According to a scan posted on
the PlayStation forums, the March issue of PlayStation Magazine (PSM)
reveals Sony's plans to deliver an online gaming experience that not only targets Microsoft's much lauded Live service,
but surpasses it. The article reads:"Cast aside any doubts and start gazing skyward, because that's where Sony is aiming with plans that go far beyond simple leader boards and matchmaking -- or even the PS3, for that matter."
"'It's very real,' one source tells us. 'They (Sony) are dead serious about it. They've declared, and I quote, a 'full-on assault' on the latest version of Xbox Live.'"
"They are committed to matching Xbox Live [on the 360] feature for feature and then some."
This story, together with the recent survey Sony conducted, should remove any doubts about Sony's online ambitions. Is it possible that Sony could create a network the size and scale of Xbox Live in such a short time? It has cost Microsoft, the world's largest software company, billions and taken years just to lay the framework for the current Live service.
Sony is known for their hyperbolic marketing: the PS2's Emotion Engine, the PSP as iPod-killer; it seems unlikely they could take the crown from Microsoft on their first try, but any attempt is a huge relief. It was beginning to look like Sony didn't think the Live service was a valuable addition to console gaming, or a serious competitor to their hegemony.
Read on for some (barely) readable closeups from the image on the right.
[Thanks, apoc06 & Draco]
[Update: corrected some grammatical errors.]
















(Page 1) Reader Comments
More Sony Lip Service.
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*whips out Mario Kart DS*
*Connects to Nintendo WI-FI...free*
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Peace
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Now, If they've been working on this for a while, there's a possibility that it could be done really well, but my experience with Sony software hasn't been all that great.
Microsoft being the software giants that they are obviously have a leg up here not only in technology and time, at least that's my opinion.
I don't think they'll be able to match Live though quite honestly. Maybe post PS3, but by then, Microsoft will have just kept improving on their service as well. Sony has a lot of catching up to do, but seeing as Microsoft is already out with their system, it shouldn't be too hard for them to copy the 360 and use it as a selling point somehow.
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I tried XLive, even paid for a full year of it.
I got sick of it after 4 weeks.
If I wanted to suffer through kids swearing obsceneties at me in a robot voice, disconnected games against players who don't like "not" winning, and getting trapped in online games with exploitable flaws that affect player score; I'd sign up again in a second.
But I don't. Xbox Live was a waste of my money. I don't have the time to commit to a MMORPG or patience to endure the above issues with an online gaming service.
I like the demo downloads, trailers, and arcade aspects of live, but it's not enough to get me paying $60 a year for Gauntlet.
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Notice to all you stupid BIASED Xbox fanboys...Sony didn't just start developing this when they released their poll either. You'd have to be s certifiable moron to really believe that.
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What does that comment at the bottom mean? It says:
"PSP will continue to get plen
of games, but as evidenced by S
demonstrations ..."
Reading between the lines: It almost appears that Sony doesn't recognize the fan concern about lack of PSP games.
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FOr these reasons alone I can't see MS taking down sony. THeir launch wasn't very successfull in being an all out jumpstart, and sony doesn't have to do a damn thing to keep all eyes on them. THis generation System war is dismal and sad, when the top game console company in the world decideds it doesn't need to say or show anything to win we are in a sad state of affairs. I mean this leak doesn't even say what sony's supposed "SUPER TERRIFFIC!" online service does or how much it will cost? Yet here it is pasted all over joystiq, and people will flock to support sony's hype machine. While the 360 is out right now, trying it's damnedest to produce and win.
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Current PS2 online SUCKS!
not holding breath for any future iteration, either.
You can clearly see MSFT has this area won.
Sony will counter will better developers....gotta love!
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I think we'll eventually see media downloads from Sony(music, videos, game demos), as well as connectivity with other household devices.
Just not right away.
If they just add global gamertags and friends lists, I'll be pleased.
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All Sony has to do is offer a barebones package, ie gamertags, friendslist and do it for free.
For 90% of the gamers this is all they need. And from playing MarioKart DS I can tell you that free online gaming is the way to go, especially to get casual gamers on board...
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I'm calling Xbox live a poor paided service, Steel Battalion online anyone? It saids it can connect up to 10 players... its even hard to just connect with 4 players... you are calling a service like this excellent?
冗談じゃねよ~
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Current PS2 online SUCKS!"
I love how people base off their forecasts on the future based solely on the past... worthless.
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I remember Sony telling us that the PS2 would be the center of our entertainment system, downloading music, movies and games onto the hard drive.
What happened?
The PS2 launched. It didn't have a hard drive. When the hard drive finally came out, none of the promises came true and it was promptly killed with a redesign.
This is Sony lip-service so their fans don't buy an Xbox 360.
I'm no Microsoft fan, but I know a good thing when I see it, and Live is it!
One also has to ask, have you used any Sony online services before? Used their online store? Used their MP3 player music software? If so, you know how downright terrible Sony's software development is.
Sorry Sony. The PS3 is only good for one thing, a Bluray trojan horse.
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In all seriousness, if it isn't free, it won't be any better than Xbox Live. And I'd be willing to be that if it is free, Sony will include a lot of buyable things. For example, where Xbox provides free demos, Sony will make you pay for demos. Things like that.
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冗談じゃねよ~"
Hmm...maybe it would be easier to connect 10 people if 10 people actually played the damn game. And Live! service is rather excellent. Fin.
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That's the funniest part!
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Actually, basing the future off of the past is a much better indicator than basing it on corporate hype, spin and lies.
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Lets face it guys Microsoft is the king (for now) with their online service. Sony should be more concern with not being the last of the three when it comes to intuitive online gaming. Hello... Nintendo is hard at work with their free service. If anything Sony needs to focus on Revo at being their direct competition for the next Gen in gaming.
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The PS3 is coming and it will be here faster then you think. It says sony has been working on this since they released the PS2 Network adapter. So this means for the last few years they have been working on this service, they knew the PS2 wasn't ready for it and they we're already designing the PS3.
Microsoft hasn't been dealing with live that much more to sony working on their service if it's been in development since the PS2 Adapter was released. So MS may have a two year lead on it that doesn't make much difference with technology today compared to 6 years ago or 8 depending on things.
MS had their fun and now sony is coming to put them in their place. The PS3 will do better then the 360 no matter what even if this isn't true or something it's still going to beat the 360 and that's the funny thing.
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"I'm not a Microsoft fanboy, but have you ever seen how Sony SUX? LIVE rules! I love to pay." --Typical.
The funniest thing is, everyone that complains and spreads FUD about Sony has an Xbox 1.0 and just upgraded to 1.5 (and plans to download the patch to turn it next-gen), never had a PS2, thinks the Dreamcast was "underrated", complains that they had about five broken PS2s (despite having played nothing on it, or wanting to play on it anyway), and they've missed the majority of great games that came out this generation, which were out on PS2.
I don't like Microsoft, but I'm still getting a 360; that doesn't mean I think Sony can't deliver (And better) than Microsoft.
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This is definitly the generation where online matters. Last gen, Xbox's online component was ok, but mostly irrelevant. Sony left it up to the game companies and saved themselves some cash. Nin sat it out entirely, which makes a lot of sense, because, like Sony, they need to make money. Hell, the PS* is the only thing keeping half Sony's departments afloat from the way I heard things.
MS was able to develop Live last gen, not as a way to sell more Xbox games, but in preparation for when it's going to matter.
Yes, Sony and Nintendo are going to be playing catchup for a while. There's no way Sony's online offering will beat Live off the starting line.
Now if the US could get some decent broadband penetration...
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Honestly guys, it's pretty silly to be judging the PS3 when it's still what, 9-10 months? away from a North American launch. When it's on the shelves, and the first games are out, then we'll know enough to make an intelligent comment.
These comments remind me of a friend of mine who bought his Dreamcast in late 1999 (not knocking the DC, I loved mine..) He was so sure that PS2 would suck, bla bla, and the thing wasn't even coming out for another year. It's the same thing here!!
Just relax!
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1. Have we heard anything specific and official from a named executive about their online function? NO
2. Sony has had plenty of years to build an online strategy. So this is probably NOT last minute efforts.
3. Anyone saying that they should get their PlayStation 3 to work first: what do you really know about that? Only Sony knows. Just because you haven't heard anything, doesn't exclude it from existence.
Wait for a press release.
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If it turns out to be true (and actually compares to or is better than Live), this is nothing but good news for gamers. The only problem I forsee is if Sony's service also goes pay. That may be a problem for people like me that already have an XBL account because that would make it more like $10 a month for both consoles which might be a little pricey for some people. Then again, if it is free, Sony would lose huge money on it unless it significantly increased the amount of software sold or they upped the prices of games.
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hm ... does SONY haves HALO 3? no.
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