No sooner does Sony (briefly) improve the PS3 user interface with the much-talked-about version 2.4 firmware update, than some at the company feel cocky enough to start badmouthing the competition's interface. Speaking to Next-Gen, PlayStation Network Director of Operations Eric Lempel took the bait, comparing Sony's redesigned PlayStation Store to Microsoft's Xbox Live Marketplace. "I think if I look over at the competitors' UI they may have some issues just displaying content," Lempel said, "and scrolling up and down lists isn't the easiest way to find things." Tell that to McSweeny's, why don'tcha?

Lempel also pointed out that the PlayStation Store interface has "a lot of room with virtual shelf space to put a lot of things," a not-so-subtle jab at Microsoft's recently announced plan to de-list some Xbox Live Arcade games. "Depending on what type of UI you have you can accommodate a lot of titles," Lempel continued, "and specifically with our new store redesign which launched back in April we have a great ability to merchandise a wide variety of titles." That's all well and good, assuming your PS3 is currently working.

[Via X3F]

Not to be trumped in the online flesh-and-blood female host arms race by Sony and Qore's Veronica Belmont, Microsoft has announced a partnership with IGN to bring its popular "IGN Strategize" segments to Xbox Live, hosted by IGN host/celebrity Jessica Chobot (who may or may not lick a 360 controller).

Larry Hryb, Xbox Live's "Major Nelson," made the announcement this morning via his Twitter feed. A brief preview clip of himself and Chobot chatting has subsequently hit the "Inside Xbox" section of Live. IGN Strategize will soon join the other regular Inside Xbox segments and focus on tips, tricks, and strategies, hence the name.

In the latest Sessler's Soapbox, a regular video diatribe by G4TV personality Adam Sessler, he expresses his severe distaste for the bigotry and homophobia found on Xbox Live. Having actually spent time at GDC discussing this very issue with Sessler and his wife -- she's a lovely and charming woman by the way -- let's just say that Sessler is actually quite restrained regarding his feelings on the issue in the video we've placed after the break.

Although we joke about it in the picture above, Catan is one of the rare Xbox Live games where civility can be found. However, we understand that trash-talking is part of the competitive Xbox Live experience, so might we suggest the Shakespearean Insult Generator for those compelled to disparage others. And parents, please control your children online.

So, you say you're a fan of unscrupulous activities and/or top-down shooters? Boy, have we got news for you! A demo for Raiden Fighters Aces has just been dropped onto the Japanese Xbox Live Marketplace. And just in time, the old "imaginary Japanese XBL account" trick is back in full effect.

So, what can you expect? Well, a decidedly old-school, top-down shooter experience for starters. But, perhaps more noticeably, the most aggressive soundtrack we've ever heard in a game. Seriously, it's the sonic equivalent of being repeatedly gut-punched by Ving Rhames. This doesn't seem like the kind of thing that will come stateside, so you may want to give it a whirl while you can.

[Thanks, SidearmS]

We were planning on accompanying this post with a poll asking how many of our readers regularly watch Hannah Montana, but we're pretty sure we can guess the results of that questionnaire -- half of our readers would fess up to watching the pre-teen pop queen, and the other half would be bold-faced liars.

Fine, you don't have to admit it -- but if you have a friend (wink, wink) with an Xbox Live account, that friend (nudge, nudge) can now download episodes of Hannah Montana as well as a plethora of other Disney channel programming on Live Marketplace. It's just like having that dreamy Zac Efron live inside of your Xbox 360 hard drive, ready to serenade you at your behest, just one ashamed button press away from your Veteran career on Call of Duty 4.

[Via Gamerscore Blog]

Boy, you guys must really hate going to your local game retailer. Sony today announced that it's PSN Online Store has racked up an impressive 52 million downloads since launching with the PS3 back in November '06 (and expanding to the PSP in November '07).

For context, Microsoft's Xbox Live Marketplace reached to 50 million download milestone back in August '06, roughly five months faster than Sony's network (when staggered launch dates are taken into account). Sony's current mark of 2.9 million registered PSN users also pales in comparison to the 7 million Xbox Live users as of last September, though Microsoft's head start likely played a part in that lead.

Still, Sony's online service is going in the right direction, growing from 6.6 million downloads in Dec. '07 to 7.9 million in Jan. '08. And with the PS3 starting to outsell the Xbox 360 in the American marketplace, could the much-predicted Sony turnaround finally be coming to pass?

Microsoft Europe's Xbox community manager Graeme Boyd dropped a "wee" note on his blog this morning to let everyone know that only Xbox Live Silver members can download the Beautiful Katamari demo (released in Europe, Australia and New Zealand just yesterday). Yep, you paying folk will have to wait.

Boyd assures us that the situation will soon be resolved (maybe it already is), meaning, Gold members will get the exclusive access they've been promised, and Silver members will be back on the outside looking in. But, for the moment, all you freeloaders should revel in this brief episode of trading places.

MTV recently spoke with the lawyer behind the Xbox Live outage class-action lawsuit who is seeking $5 million in damages. Attorney Jason Gibson, a consumer-fraud attorney, comes off very well in the piece and diffuses criticisms that his clients are just cashing in by saying, "When you have one person who is mad and they can't get a response, and they can't get their complaints addressed by a company like Microsoft, the only way to get their attention is in numbers." Gibson says his clients (who are college-educated and in their late 20s and 30s) are not expecting a "windfall or anything like that," they just want to be reimbursed for services not delivered.

Gibson says that others are joining in on the suit and that Microsoft put the cart before the horse this holiday with Xbox Live. He claims that the manufacturer took money for Xbox Live subscriptions without being able to provide the service promised, and that the service should have been ready to handle an influx of consumers. As much as we're happy that Microsoft is giving us a free game for all the drama, the infrastructure should certainly have been there to provide service by this point in Xbox Live's life.

If you can't live without your Peninsula Beauty Supply or illy Caffe discounts, prepare to pay the piper because the Xbox Live Diamond card is moving from free to a $6.95 annual fee. The charge occurs as the ownership and administration of the Diamond Card program moves over fully to Passport Unlimited (which makes it sound like Microsoft is walking away from the table).

Beginning March 1, 2008, the hit or miss discounts offered by the program will require you to input a credit card; those who are already members will stay on free until their memberships expire this year (renewals will naturally require the fee). To those who actually have these cards, do you ever use them?

[Via GamerTagRadio]

Mercury News writer and Microsoft guru Dean Takahashi has published a memo penned by Microsoft games chief Don Mattrick, who expects that "Xbox 360 is on track to register the biggest year in video game history."

According to Mattrick North American hardware, software and accessory sales for Xbox 360 exceeded $3.5 billion, reportedly $1 billion more than Wii and $2 billion more than PlayStation 3. "When December data is added," he said, "we expect Xbox 360 in 2007 to have generated more calendar year revenue than any other gaming platform ever, including PS2 at its peak."

Mattrick's biggest claim comes in implicitly hailing the Xbox 360 as this generation's console winner. "History has shown that the eventual winner of each console generation was the console that generated the most 3rd party revenue, and according to the most recent NPD data, Xbox 360 generated more 3rd party revenue in 2007 than Nintendo and Sony combined."

Unsurprisingly not mentioned in the memo is the Xbox 360's performance in Japan. The memo also revealed some new Xbox Live statistics, including mention that the service has surpassed 10 million Xbox Live users, "over six months before our stated goal of July 2008 announced at E3 last year." We've compiled those after the break.

Microsoft's Trixie (Christa Phillips) released a list of the top 25 Xbox Live gamertags in 2007 over the weekend. The list is compiled "anytime the gamercard or profile is called up," with more "hits" resulting in a higher placement. Topping the list is obviously none other than Major Nelson, known in real life as the vowel-deficient Larry Hryb, Xbox Live's director of programming, the guru and go-to man for Xbox related issues and announcements -- especially when things go horribly wrong with the service.

We're not exactly sure who a lot of the people on the list are (which can also be found after the break with an appropriate video clip), but Ms. Trixie comes in at number three behind other Microsoft personality Eric "e" Neustadter. Xbox Live "cheater" Gilbert Arenas bounced in at number six, while Call of Duty 4 and Halo 3 developers made eight and nine respectively. Also, former X3F writer David "Knuckles Dawson" Dreger made number 19. Now, let's see if you all can fill in the rest of the names behind the gamertags.

Major Nelson just published a list of the top Xbox Live games, in each of three major categories, for 2007: Xbox 360 Titles, Xbox titles, and Xbox Live Arcade titles (that category is measured in sales). Unsurprisingly, Halo 3 is the most popular Xbox 360 title on Live, while Halo 2 is the most popular Xbox title on Live. There are some interesting titles scattered amongst the remaining eighteen titles in those categories, but we're really interested in the Xbox Live Arcade titles.

The top-selling XBLA game in 2007 was Konami's 1989 arcade classic Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, followed by Worms in second place and Castlevania: Symphony of the Night in 3rd. To be honest, we're surprised to see this many original XBLA titles on the list, including UNO and Geometry Wars Evolved (still here after all these years). Hit up the full lists after the break.

Still not convinced Burnout Paradise was "THE best demo released" last year? Criterion has rubbed some grease on frontman Alex Ward's heaping helping of self-praise by doubling the maximum number of online players (from 4 to 8) and adding 13 new Freeburn Challenges. So does this mean that Burnout is now the best demo of 2008? Quick! Somebody give these guys an award!

(Note: The multiplayer boost will take effect on servers between today and Jan. 14th. The demo is available on PSN and Xbox Live.)

Microsoft wants to say "sowwy" for the intermittent Xbox Live issues plaguing the service over the holiday, and they'd like to apologize with a free Xbox Live Arcade game. Major Nelson posts a letter from Marc Whitten, general manager of Xbox Live, which has a lot of customer service filler in it until the line about a free XBLA game for "all our Xbox Live members around the world" -- India is going to be psyched!

The letter says specific details are forthcoming, so now we're left wondering if there'll be a couple options or if it's just gonna be free Frogger for everyone. If that's the case, then someone is gettin' thrown under a car! Get it? Sigh.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

Your friend and ours, Xbox Live, has been going through some tough times lately. In the past week, the service that many of us pay roughly $50 a year for has been up and down more frequently than a bipolar groundhog. If you want to tap right into a live feed of the Xbox Live operation, Apollo 13 style, sign up for Major Nelson's Twitter feed, which has devolved into a play by play of the network's status (last update: "Things were a bit wonky, but they appear to be getting better.").

But, since many of us are paying for the privilege, there's a growing sense that we deserve some sort of compensation. While we at Joystiq won't be satisfied until Bill Gates himself writes us each a check for $1, TheBitbag.com claims that an Xbox insider told them: "we will definitely be doing something for our Gold members that weren't able to get online over the last week." Though we can't be certain precisely what that is, our inside sources are telling us "footrubs."



[Via Xbox Scene]