It’s no secret that Microsoft’s Online gaming Network is widely considered to be superior to Sony’s own Online infrastructure; Whether it be competitive Online gamers setting up Clan meets or merely 13 Year olds setting up Team Fortress 2 “glitch-games”, Xbox Live is considered the definitive venue for all Multiplatform Online gaming. Many a publication and regular gamers with blogs have offered their own take on what Sony can do to combat Xbox Lives ‘superiority’, with numerous websites claiming all Sony has to do is provide more content and features such as Cross-Game chat, Custom Soundtracks, etc, and all will be even Stevens between the two Networks. Or so they think.
What a significant amount of gamers and journalists have failed to observe is the Playstation Networks biggest problem has nothing to do with Software, that is: it has nothing to do with Sony resolving the issue by employing the most talented Software engineers this side of the Galaxy to write a magnificent and earth shattering line of Code that will be the downfall of Xbox Live.
The biggest problem facing the Playstation Network is the exact same dilemma which when solved will, without a single doubt in my mind, result in the Playstation Network being perceived and accepted as being the superior console Network to game on. With 1 move, Sony can make the PSN better than Xbox Live. And that move is quite simple; Sony need to pack a Headset with every Ps3 console.
There is absolutely nothing about the offerings of Xbox Live that make it superior to the PSN; Features such as Cross-Game chat are welcome, but are absolutely not a necessity Nor a must-have feature for the Playstation Network. In other words, Playstation gamers can live without this feature, it is a feature that will not change the face of gaming nor will it go down in the history books as being the one thing the PSN didn’t have that XBL had.
What makes Xbox Live perceived as being superior to the masses is the ‘Live’ feel of the Network; It feels on demand, it feels like it’s in the ‘now’. Simply put: It feels like an engaging Social experience. The Playstation Networks biggest problem is it does not engage gamers in the same way Xbox Live does: it does not feel ‘alive’ and ‘active’, and the sole reason for this is the lack of people talking.
Have you ever attended a party or social gathering, where the majority of the people in attendance were reserved and or didn’t speak much(if at all), with only 2-4 people communicating actively and loudly with one another? This is exactly how a game of Call of Duty 4 feels like on PSN. There exists no gamer communication, no companionship, no competitiveness and unnecessary yet hilarious trash talk; In other words, there exists no online socializing.
The core and sole problem is the lack of a Headset as standard in the Ps3 box; the device for communication amongst gamers is being offered as an option rather than a standard. And this is exactly why Xbox Live is perceived to be the superior Network.
I can bet you my unopened copy of Sega Superstar Tennis that the Users on PSN with Headsets have more people on their Friends List than those without Headsets: Birds of a feather flock together, and if the Birds happen to have a headset, then I’m going to stick with those god damn birds until Winter arrives.
Of course, there are hurdles which Sony must overcome in order to be able to offer a Headset as standard with every Ps3 unit, the most significant one being the price of the Headset. As we all know (thanks to a Zillion articles from Kotaku and numerous other key Sony share holders), the Ps3 is still losing money for Sony. But thanks to the axing of some features such as Backwards Compatibility, the Ps3 is losing much less money right now than it was back when it launched.
Numerous analysts and men with Crystal Balls have predicted the Ps3 will officially be profitable starting April of this year, with a price cut expected to happen before E3/during E3 of this year; this is when Sony need to cure the illness of the Playstation Network.
Most expect Sony will have the ability to shave off $100 off the Ps3,what the Japanese Electronics giant needs to do is cut the price by $80,and dedicate that $20 into any <$20 Bluetooth Headset they can acquire. Obviously the quality will not match that of the official Ps3 Headset (which currently retails for $49.99) but they need to sacrifice the quality of the Headset in favor of simply being able to chuck a Headset in every Ps3 box shipping after the price cut happens.
As both an Xbox Live and Playstation Network User, it’s without a question in my mind that the popularity and perception of the Xbox Live service is purely due to the social aspect of it. People do not want to play games where the entire 20-30 minute experience is occupied by usernames with no voice behind them-It’s boring, outdated, and basically lacks excitement of any kind. As a matter of fact, I’m willing to bet statistics will show the most common reason a gamer is booted from an Xbox Live game is due to the absence and lack of a Microphone. Sony need to challenge Microsoft on the social aspect front, they need to provide an equal social experience, and providing a Headset with each Ps3 is exactly how they can achieve superior status to Xbox Live.
Activision Publishing CEO Mike Griffith explained in a Wednesday earnings call that the firm does intend to take a measured approach to new IP introductions, confirming that three new properties are on the way this year.
EA Dice was set to reopen its closed beta testing servers for Battlefield Heroes today February 11, 2009. If you where lucky enough to get into the first beta you can simply start the game update it and start playing.
