AfterDawn: News

Xbox Live marketing manager slams PS3 online service

Aaron Greenberg, group marketing manager for Xbox Live, has dismissed rival Sony's online service for the upcoming PS3, stating that Microsoft is flattered that they have "created a service that is breeding yet another knockoff."

Speaking to GameSpot at Sony's recent Gamers Day event, Greenberg also gave an insight as to the future of the Xbox Live subscription model, given that Sony's PS3 offering will be free to use. "We will compete with them in the same way we have for the last four years by out-innovating and focusing on community, value, and the content that gamers want," said Greenberg. "They offered basic free matchmaking on the PS2, and from what we can tell, their online story has not evolved much."



He did promise that much-anticipated details of the upcoming autumn dashboard update will be arriving "soon", whilst hinting that further updates the Xbox backwards compatibility software also be released in the near future.

One of the new features to be included in the autumn update is the ability to output in 1080p, both for games and video content, including the HD DVD add-on, according to Pro-G News.

Source:
Pro-G News

Written by: Ben Reid @ 23 Oct 2006 14:28

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• 45 comments

• 21Q

  FREE IS FREE

  23.10.2006 14:39 #1

• scorpNZ

  @21Q
  Not so, for free you get piss poor service and servers,the lag now that is associated with sony online gaming is a joke simply coz they are not centralised servers coupled with not being able to select minimum connection speed for players,hence you get 128/64 gamers in the room and with crap servers the lag is pathetic,now they want free us to spend how much on a expensive PS3 and game with the same bloody lag pffft not likley ,i'll stick with live thanks (unless sony get their act togeather we can only hope as variety is the spice of life but mannnn nothing pisses me off more is shoddy laggy games)

  23.10.2006 14:48 #2

• Ankoku

  As far as I can tell, XBOX live has come up short...with web browsers on both PS3 and Wii have left Live looking like basic online gaming... I wont ever say PS2 online can compare with Live, but it seems that they need to catch up to become the leader in the online community... Sounds like Bill might need to make a call to Opera

  23.10.2006 14:50 #3

• Kosav15

  Sony had to make the online service free, after the price of the console, you've burt all your videogame budget and couldn't afford it if it had a fee. That extra 200 could pay for an awful lot of Xbox live, so sorry Sony, 360 and Wii still have my vote free online or not.

  23.10.2006 17:08 #4

• Anrkist

  @Ankoku
  
  I am not sure having browsers, especially ones tied to PC's is such a good thing. We may start to see the first console viruses in the coming years. Personally, surfing the web is not why I bought my console.. I can see the merging of technologies and what the interesting aspects might be.. but I am just not ready for it.

  23.10.2006 18:01 #5

• b18bek9

  well i think both systems basicly cost the same figuring if u want a 360 with a 20 gig hardrive and hd player = 600 rite? Ps3 60gb hardrive blu ray player = 600 basicly same shiet in my book only that 360 was smart made it able for addons for hd player/hardrive......so lets stop the price checking now the service of course u know free means horrible online setup and lets see how all the mods work online figuring it probably will be just like xbox....they still cant fix ppl modding/standbying and its a payed service...i figure if i'm gettin cheated at least its free to be cheated on....one of the main reason i hate xbox live they need to perm. ban ppl who just get two months and mod or soft mod including the ppl that are with the modders cuz usually its more then 1 or 2 ppl cheating bridging host na etc fu@k xbox live bring on some free stuff

  23.10.2006 20:58 #6

• ZippyDSM

  Can someone show me a link that says the PS3 severs are the old PS2 type?
  From what I have seen they have upgraded them some,its not going to be "perfect" like Live but it will be so close you can bearly tell the diffance most of the time.
  
  PS: the PS3 browser is like the MS dashboard only it can surf Sony sites *L*
  
  and stop with the virus thign already its easy to do one on live just hack the patch/update stream and screw over the 360,anything can be done but it dosent mean it will be.....oy I have a headache....

  24.10.2006 01:56 #7

• Anrkist

  @ZIppyDSM Yeah.. that is so easy anyone can do! As opposed to a script kiddie setting up a website that auto-installs the virus.

  24.10.2006 03:03 #8

• ZippyDSM

  Anrkist
  :P
  and how any lunix virus are there again?
  while its true they can and will sony can tweak the frimware and bios of the system remotely so virus are screwed and mod makers fcked until they make invisible chips.

  24.10.2006 03:10 #9

• DamonDash

  Quote:One of the new features to be included in the autumn update is the ability to output in 1080p, both for games and video content, including the HD DVD add-on, according to Pro-G News. Correction:They will be upscaled not true 1080p this mean they will fix the signal to play on 1080p But there will be no boost in visual.Its just to say hey we run on 1080p which is really a lie.

  24.10.2006 03:55 #10

• DamonDash

  Sorry double post...But to talk about copying someone hey Microsoft your the same one that said @ E3 this year that there was no need to have you games run at 1080i or 1080p because of cost & 720p as better.What happen sound like your the copy cats.

  24.10.2006 04:05 #11

• ZippyDSM

  DamonDash
  Nice catch :3
  
  if anything HDMI is part of hollywoods protection scheme and is "un needed"......
  it seems there is no real diffrance in analog High def and DIgital High def yet.
  
  I wonder if they could code for true 1080p in 3 or 5 years....mmmm....ah well *L*

  24.10.2006 04:14 #12

• anubis66

  people seem to think live is perfect but have you really ever experiences another consoles online system yet? no. so people needs to shut up about what is better untill they come out. live has several things i dislike about it, like no web browser and when you download you cant do anything else (if the download is an hour you wait and hour untill doing anything with it). live is far from perfect, and sony knows they need to try their hardest, so ittl be interesting seeing what they can make of it from launch, and im almost sure by 6 months ittl be the best damned thing. when competing with a monopoly like live, you start out knowing you have to be alot better, and sony has had so much time.

  24.10.2006 09:03 #13

• halfhere

  just sit me down in front of nintendo and I will be happy

  24.10.2006 13:51 #14

• 21Q

  I've never experienced lag with the ps2 servers! Maybe it's cuz I have cable modem but I have NEVER experienced lag. I've only used it on 2 different games though.

  24.10.2006 14:17 #15

• mRNoviZ

  @Ankoku
  We already have Web Browsers is there a point to what you have to say about Wii and PS3's online serivce to XBL? You're only going on something MS doesn't use for there system.. which is a web browser.. which we already have on our PC's.

  24.10.2006 15:46 #16

• sule8

  i spammed.
  
  i'm now immortalised here - http://sule8.justgotowned.com

  24.10.2006 19:30 #17

• scorpNZ

  @21Q
  You need to open your eyes some if you think there's no lag or seen no lag whether your on cable or not,i've yet to come across any gamer online that does'nt bitch about sony servers and don't get me started on the hardware and software side of things when games lag offline...lol...
  
  
  @zippyDSM
  I believe sony never realised that online gaming would become so big for the console which is most probably why there was no incorporated adaptor like the slimline now has and would explain the shitty servers,as for the upgrades you speak of i'm guessing the killzone servers would be a good example of what you speak of yes they are a lot better than the socom 2 servers ever were but are still a far cry from hostng the amount of people in one room if compared to on live (i can't comment on NTSC severs since i'm in PAL)even EA are a shocker if burnout 3 was anything to go by,6 people in a room and the lag so bad the game comes to a halt when your all in the same frame...lol...
  
  I'm aware lag is caused by other factors also tho there are obvious issues with certain servers
  

  25.10.2006 16:14 #18

• ZippyDSM

  scorpNZ
  SOny might have overhauled their old system or perhaps made it where the systems work better wit each their but at this time no one knows,but it should be better than the old I hope.
  
  Mmmmmmm Servers are by regions PAL is most of euro and NTSC is USA the severs themselfs dont have to be setup for NTSC/Pal that is the intreface the game and consle of with teh TV standard in whatever control you are in.

  25.10.2006 16:24 #19

• CiDaemon

  "when games lag offline...lol... "
  umm? someone failed high school vocabulary :)
  
  Lag (a.k.a. latency) is a delay in packets (data) on a server-client basis... lag offline is pretty @#$@ difficult considering there are no packets sent!
  Offline slowdowns have nothing to do with "lag".
  
  The price of the Ps3 has nothing to do with paying for the free online service. If it is 3x the cost of a baseline 360, we expect it to be because it has 3x the tech of the baseline 360...and face it, the ps3 specs blow the 360 away.
  
  And since when has Micro$oft EVER had an original idea?
  I never expected them to be anything but copiers.
  But, I've got to say that they're good copiers.
  
  We all want faster servers, but are you willing to pay $$$ for them? Even if sony's servers barely worked, it dosen't matter, because YOU'RE NOT LOSING ANYTHING. It's not like they're ripping you off- you're getting it for free, don't complain! If I offered you free money, you would take it, regardless of how much there was. Because with anything free, there's nothing to lose.
  
  Even coming from me, a 3 year+ LIVE subscriber, the lack of features is disappointing. I expected features like Sony is offering to be out long ago, and now my $$ per month seems like more and more money down the drain. If we can game for free, and lag-free, on our PCs, why do greedy Micro$oft need our money for XBL? Since they have the monopoly (contralized service), they can do whatever they like. I don't agree with their taking advantage of this.

  25.10.2006 18:33 #20

• ZippyDSM

  CiDaemon
  yes no and mabye
  
  the PS3 has power bu it lacks economic foresight the PS3 low end is 100 above reason the high end dosent realy matter,the PS3 has untested hardware but easily twice as powerful as the 360 but being 2X-3X the price will hurt it.
  
  the free online is nice but I wish sony would have a more stable pay version.
  Dont get e wrong I find more thigns wrong with the 360 but Sony has jsut killed all my inrest in the ps3 I dont even want to keep up with its info anymore they are trying to make it illiage to import hardware thru regions and tis only a matter of tiem befor they do it to music video and games...

  25.10.2006 18:42 #21

• dude051

  ZIppyDSM: "if anything HDMI is part of hollywoods protection scheme and is "un needed"......
  it seems there is no real diffrance in analog High def and DIgital High def yet."
  
  Hmm, that isn't 1005 true. Analog and digital High Def are like night and day, starting with the medium from which they run on. Analog for instance is sent over component cables, and can only reach 1080i. Also, things such as general noise, color, cable quality and connector quality (say from source to TV/monitor) are all huge factors in an analog signal. Digital on the other hand is sent over the HDMI or DVI interface, which supports full resolution 1080p. And unlike analog, digital is not effected by outside interferience, connectors ect. It's all bits, 0 or 1, and so the signal is not changed from beginning to end. Cable quality's only factor here is the reliance of the bits that are delivered, but thats about it.
  
  As for hollywood's part in HDMI/DVI, only HDCP is what they have infected with. The original specs have no protection like that what so ever, and it remains to be seen how long HDCP might actually last.

  27.10.2006 10:05 #22

• dude051

  Sorry, someone just told me there are component cables that do 1080p, still though, no reason in my opinion to use analog cables for a 1080p picture, esp if you want the best possible.
  
  Also to note, unless they change it, the 360's rear interface is 100% analog and will never handle a digital signal. Unless they add an hdmi port, its worthless to have a universal dongle like that... hence why now they only support 1080i at the most.

  27.10.2006 10:09 #23

• anubis66

  1080p for analog will only remain active for movies till around 2010-2012. games will stil do it though, but without all 360's having 1080p ability almost all devs may not develope for it.

  27.10.2006 11:12 #24

• ZippyDSM

  anubis66
  the mroe I ehar about the 360 and the little thigns it missed it gives me more a headache....WTF was MS even awake when they put this thing together? 0-o

  27.10.2006 13:50 #25

• UHALL

  anubis66 still bashing something you don't own and talking up something that nobody owns. You have to much time on your hands.

  27.10.2006 17:09 #26

• WierdName

  Free IS free! For all the "non-lag" and extras that live offers, you have to pay through the nose every month! After you buy a game, its stupid to have to pay for online subscription especially when they advertise "Online" on the game. If there was a chose to use the no lag and free servers, that would be fine. But you cant expect someone to pay for a subscription for online after buying a game for online.

  29.10.2006 17:01 #27

• ZippyDSM

  Unlike the Xbx and the PS2 days I think sony has delt with some of the old PS2 lag issues in any case MS will have to change their service as long as the SOnys online setup is fast and stable.

  29.10.2006 17:13 #28

• DamonDash

  Quote:without all 360's having 1080p ability almost all devs may not develope for it.360 will only have games that are upscaled to 1080i & 1080p which is not a true signal.Far as there HD-DVD movies the highest they will get is 1080i.Why because HD-DVD will be encoded in 1080i to run through the add-on But 360 was not ever built to handle true 1080i or 1080p rez.There games are encoded in 720p but its not really true 720p because due to the fact they use a compression tool to make there game fit on a DVD-9 there games take some visual losses during the game.

  29.10.2006 18:39 #29

• ZippyDSM

  DamonDash
  So your saying the 360 is a hog pog of technology?
  :3
  
  Most already know the 360 is a 1.5 system made for ultra basic HD gaming the WII kinda avoids it.
  
  the PS3 is the only Console to deal with HD in a way that looks into the future.

  29.10.2006 23:08 #30

• muccione

  I have a modded xbox
  a stock halo 2 xbox
  a modded ps2
  a 360 and love it
  and will get a ps3
  the 360 is just a 1.5v it still uses a DVD disc 9gb per disc max space
  the ps3 uses Blu-ray disc its 25gb for just 1 layer
  PS3 it the best console to get if your torn between the 360 and PS3 just more space to grow

  10.11.2006 04:41 #31

• ZippyDSM

  muccione
  like the war in Ieaq MS has no fing idea what they are doing with the 360,it needs another year to mature to be worth getting.
  the new revision hits the shelfs in a few months so thats one less thing to worry about but now they are playing with the HD.....
  
  
  The PS3 is not a much better spot pre launch is looking shaky as hell,Sony has shown they will sue any importers into the ground unless you have 2 grand to burn don't go near the PS3 for a year its just bad right now...
  
  
  GET WII!!!
  I can not say it enough the WII has it all ,enough graphics to fight the corporate horde and enough innovation to to meet and beat them its worth every penny but if you must burn money on soemthign upgrade your PC thats what I am doing *L*

  10.11.2006 04:49 #32

• anubis66

  atleast the sony has well thought-out plans for their ps3 is going. and i dont have 2k to burn, only .8k, and i'll still be getting one with the works, two games, and another controller.

  10.11.2006 06:57 #33

• ZippyDSM

  anubis66
  meh better off on comp and WII stuff...

  10.11.2006 07:00 #34

• anubis66

  right... the wii..
  
  (ring, ring)
  "hello?"
  "its me"
  "oh hey whats up?"
  "i just want to play with your wii for a little bit.."
  "sorry buddy i dont swing that way.."
  (click)
  
  
  i dont like it, the gui is bulky and ugly, almost photoshope done (like a 90's consirocy theorist site). the games arnt much and incoperate the sensing is such od ways sometimes. there issnt enought the wii can offer me to justify its price. though i bet you 85% that i'll have a wii when the price is sub-$150 or so.

  10.11.2006 07:19 #35

• ZippyDSM

  And the 360 witch barely can do current gen graphics dose it for you?
  
  PS3 is not worth it right now not with all the sht Sony is puling,but if you got a G to kill got at it and tel the rest of us how bad it is :P

  10.11.2006 07:56 #36

• anubis66

  i'll be writing a crazy in depth review for you all, i promise it. i'll take pictures and tell you how the games and online work out, aswell as anything else you'll ask.

  10.11.2006 08:00 #37

• ZippyDSM

  anubis66
  cool ^^
  
  I dont mean to be an arse but the PS3 its to soon and to evil for and to costly for most so I warn aginist it for now :P
  
  I warn agisnt the 360 as well 0-o *L*

  10.11.2006 08:04 #38

• muccione

  My PS2 was FREE (bought 2 sold 1)
  My 360 FREE (bought 5 sold 4 AND made $1500 cash)
  My soon to have PS3 FREE
  I plan to buy 6-10 PS3 and sell them on EBAY (profit about $6-10,000)thats my WII or WEEEEEEEEEEEE
  So if it has problems it will not be a problem
  just send it back to Sony for repair
  I had to send back my 360 2 times I works just fine now
  I just have to pay some poor co workers $100-$150 to stand in line with me

  10.11.2006 11:54 #39

• ZippyDSM

  muccione
  its funny I doubt that and yet I dont doubt it 0-o

  10.11.2006 12:16 #40

• anubis66

  i just doubt him getting aholf of that many ps3's unless he is a dirty retailer.

  10.11.2006 12:26 #41

• ZippyDSM

  anubis66
  well I mean I dont doubt one could make money off them at launch.

  10.11.2006 12:28 #42

• anubis66

  well its about 1.5-2k per system made on ebay.

  10.11.2006 13:08 #43

• ZippyDSM

  ALmost makes me which I had credit to to get a 5G loan buy as many as I can locally then sell them off ebay for1G each with free shipping 0-o

  10.11.2006 13:10 #44

• UHALL

  I wouldn't hold my breath for alot of PS3 to be released in the united states. Sony is doing the same thing MS did and using the japan market as guinea Pigs to fix all of the bugs. Its still eArly all of the bugs haven't came to the top yet. MS and SONY are not your best friends, they are out to get every red cent of your money.

  10.11.2006 15:17 #45