Microsoft started planning the XBOX LIVE network back in late 1999 early 2000. The concept was simple: Create a unified online gaming network with chat, the ability to invite your friends and create a social network built around gaming. In the Aug of 2002 (less than a year after the release of XBOX) Microsoft conducted the XBOX LIVE beta program. I enrolled and was accepted in Sept of 2002. The network was amazing and reliable. You could send invites to friends to join your game, chat during any game and also the ability to know exactly what games your friends are playing (had to be LIVE enabled game). This changed online gaming forever (PC and Console). XBOX LIVE thrived without HALO (as HALO 1 was launched before LIVE) reaching 1 million subscribers (paying 49.99 a year) faster than any other paid service in history. Faster than HBO, TIVO, etc.

Microsoft then upgraded the network several times. LIVE 2.0 introduced the ability to chat without being in a game. LIVE 3.0 introduced text messaging, voicemail and clan support (the ability to create clans and recruit members) with Rainbow Six: Black Arrow and HALO 2. Then HALO 2 pretty much solidified XBOX LIVE as “the” premiere online gaming service in the “known universe”.

XBOX 360 was released last November and Microsoft released the new and improved LIVE. The new LIVE is feature rich with the ability to:

• Chat in game using main lobby or private chat
  
  
• Chat outside of game using private chat (up to 4 chat sessions can be started at one). The chat session stays active no matter what you are doing. You can start a movie or game and continue to chat without interruption.
  
  
• Voice and Text Messaging. Also the ability to send and view text messages via XBOX.COM.
  
  
• The Marketplace for downloading gamer pics, themes for the dashboard, game demos, game trailers, music videos, movie trailers and more.
  
  
• Download Movies and TV shows via the Video Marketplace (coming Nov 22)
  
  
• The ability to stream music and images from your XP PC, Media Center PC, Portable device such as USB Drive, MP3 Player, etc.
  
  
• The ability to stream Windows Media Video (recently added)
  
  
• Video Conferencing (recently added) via the Vision Camera.
  

Microsoft has set a very high bar with XBOX LIVE; frankly the bar is so high I do not think Sony will ever catch up. Especially with Sony’s poor online support in the past (PS2 and PC).

Sony had always stuck to the same strategy of, “we will not create a unified network” and “we will continue to allow publishers and devs to run their own servers for online gaming”. This is the same strategy they used for the PS2 online and the strategy “was” flawed. Allowing your publishers and dev to do their own thing without any consensus on features is BAD for gamers. Without a unified service, gamers were forced to maintain separate friends list for each game and no new features were added to the online experience, just the “same old”.

Sony finally came to their senses early this year (too late) and decided to create a unified service like Microsoft’s XBOX LIVE. They promised to match the network, feature for feature. On paper the service looked very good but I immediately knew better as Sony is the “king” of bullshit. They promise the stars and the moon then deliver “earth dirt”. Anyone who thought Sony’s PlayStation Network would “suddenly” catch XBOX LIVE is not a rational person (and should seek immediately mental health assistance). Microsoft’s lead on building a stable, reliable, always on, always available, upgradeable network is 5+ years.

Details regarding Sony’s service are finally available and as I thought way back earlier in the year, Sony was simply attempting to pull a big thick sheet of wool over everyone’s eyes. When the PlayStation Network is launched with the PS3 this week it will have the following limitations:

• Cannot respond to a voice and text message while in a game. You must exit the game to listen or view the message and also to reply.
  
  
• Sony failed to deliver the final specs in time to 3rd party developers therefore games like Tony Hawk Project 8 and Virtual Tennis have NO online component.
  
  
• Sony 1st party games will feature online support but in games such as Resistance Fall of Man, the gamer will need to maintain a separate friends list for each game. No unified list as (again) Sony delivered the final specs late (and also probably cannot get it to work properly). Maintaining a separate list for each game and for chat is ridiculous as it is so “PC”. PC online gaming is no good for this very reason (and its lack of unified chat, etc). This also means you cannot send game invites cross-game, only in the same game.
  

The fact that Sony tries to pass this mess off as being a LIVE Killer only confirms that they are a shady company that will do and say anything to make a buck and protect its market share. The fact that they were unwilling to create a cutting edge network in the first place only confirms that they are never serious about pushing gaming to the next level. Even the Father of Gaming “Nolan Bushnell” (ATARI Founder and creator of Pong) believes Sony is bad for gaming and that they did not earn the market share as it became theirs by default (no competition). Sure the service may be free, but hey, “you get what you pay”!

__________________
Editor - www.hidef.com

"True adaptability involves changing ones self to meet ones environment, not changing ones environment to meet ones needs" - Species8472

Sony is just full of empty promises.

Sony has the potential to have a truly great system if they devoted effort on the online interface. If they even get close to where Xbox Live is currently (eg. background downloads, chat wherever you are to whoever, updated style) they will have the best system.

why do they even bother trying to compete? they should go the way of sega and just start publishing games for competitor's consoles :P