely speculative and/or your own personal opinion, not the concensus of the developer community.

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Sony targets Xbox Live with questionnaire

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