Sony talks up XBLA-killing E-Distribution initiative
by Christopher Grant 
{ Jul 5th 2006 at 4:25PM }
Announced during Phil Harrison's GDC keynote, Sony's E-Distribution initiative promises to be an integral and revolutionary feature of their new console ... just like Xbox Live Arcade has for the Xbox 360. Kutaragi (like Bill Gates) even says it will be the future. Answering what Sony sees in digital distribution, Sony's John Hight outlined for Gamasutra the usual suspects: remote markets, cheaper distribution, inventory risk and, of course, piracy. Most telling is how Hight sees the service in relation to Microsoft's XBLA: "We're looking for fresh, new ideas that fully exploit the power of PlayStation 3. Our 1st party projects are all unique to PS3. Some of our games, by virtue of their design and hardware demands, simply couldn't work on Xbox 360."
For starters, it's great to hear that Sony is supporting the service with first-party projects;
[Thanks, Angelcurio]
[Update: Added Carbonated Games info. Thanks, Ben!]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Draco @ Jul 5th 2006 4:31PM
actually a marble madness with dual shake game would be quite addictive
:D comon mattel or whoever made the original (something with a M)
[-Z-] @ Jul 5th 2006 4:34PM
I'm a big fan of e-download. why?? I dont need the freaking disc to play the games. That's a major selling point of me. But if Sony really going with this EDI(E-download intiative), they better provide a way for me to backup downloaded content. Since I used direct2drive.com, i always burn the download games to CD, just incase my hard disk crash and i need to reinstall. So far i know, PS3 does not come equipped with Disc burning capability. It make me wonder how do i backup my downloaded games.
Mark D. @ Jul 5th 2006 4:35PM
Hmm, really smooth Phil.
By the nature of their design and hardware demands, some 360 games can't run on PS3, some PS3 games can't run on 360 and some PC games can't run on either.
Wanna know why? Because they weren't coded with multi-platform in mind.
Also, are you sure it's because the software is so damn cool and hardcore, or is it because your platform is so damn esoteric that you have to code for the platform, and not just code the game...
georgedakota @ Jul 5th 2006 4:37PM
Its easy to make talk about how good a service like this will be but until we see what it offers thats all it is, just talk! I think given the interest in this type of thing and the things nintendo claims to be doing microsoft will really start to release more xbla titles near christmas and next year. Microsoft is too smart to just be sitting around while nintendo and sony are claiming all these titles coming.
Belcho @ Jul 5th 2006 4:38PM
Well, it's good to hear something that's not complete diarreha coming out of Sony camp nowadays.
Again, if they think they're going to do digital distribution this generation, then why are they gouging us with this "great" next-gen optical drive right now?
I agree that MS needs to do some 1st party games on XBLA, but I can't say that I'm losing sleep waiting for Marble Blast with a motion controller either.
Scythe @ Jul 5th 2006 4:47PM
To #2 if it is supposed to be a comuter then you should be able to get a CD Burner and plug into one of the USB ports and the burn it that way. Sure it may take sometime to burn a DVD or cd for that matter depending on the file size.
http://saiyansvengeance.com
ahamsandwich @ Jul 5th 2006 4:55PM
"Sony talks up XBLA-killing E-Distribution initiative"
xbla killing initiative?! is that sarcasm?! im tired of this kinda talk....sigh
Anonymous Rep @ Jul 5th 2006 4:58PM
I like this comment from the original article the best.
"It should help curtail used game sales and piracy."
Hmmm - so in other words, Sony and PS3 are giving GameStop, EB, GameCrazy, and however many smaller, local gaming stores the finger.
That should really help increase their sales this holiday in GameStop, EB, GameCrazy and assorted local gaming stores - knowing that one of your consoles doesn't want you to actually exist.
"Some of our games, by virtue of their design and hardware demands, simply couldn't work on Xbox 360."
Well, I bet they would if you changed the CODE so that it would. That's like saying that this program I wrote in FORTRAN won't work on you COBOL machine. Of course, if I rewrote it in COBOL, then it would. Since the actual specs on the 360 and PS3 are so close, I think I'd pretty well have to take this one with a LARGE grain of salt.
I will note that nowhere in the actual article did anyone state that this was an XBLA killer - that's only in the Gamasutra and Joystiq hype. It specifically states in the article that their service is in pre-production at this point - which means it's got bugs out the behind and they're hoping to actually pull it off at some point in the life of console - but don't look for it anytime soon.
White Shadows @ Jul 5th 2006 4:59PM
"Every time we go down a path, we look behind and they're right there - we just can't shake these guys. I wish that they would come up with some strategies of their own..." -GIMME A BREAK!
Ben @ Jul 5th 2006 5:00PM
Actually, if I'm correct, Carbonated Games, the people who made hexic and Uno, are owned bt the big M. Thats what Major Nelson said a couple of podcasts ago.
C. Grant @ Jul 5th 2006 5:04PM
XBLA-killer is what Sony is positioning it as. Same as their online service is a Live-killer and their console is a 360-killer and their controller is an Xbox 360 controller-killer, etc. etc.
Where's the fun in calling it "Sony's planned competition for Microsoft's successful online digital content distribution system, known as Xbox Live Arcade?" XBLA-killer is more to the point; naturally, it isn't a killer yet (*it doesn't exist!*) but if you need me to tell you that, well ...
Nathan @ Jul 5th 2006 5:06PM
Everyone's favorite XBLA game, Geometry Wars, is from Bizarre Creations - a MGS company.
D @ Jul 5th 2006 5:06PM
Given SONY's Programing and Web expertise, it's a wonder that Microsoft didn't just hire SONY to make their online service.
Of course Sony coming out with a better online service than the people who invented online console gaming, is just as idiotic as my previous statement.
Measure @ Jul 5th 2006 5:18PM
In this post, we have John Hight saying "Our 1st party projects are all unique to PS3."
heh... uhm... is there another definition of "1st party projects" i missed somewhere?
JJ @ Jul 5th 2006 5:18PM
MS... didn't invent online console gaming D.
I was playing games online back on Dreamcast and Super nintendo and Genesis.
MS helped bring it to the forefront, yes. But you cant say they invented it. Because they didn't.
lloyd @ Jul 5th 2006 5:24PM
"the people who invented online console gaming"
xbox live was launched after the ps2 was online... and then there was sega before that
they didn't invent it they just supported it a bit better because the console was basically a gaming pc in a console package.
striderhayasa @ Jul 5th 2006 5:42PM
PCs kill XBL for online play. XBL is better than anything that has come before it for the console market. PS2's online service sucked. Nintendo already has the infrastructure in place with Nintendo Wifi for the Wii and its already supported by DS. Nintendo Wifi and VC have the potential to be really good but I wouldn't expect it to be on the same level as XBL. PS3's service...well, I have no hope for it until they prove they can support the PSP let alone the PS3.
Until XBL can support the mod community, the PC will always have that higher plateau.
SuicideNinja @ Jul 5th 2006 5:53PM
"[insert game/console]-killer" is becoming a worn out term. Did the PSP kill iPods and the NDS? Did Killzone kill Halo? Nope.
"Some of our games, by virtue of their design and hardware demands, simply couldn't work on Xbox 360."
To what extent? Motion control? Um, Microsoft could do that in a heartbeat if they want. All the other buttons are there, and they can add about anything they want. High Def, online play, the rest is there.
If the PS2 is the kind of machine that meets their hardware demands....well...that says a lot.
I think what they really mean is that "We use hardware that is so proprietary that no one else can effectively code for it. It's what we want, so developers must want it, too."
KingOfGods @ Jul 5th 2006 5:58PM
Isn't GeoWars a first party title on XBLA? I thought it was done by one of the guys who did PGR.
Mark D. @ Jul 5th 2006 6:10PM
Come on 6(Scythe), you really think that the company that put rootkits and spyware is going to allow filthy criminals like their users to burn their software onto disks?
Canadian Geese @ Jul 5th 2006 6:18PM
Sony... got any hard facts? How about some actual numbers? Price? Any information at all about this online service?
...waiting...
Randy @ Jul 5th 2006 6:30PM
I see Sony is going to "over think" this again.
Has anyone else noticed that the majority of the XBLA games on the 360 are older games or simple games, sold cheaply? Has Sony stopped to think that *that's* what makes them so popular? Small payments that aren't painful: good for impulse buys. Easy games: Hexic appeals to all ages, players, genre - it's as universal as Pacman. Old games: brings old memories to life which older gamers dig on.
And there's Sony dripping all of that "WE'LL PWN YOU WITH NEXT GEN 3D OBJECTS!!!11" marketing for their online service. Which implies that each game there will be $40 (or higher, if their price point for games DOES go above $60 as rumored) because at $40 it's still a BARGAIN.
From what I've seen about the online service for Wii, Nintendo gets it: Mario Bros should be THE first downloadable game, followed by Donkey Kong. And the response would be HUGE.
Ah well. To each their own.
Z-247 @ Jul 5th 2006 6:30PM
doesn't this defeat the need for Blu-ray a bit then? I thought every good game would somehow require Blu-ray storage capacity...except all the other awesome games Sony will let us download?
bounchfx @ Jul 5th 2006 6:39PM
Someone saying marble blast with motion controller just gave me the idea of KATAMARI DAMACY with that controller, now that would be sick, and I'm sure a whole lot more fun.
J.Goodwin @ Jul 5th 2006 6:55PM
And Geometry Wars. Unless Bizzarre Creations recently purchased their freedom.
J.Goodwin @ Jul 5th 2006 7:03PM
Sony's hard drive / storage medium capacity ratio thing kind of gets me. If the blu-ray medium is so integral becuase you NEED that extra storage space, AND you intend to be digitally distributing current gen major franchises during the life cycle of this console, then 60 gigs isn't enough by a long shot. It's no better than the 15-20 on the 360 from that perspective.
What the 15 usable on the 360 has proven to be enough for is demos of approximately 1 gigabyte in size. I wonder if I can think up another company headed by Peter Moore in the last 10 years that produced a console which used games that are approximately 1 gigabyte in size and could easily be emulated on the 360, thereby making them the perfect partner for digitially distributed complete retail games.
Damn, I can't think of one.
But if I could, then I'd have to think up a way to bring that old content back into the limelight. Some sort of marketing strategy. Maybe in cooperation with a major videogame news and review portal.
But who the hell would throw in on that crazy boondoggle?
C. Grant @ Jul 5th 2006 7:05PM
"Bizarre Creations is an independent developer, based in Liverpool, UK."
http://www.bizarrecreations.com/company.php
What you'd call a second-party developer.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second-party_developer
D @ Jul 5th 2006 8:08PM
I stand corrected. I guess what I should have said is ...
Microsoft is the first to bring mainstream console online game play and the first global online system that is made up of all different walks of life and all ages from kids less than 10 years old to people like my father, who turns 60 real soon, in an easy to use and play format. The specific idea of online gameing was not made by MS, but I do have to say ... they have made it easy for anyone, no matter what level of technical abilities you might have, to play online again the rest of the world.
True Computer online play will dominate for many years to come, but just like the PS3, it's not for everyone.
I know that someone will point out where I'm wrong, but that's okay ... we are all allowed to speak our minds and thoughts.
I'm a simple gamer, who really aprecites the simplicity of the XBLA system. I really don't think that SONY will be able to even come close to matching LIVE in anyway in it's opening generation, unless they copy almost everything from MS. Nintendo on the other hand is a briliant company with great programmers that will be able to make a system that even a 6 year old will be able to make use of and enjoy.
SilentSpectre @ Jul 5th 2006 8:12PM
"xbox live was launched after the ps2 was online... and then there was sega before that
they didn't invent it they just supported it a bit better because the console was basically a gaming pc in a console package."
Actually, there's been online gaming since the NES. The SNES and Genesis had a 3rd party modem. It was called the X-Band.
JJ @ Jul 5th 2006 8:13PM
Well yeah it easy easy to get into D but not as easy as PS2 online.
To be able to use XBL you have to assume the person WANTS to get online, and then they havbe to pay for high speed internet, etc etc.
So i mean its not like someone just goes out and BAM they can get online. XBL online assumes a lot, its not like you can get on with a 56k modem or nothing.
So its not like its the easiest thing to get last i checked nobody just "has" high speed internet.
Its kinda like assuming everyone has cable TV and HBO.
Enigma @ Jul 5th 2006 9:04PM
"Actually, there's been online gaming since the NES. The SNES and Genesis had a 3rd party modem. It was called the X-Band."
And before that with the Commadore Vik20/64!
/wink
Indepth @ Jul 5th 2006 9:25PM
UNO is quite a surprise actually. I didn't think I'd like it, but I'm playing it practically every other day in between playing other games. It's by far my favorite XBLA game.
Have you seen some of the other games coming down the pike for XBLA? I'm not talking about the arcade ports. There's some really cool indie stuff on the way. HoopWorld...RoboBlitz...Mad Tracks...Cloning Clyde...Novadrone...Small Arms...Totem Balls
As far as future releases in XBLA that are from Microsoft itself...hmm...Microsoft hasn't announced any. Most curious... They must be up to SOMETHING.
Seventy5 @ Jul 5th 2006 10:12PM
@ 8, yeah, that's a bunch of crap to want to make money for the software sold on their platform, for shame! Consoles are sold at a loss with money made back from software sales. There was a story earlier today about Gamestop making 51.1% profit on used game sales, of which, devs & pubs don't see a single penny. I'm just as frugal as anyone, but frankly, I'd rather see developers get the money for their efforts rather than Gamestop.
Furthermore, what Sony is doing is no different than what MS is doing with XBLA. Is MS giving retailers the finger also? They are both pushing distibution models to cut costs and hopefully lower prices on content distributed online direct to consumer. If I've got the choice to buy a game used at Gamestop for $45 or spend $40-$45 to get it electronically, I'm putting my money with the guys that put the blood, sweat & tears into making the game.
Also, Sony is not positioning this EDI as an XBLA killer, it's simply a competing system for their competing product. Websites tack "-killer" on anything for their own purposes.
In regards to the PS3 games not working on 360, is it possible that some of them are possibly built using Flash, which PS3 is supposed to support? Being that 360 doesn't support Flash, I don't think that statement is arrogant or misleading.
Lastly, XBLA has been a missed opportunity so far as far as I'm concerned. I've enjoyed Astropop, Hexic & Bejeweled, but XBLA is mostly (so far) a dumping ground for old ass games that are already widely available free or part of a compilation. They had better start putting up some compelling content or they will get owned in their own game if Sony is able to nurture some unique content for a decent price.
Greg @ Jul 5th 2006 11:55PM
Im really startingo to hate sony now. The're starting to sound like their own fanboys...damn cant they mention something they are doing without mentioning MS as a comparison....Does anyone see they keep doing this with the ps3....All MS said this entire time about sony is that they wanted to launch 1st.....Everytime i turn around sony keep whining about what MS is doing....Thats why sony as a company is failing...They used to set trends 'walkman disc" now everywhere you look they're playing catchup........
Greg @ Jul 6th 2006 12:12AM
did that guy just say xband??!!! And why do you pc fans even enter debates like this CONSOLE dumass CONSOLE And no xband and that saturn concentric crap and dreamcast Didnt work out....historicly when someone invent something we look at the guy that didnt get it right...yea im sure ben franklin was the absolute 1st one to think of electricty....no he just the one that made it work......And no Ms didnt assume we all had cable and hbo they just knew that in the end the majority would, which we do thats why aol stock keep dropping.....yea ps made you feel warm comfy with that 56k port but em theres a thing call lag that maybe ms and their vast pc knowledge knew that most gamers couldnt tolerate.........oh and dreamcast how many online just because it had a port doesnt mean it was 'online' in that case so was gamecube as well....so no to us they didnt invent but many years from not that probably how history will see it
yonderboy @ Jul 6th 2006 2:36AM
seriously... let me summarize what #2 had to say:
"I'm a big fan of e-download. why?? I dont need the freaking disc to play the games. . . . . Since I used direct2drive.com, i always burn the download games to CD, just incase my hard disk crash and i need to reinstall."
Does anyone else find something odd about this?
And, to keep on topic... yet another clueless rambling by the Sony suits.
Ben Hobbs @ Jul 6th 2006 2:53AM
#32
Uno for the xbox360 runs on flash technology if I'm not mistaken.
I can't see Sony's online service bein as good as Live, Microsoft have way more experience and Live is probably the easiest way to play online games. Sony will be so concerned with locking out pirates etc... rather than making it the best service they can.
Zero_ @ Jul 6th 2006 4:19AM
Y'know what would be really amusing? If Sony -actually- delivered on all of these promises:
- This 'super XBOX LIVE' unified network hub that surpassed LIVE in every aspect, including this "super arcade" feature.
- Super graphics on each and every game.
- Tilt controller is actually fun to use in each and every game that utilises it.
- That the Blu-Ray will be a huge asset to gaming.
Then when Sony delivers on all of this and everyone is blown away to the extent where they actually need to purchase one, Sony will all laugh in the doubter's faces.
...
...
...
...
Bwuahahah.... Sure. And yes, I'm a huge Sony fan, so I hope Sony the best with it.
JJ @ Jul 6th 2006 6:59AM
Greg... history will never show that MS invented online console gaming...because they didn't, that would be like saying MS invented First PErson shooters because of Halo.
and the majority certainly do not have broadband internet.. to even say so is like saying the majority have High definition TV's, the number is growing, yes, but not a majority have it.
You cant just say that Xbox was the first one to have online gaming, because in the end its not true, While it may not have been big early on, there HAVE been console that HAVE had online gaming to a degree before hand, MS was just the first to publicize the fact that everyone that had their system had the OPTION to go online if they purchased live.
You DO realizee that just because people had an xbox doesn't mean THEY ALL Played on xbox live right? Its just that the option is there. Or do you really believe that EVERYONE who has a console plays online? Because last I checked, they dont.
JJ @ Jul 6th 2006 6:59AM
This is almost like saying because of Everquest... Sony CREATED MMO's.
JJ @ Jul 6th 2006 7:04AM
Well hey I hope sony DOES do a good job, I mean they ahve a benchmark (360) to compare it too and if the service can at least match MS's offering while being free, more power to them.
But until I get the system in my hands and i'm playing it, they dont have Anything as far as i'm concerned.
I just hope that they're little E distribution games dont overshadow the actual games ya pay big money for... because i know as of right now i play my xBLA games more than i actually play games i go out and purchase for my 360.
Natiahs @ Jul 6th 2006 9:05AM
"Now, if you believe that the PS3 and Xbox 360 are fundamentally identical systems with a few minor technical differences..."
How is a processor with 8 3.2 GHz cores "fundamentally identical" to a processor with 3 3.2 GHz cores? How is a machine with 3.2 GHz RAM "fundamentally identical" to a machine with 700 MHz RAM? Don't believe M$'s hype: the 360 is not close to PS3 in terms of processing power. If cross-platform games look fundamentally identical, it is because they were developed for 360 and ported to PS3.
N
WizarDru @ Jul 6th 2006 9:37AM
The processors are, in and of themselves, irrelevant to the development of the software. Unless we've returned to the days of developing in machine code, they're going to use development kits, most likely running on a PC. The games will be developed utilizing a unified code-base that will require customizing to the processor and instruction set...but it will not require fundementally developing a completely different game from the ground up. This was true in NES/Sega days, it is true with PS2/Xbox and will be true with PS3/Xbox-360. The command to draw a polygon may have a different syntax (and one may be better or worse at a particular operation), but that doesn't mean they both can't achieve the task.
This isn't to say it won't be a significant effort to tailor each version to its specific hardware....just that it's hardly an insurmountable task. Each system has its strengths over the other and talented developers will take advantage of that. Will a game written exclusively for one platform or the other be technologically superior to one written for cross-platform? Most likely, Yes. But that's always been true, and will continue to be so. But since 3rd party development has always been what sells a console more than 1st party (Nintendo, are you playing attention?), it's more likely that you'll see more games written to that standard. I didn't see anyone complaining about Resident Evil 4 being ported to the PS/2, even as the version was technically inferior. Because it was a GREAT GAME.
broseph @ Jul 6th 2006 11:54AM
Xbox Live is awesome. You get to pay for the service and they still shove ads down your throat. That's cool.
steve @ Jul 6th 2006 4:25PM
Yeah, I'm sure the guy who posted above me has ever used live. There is an ad square every page or so, and most of the time it just shows you new downloads that you can check out. Then you can get a que list going and go play a game; then come back and all of your downloads are done. But I hate the stupid "unified" setup of xbox live. What was MS thinking? Having a universal friends list? Seeing what all of your buddies are doing? Having the ability to chat with them, no matter what game they are playing or movie they are watching? That is soooooooo stupid. What doesn't MS just give up? Sony will kill them with the amazing cell processor. The flagship title will be a data processing program that fully utilizes the cell's integer processing power. But anyways, xbox live sucks and MS should just give up, because they are the suxors!
- sarcasm.
Digi Smalls @ Jul 7th 2006 2:55PM
ps3 has 1 "core" not 8.
those other units in the ps3 (one of which isn't even active) are specialized co-processors that are so specific, their game programming value is still in question.
hype free,