Free basic service on "PlayStation Network Platform"
by Dan Choi 
{ Mar 15th 2006 at 11:30AM }
Going by the working title "PlayStation
Network Platform," Sony has announced that the basic level of its online service will be free (at least at
first).While the company's "Live-killer" will readily support the PS3 at launch in November, it is not known to what extent the "PNP" (er, "PSNP"?) will support the PS2 and PSP.
What are supported, however, are voice/video chat, messaging, matchmaking, ranking, game data uploading/downloading, shopping, content downloading, micro payments, subscriptions, and entitlement (i.e., user access) management. All of this will be tied together with a Live-like user login ID/handle name. Hello, 360... More P(S)NP pics follow.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Richard @ Mar 15th 2006 11:36AM
Controller Final? Does that mean that they wont change the boomerang type controller?
Spartacus @ Mar 15th 2006 11:38AM
Congratulations Sony, you have now ripped off BOTH of your competitors. Now if you wouldn't mind, can you come up with something original?
Seriously though... LIVE has all of this and has a 4 year head start. I mean, this is good news if you already planned on owning a PS3, but hardly something that would (should) sway people who are on the fence.
2Kings @ Mar 15th 2006 11:40AM
FREE!!
all this info on the ps3 is making me feel better due to all the hate lately
Thomas Crymes @ Mar 15th 2006 11:44AM
Why chicken and egg this thing.
Doesn't matter who is first. It only matters who is best.
I'm willing to bet that Sony's effort will look a little raw compared to M$'s at first.
And until we find out what "Basic Service" means, there is no sense stating that Sony is subsidizing anything. Basic Service might well be the equivalent of a Silver Account on XBL.
Sony Fanboy @ Mar 15th 2006 11:48AM
IT'S FREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE
FREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE AND BETTER THAN [flame] MICROSOFT WINDOWS BASED SERVICE
THANKS LINUS TORVALDS AND KEN KUTARAGI THE WORLD ROCKS BECAUSE THEY BORN!
Panadero @ Mar 15th 2006 11:49AM
Sony? Original? Good luck. Sony's success rests squarely on the shoulders of others' ideas, be they hardware and service features from Nintendo (and now Microsoft) or third party support.
CK1 @ Mar 15th 2006 11:49AM
Typical, another American innovation being stolen and used by the japanese and claimed as there own. 4D, give me a break. Well I'll be buying a new one and only used games so Sony profits nothing from me!
Andrew @ Mar 15th 2006 11:50AM
A Gamespy like service....ouch. This confirms (at least for me) that I made the right choice with the Xbox 360!
Koda Kumi @ Mar 15th 2006 11:52AM
#2) I'm pretty sure they said FREE for only a short ammount of time, and also, I think it will only be a taste, not the FULL 3 course meal.
I still wonder why they neglected to reveal a price last night.
Fenris @ Mar 15th 2006 11:52AM
Opening up an on-line service without a real world Beta test is really risky.
I believe that in time they could have a user friendly service. But these things are never a homerun right out of the box. Connectivity problems exist and bugs need to be fixed, and many of them don't reveal their heads until the service hits the consumers.
Basic service is pretty vague. The whole conference was pretty vague, but it was obviously enough to get the fanboys in a froth, and that is really all they were looking to do. I noticed that final hardware is still not present or being shown.
Daz @ Mar 15th 2006 11:53AM
Oh look, 'Controller Final' just after E3.
Annoymous @ Mar 15th 2006 11:54AM
Sparctus what are you talking about?? lets get things straight, the free online service of xbox live did not come out untill the 360 came out. so your 4 years theory is stupid. And online gaming has been around since for ever. On the pc and even on the dreamcast, i know you know this so why the riduculous statements. just because microsoft made a centralised sytem means nothing, it shows there intent in controlling everything.
Now lets get another thing straight. NO ONE OWNS ONLINE GAMING.no one owns ideas made for online gaming or online distribution. You [flame]. Stop screaming [inappropriate], and get real. Just becuase the xbox has something dose not mean that sony ripped it from them. We can argue day and night but seriously. Are your trying to claim that sony is the devil, b/c it has stolen the idea of a free online serice to help consumers. Now say it again. Yes it is stupid.
And again for the nintendo idea. What makes nintendo simply say it and it becomes thier idea. Lets get real. You cant claim somethig till its there. nintendo game download system is not here, they smply said it. lets wait for the 1st company to actully implemant it(xbox live game demos does not count).
People are actually starting to belive that copyright happens as soon as a idea leaves you mouth. it dont. If nintendo or microsoft truly invented anything they would have pateneted it within 10 secs. If they did not patent it, then they did not create it. simple as.
xbox360dsPSP @ Mar 15th 2006 11:54AM
XBOX Live Silver is free.
Koda Kumi @ Mar 15th 2006 11:55AM
Release dates and prices usually go together.
funkyflea @ Mar 15th 2006 11:55AM
Whats with people saying ''omfg its free''
Its just a basic online service like XBOX LIVE SILVER, which is ALSO FREE.
Servo @ Mar 15th 2006 11:57AM
Microsoft has a free service too people. Xbox Live Silver anyone?
This is just a repeat of E3 '05. Sony takes other people's ideas, makes claims that it will be better than the competition, and then backs away from those claims later.
lol, the Sony boys will be repeating this bull, just like they did with the "on target for Spring" bull.
Lol, humanity is such a funny thing.
Sol @ Mar 15th 2006 11:58AM
PS Live eh? I guess Microsoft should take it as a compliment that Sony is gonna outright copy them for a rival online service. I could be wrong, but I thought when Sony launched the online for the PS2 - there big selling point was that each develope/publisher was gonna hafta set up there own server and such - guess they finally realized that it wasn't gonna work. Worldwide release too?! Microsoft "tried" to do it(I use tried loosely) and it seemed like they rushed out a system. I'm not saying it's impossible - it's just that Sony tends to lie and stretch the truth... a lot
Remember all the hoopla about the emotion engine in the ps2?
We'll see, they can't afford to give Microsoft another holiday system without any competition( I'm not disregarding the Revolution - seems like most people will get it as a second system)
Nico @ Mar 15th 2006 11:59AM
Yes cause Microsoft never rips any ideas off. Oh wait thats what they used to do - now they just buy the company and claim the idea for theire own.
Funny stuff.
Anyway! Having an internet enabled console isnt somthing Microsoft came up with its a natural evolution of consoles. And so are the features included in the service. Beeing first with something onto the market doesnt mean you invented it. I mean using this logic Microsoft ripped off both Nintendo and Sony because they made a computer that plays games on the TV. Copycats...
Lagomorpho @ Mar 15th 2006 12:00PM
Annoymous,
The 4 year head start is referring to the fact that XBoxLive has been around for that long. They have the experience. The bugs that Fenris mentioned that will definitely be present in PNP have been worked out already. The fact that XBoxLive Silver only became free last November doesn't change the fact that it's the same Live experience you had on the original XBox except with tons of improvements.
doubtful @ Mar 15th 2006 12:01PM
Playstation Network Platform! PSNP, if just rolls off the tongue. Piss 'n Pee! Eww, don't want to think about that rolling off the tongue.
Jo @ Mar 15th 2006 12:01PM
People are excited because the basic online service includes... MATCHMAKING!!!
http://www.next-gen.biz/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2495&Itemid=2
"3. The PS3's online service, dubbed "PlayStation Network Platform", will sport voice chat, matchmaking lobbies and Marketplace-type features that allow users to download content, including software, implying some sort of digital distribution for games. The online service will be available at launch. As reported, the service will be free.
"
Suberru @ Mar 15th 2006 12:04PM
If you all may have noticed that "basic" service kicks the hell out of the Gold service offered by the 360, so the 360 fanboy should roll up in a corner with their mouths closed.
Get ready people to see how a succsesful system launches.
The1 @ Mar 15th 2006 12:06PM
FREE is relative. Sony will make you pay in time.
KirbyMeister @ Mar 15th 2006 12:07PM
#10: You just confused copyright and patents: copyright which applies to expressions of an idea (i.e. stories, software, designs) applies the moment the expression is fixed - written down, saved, photographed, what have you.
However, patents, which count for ideas (i.e. new software features, etc) do NOT apply until you apply for patents. Read up on the Idea-expression Divide before posting please.
Pretty Obvious @ Mar 15th 2006 12:07PM
This is the most blatant ripoff I think Ive ever seen in my life. Ken was quoted saying our console will be "Live" come launch. Come on now.
This service will be spotty at best, Microsoft has a 4year head start and they are and will forever be a software company. Sonys OS for the PSP was dissapointing as well as its Gamespy like service for the PS2. History will repeat itself unfortunately.
Sense @ Mar 15th 2006 12:15PM
Say what you will about any system. The fact that every system will have similar features means that they can only be separated by one thing: content.
I probably won't get a PS3 purely because of cost--well, that and they killed off my beloved SEGA--but it's really starting to shape up.
Hopefully, there will be some real competition between all three playes this time out. Then we could see some real next-gen games.
Gonzo @ Mar 15th 2006 12:16PM
It did take them long enough, I just have a hard time believing it's going to be for free. Sony's never passed a chance to suck more money aout of their consumers.
Rocket Punch @ Mar 15th 2006 12:17PM
Yeah, SONY rip Microsoft off? LOL. Yeah I am sure MS invented video games and they did not stole Apples window idea.
Servo @ Mar 15th 2006 12:19PM
"Spring Launch is still on target"
"World-wide Launch"
"Matchmaking, voice, online marketplace, reach-arounds"
"Toy...Story....2"
All the same in my book.
Thomas Crymes @ Mar 15th 2006 12:20PM
Release dates and prices do go together.
There is only one hitch. Sony has yet to announce a release date. Early November is a release window just like Spring 2006 was a release window. I expect that at E3 they will devulge the price.
When did M$ reveal the pricing for the 360. I remember it being afte E3, but maybe I'm not remembering correctly.
Spartacus @ Mar 15th 2006 12:22PM
Anonymous:
Sorry, didn't mean to ruffle your feathers. Yes, I said LIVE has had a 4 year head start because they HAVE. It's been around long enough to have the kinks worked out and perfected (ok, even I wouldn't go THAT far but...). It would be like comparing "New Messenger Service v1.0" with MSN Messenger v7.5. The latter is much more polished, tested, reliable, integrated and known.
I never said any company owned the rights to online gaming. I was simply pointing out the blatant rip offs Sony is using. EVERY SINGLE FEATURE they list came directly out of the LIVE playbook. DO I care? Nope. I'm not Microsoft. Do I find it humorous? Yup. Because all the Sony fans that downplayed LIVE for all those years are now foaming at the mouth to get Sony's version of the same service.
"nintendo game download system is not here, they smply said it. lets wait for the 1st company to actully implemant it(xbox live game demos does not count)." -Anonymous
How about Xbox LIVE Arcade? Does THAT count? Then the 360 was the first to implement it.
SickNic @ Mar 15th 2006 12:23PM
Funny how people were bashing MS for their micropayments ideas, and now Sony will be doing micropayments.How long until they all change their minds and say how amazing it is?
Annoymous @ Mar 15th 2006 12:30PM
It did take them long enough, I just have a hard time believing it's going to be for free. Sony's never passed a chance to suck more money aout of their consumers.
Isnt this the same for all major comapanies. I mean remeber the disaster that was the expansion pack(at least in the Uk). And microsft decision to make it that you have to pay for a remote to play dvds on the xbox.
All companies try to rip you off thats how they make money. but the real question is who gives you best value for money? If the ps3 is sold at a staggering loss, than surely thats a stagerring benefit for people who pay only a fraction of the cost. (this goes for all companies)
Rog27 @ Mar 15th 2006 12:31PM
Anyone who claims Sony rips off more than Microsoft does is an idiot. All companies take ideas from each other...especially if they are not patented ideas, or are too general to be patented. Why? Because their job is to give the customer what they want...simple as that. The company that wins is usually the company that does it best...not the company that does it first. The two are not synonomous.
That being said Microsoft stole the idea upon which their success as a corporation is based: the Graphical User Interface based Operating System. Windows is a twice-removed stolen item...originally stolen first by Apple from Xerox...then stolen from Apple by Microsoft. Microsoft's whole existence stems from ripping off their more creative, less business-savy friends. Sony is hardly in the same boat as Microsoft stealing-ideas-wise...so drop it before you are seriously owned by the facts of history.
The idea for an online gameplaying environment has been on the table in the pc environment for years before it ever came to consoles. It came built into the Dreamcast and was always slated for the PS2, even prior to its launch. The contribution MS made was unifying its network (for better or worse). Sony's network was much more open (and more optional for developers to develop for). Sony is trying to make a hybrid best-of-both-worlds network structure here that may very well innovate the whole of gameplaying online space as we know it.
Spartacus @ Mar 15th 2006 12:32PM
Thomas Crymes:
Yeah, the price wasn't released until much later. Looks like August :(
http://www.gamespot.com/news/2005/08/17/news_6131245.html
At that point no games were yet confirmed either... So we may be in the dark about the PS3 until a few months before launch...
copa @ Mar 15th 2006 12:35PM
I've reviewed the slides and the summaries several times. Sony promises 'Matchmaking' and 'Leaderboards' on the PSNP, but nowhere do they actually promise online gameplay.
I strongly suspect that Sony intends to offer PSNP as a centralized login and indexing service, but that hosting the actual gameplay will be the responsibility of the individual pubishers.
This will be a big plus for certain MMO Publishers who didn't want to surrender their server management infrastructure. And it will work just fine for huge publishers like EA that have made big investments into an online gameplay infrastructure, and can afford to keep it running smoothly.
But this will essentially shut out smaller players from the online gaming market. Many companies that could piggyback onto Microsoft's Live service won't be able to afford the maintenance of a 24/7 high-performance networked gaming environment.
darryl @ Mar 15th 2006 12:42PM
"Now if you wouldn't mind, can you come up with something original?"
...so the idea of online gaming, game lobbies, online text/voice chat, downloads, and match-making are ideas from Microsoft and Nintendo? Where have you been? All of XBL's feature-set can be found in the PC gaming scene... except all the lame bits.
"Sony's success rests squarely on the shoulders of others' ideas, be they hardware and service features from Nintendo..."
I think they call that "competition", get used to it. Generally, most people would agree that competition between corporations results in better products/services for the consumer (the gamer in this case... yup, that means you).
"A Gamespy like service....ouch. This confirms (at least for me) that I made the right choice with the Xbox 360!"
Enjoy it.
"...but it was obviously enough to get the fanboys in a froth, and that is really all they were looking to do."
Right... exactly. At first the event was closed to only third-party developers/business people. Then they remembered that it's all about the fanboys/girls on blog sites like this - they quickly re-focused the event to garner as much froth as possible, openening it up to the media.
"XBOX Live Silver is free."
"Its just a basic online service like XBOX LIVE SILVER, which is ALSO FREE."
Yeah, it's free to login and that's about it. XBL Silver provides you with an account for an online service which you can not use to play online. Makes sense. Sony's "FREE" account is just temporary. I would guess it's so people don't feel ripped off paying to be a BETA tester. After their software has matured somewhat, I expect everyone to have to pay some nominal fee. No "Sivler" account please.
"Lol, humanity is such a funny thing."
Bwhahahahahahaha.... Yes, yes it is.
"I guess Microsoft should take it as a compliment that Sony is gonna outright copy them for a rival online service."
You mean they're "gonna" outright copy the existing online PC market? Oh you forgot that Microsoft didn't invent online gaming? So sorry... my mistake.
"Remember all the hoopla about the emotion engine in the ps2?"
Yup, an amazing processor it is. For the time it was released, very impressive. If you had the programming skills, you could push it like no other platform of the day. It delivered, 100 Million+ times...
"The 4 year head start is referring to the fact that XBoxLive has been around for that long. They have the experience."
I thought they had "the experience" when it came to Windows software too, but I guess they still haven't figured out what a buffer overflow is yet. I think they need more experience. Microsoft is a horrible software company. Everyone knows that. If it took Microsoft 4 years to boot-strap XBL, it'll take any other company 2 years or less (and the competitor will do it better).
Kevin @ Mar 15th 2006 12:49PM
Sony has the 360 in it's sights, finally.
I would wait another year if it ment they would work out all the bugs.
One thing xbox owners can't argue their ways out of is bluray. 360 just got pushed out of the top spot, rather, will be when this launchs. 360 has what, 18th the storage PS3 will have?
About time Sony.
B @ Mar 15th 2006 12:54PM
Good,there's more competition now.
Andrew @ Mar 15th 2006 12:59PM
Darryl, I think the point is that the emotion engine did not deliver "Toy Story" level graphics and wasn't all that superior compared to the Dreamcast, the PS2's main competitor at the time.
Vince- UK @ Mar 15th 2006 1:00PM
Sony - What do you want from an online service?
Everyone - blah blah this, that, the other, blah blah.
Sony - Here you go then.
Clowns - Oh they copy look they copied it look look everyone.
And will people stop saying that EVERYBODY was saying this about something and then claim that EVERYBODY has changed their minds.
YOU do not know what EVERYBODY thought or is thinking.
bd @ Mar 15th 2006 1:02PM
"MICROSOFT HAS EXPERIENCE WITH LIVE L0L3R"
Well, Microsoft had no experience with gaming and Xbox 1 flopped. Sony had no experience with gaming, and they broke record the first time in, and then they broke their own record. So yeah, darryl made a great point. I mean, just because microsoft owns the software world it doesn't mean it is quality software that they make.
Kingdom Hearts 2, GoW2, MK:A, Zelda TP and FFXII should keep me busy waiting for a PS3.
Game Artist @ Mar 15th 2006 1:03PM
You know that xbox live gold was free "for a time" with the purchase of a 360 as well. MS has already proved that people will pay to play online. Not like sony is going to ignore that revenue stream after a short free trial.
Spartacus @ Mar 15th 2006 1:12PM
darryl:
Good post, but not without its oversights:
"Yeah, it's free to login and that's about it. XBL Silver provides you with an account for an online service which you can not use to play online. Makes sense. Sony's "FREE" account is just temporary. I would guess it's so people don't feel ripped off paying to be a BETA tester. After their software has matured somewhat, I expect everyone to have to pay some nominal fee. No "Sivler" account please."
Actually an XBL Silver account lets you download demos, LIVE arcade titles, patches and updates, voice chat (soon video), watch trailers and many more activities. Basically everything the Gold account can do EXCEPT online multiplayer. Everything else you said I agree with ;)
"You mean they're "gonna" outright copy the existing online PC market? Oh you forgot that Microsoft didn't invent online gaming? So sorry... my mistake."
Only recently (Xfire) has the PC market adopted some of the LIVE features which Sony is now citing. For the most part, XBL is still ahead of the game in the feature department. Sony is copying the LIVE online model, not the PC.
"Yup, an amazing processor it is *[referring to the Emotion Engine]*. For the time it was released, very impressive. If you had the programming skills, you could push it like no other platform of the day. It delivered, 100 Million+ times..."
It is arguable that the Dreamcast had better graphics which supported 480p resolutions. This coming from a system launched some 15 months before the PS2.
"I thought they had "the experience" when it came to Windows software too, but I guess they still haven't figured out what a buffer overflow is yet. I think they need more experience. Microsoft is a horrible software company. Everyone knows that. If it took Microsoft 4 years to boot-strap XBL, it'll take any other company 2 years or less (and the competitor will do it better)."
Personal taste. Apparently not everyone thinks Windows is a horrible OS, it's the market leader by a staggering percentage. This doesn't mean people don't have a choice. There are other solutions: Linux and OSX. These OS's are pretty good too. However Linux suffers from compatibility issues while OSX suffers simply because it's only available on Apple PC's, which aren't as popular. I'm hardly claiming Windows doesn't have it's flaws, but MS gets a lot of undeserved flak.
It didn't take MS 4 years to "boot-strap" XBL. It was functional and very enjoyable a long time ago. The 360 just made it more so.
"And the competitor will do it better"... Absolutely no proof for that claim. Or even logic really. Take alook at Sony's past attempts at OS's, UI's and networking. PS2 was horrible. PSP is horrible. But hey, I'm sure the PS3 will be perfect...
stiffen @ Mar 15th 2006 1:17PM
just to help people understand things and not go about flaming each other.....
xbox live did not invent online gaming as people are saying. they are however the first to implement a single unifed online gaming service. the pc, ps2 or anything else is not unified. the companies are all independent on making their own online service for their games. just like how ps2 made the publishers responsible for their online worlds. i wouldn't say Sony ripped the idea off since this is the next step that any gaming console needed to take. However, they downgrade and put down a service like Xbox live then turn around and implement the idea.
And about everyone talking about free PNP.... sony said that their BASIC service is free, not for a limited time.... so that PROBABLY means that it will be like xbox live silver where you can have a buddy list, lobby, chat and download stuff. i'm guessing that you will have to pay to play online, ala live gold.
my 2 cents
don_sf @ Mar 15th 2006 1:18PM
why are these xbox fans trying to hurt sony, your like [flame] compared to ps. just look at the xbox and ps2, no xbox fan gives a reason why it has not even thretened sony a bit.
lets not forget, the xbox 360 wouldnt even be in shops if it wasnt for microsofts money. a los of 4 billion, should make someone cancel the project....like sega dreamcast which was a good console though.
if u were a developer, which console would u wanna develope for? its ps.
so i think you xbox fans should wake up, smell the coffee, smell your xbox 360 and realise you wouldnt even be smelling it if it wasnt for ms.
servo @ Mar 15th 2006 1:22PM
What will the Kool-Aid drinkers say when Sony holds a press conference in October saying, "The PSP will get a virtual [inappropriate]. But, half the stuff we said about the PS3 won't be happening.............because of Blue Ray. Yeah, that's it, Blue Ray's the reason."
Sony has lied to me too many times. I'll still pre-order one, if for anything, to sell on Ebay.
But, they have A LOT of hurdles to overcome.
*World-Wide Launch
*Blue-Ray Prices
*Live-like service from the ground up in less than a year
*Gettin playable games
*Living up to their "much better than 360" claims.
(On-Par/Slightly better than 360 doesn't even come close)
*Fighting the Revolution in Japan
*Halo 3
I'm just really skeptical of Sony's propaganda machine. And, I've already spent quite a bit on games this year, and the Revolution fits my budget much nicer right now.
I mean, why not have a 360 now, playing next-gen games, and get the Revolution later on in the year?
I get next-gen now, and control inovation by the end of the year.
Come November, gamers will have three choices:
1. Revolution - $200*
2. Xbox360 - $250* (For the core)
3. PS3 - $400* (may not have a HD)
( * prices may vary due to price cuts, costs, etc.)
If Sony pulls it off, then good for them. They will have overcaim one of the biggest mountains in gaming history.
darryl @ Mar 15th 2006 1:24PM
"Darryl, I think the point is that the emotion engine did not deliver "Toy Story" level graphics..."
Toy Story level graphics!? Every gamer knows that Sony never said that. Infact, it was Microsoft that has been quoted saying such things about xbox 1, twice:
"One of the basic premises of the Xbox is to put the power in the hands of the artist," Blackley said, which is why Xbox developers "are achieving a level of visual detail you really get in 'Toy Story.'"
http://news.com.com/Microsoft+got+game+Xbox+unveiled/2100-1040_3-250632.html
"Gates said the 3-D chips in the Xbox would be three times faster than anything on the market and offer nearly unlimited graphical visuals. "We're approaching the level of detail seen in Toy Story 2," he said, referring to the computer-generated kids film from Disney/Pixar."
http://www.wired.com/news/technology/0,1282,40970,00.html?tw=wn_story_related
Try, even just a little, to educate yourself in any subject you wish to debate prior to posting online.
jaemz @ Mar 15th 2006 1:25PM
It is nice to finally have some details on the new Sony machine.
Personally I think XboxLive can be inproved on. Do they really need to charge us so much to host games on our own machines? Can they improve on the server space and speeds of XBLM downloads? How about including some of the popular Messenger services like file/picture sharing... or even voice chats from the X360 to the PC Messenger?
While I already decided that this generation would be the X360 (so far I really like my 3 week old machine, stuff like iTunes streamed from my Mac rocks, and GR:AW is amazing)... I do think MS can improve on alot of things. Sony putting the pressure on MS is just what is needed to drive innovation.
Lou @ Mar 15th 2006 1:31PM
I wonder what happened to 1080p...