Give me a break!

Ha! Microsoft really must be worried The fact that they feel the need to keep disputing Sony's plans shows that they know they are in trouble again. Microsoft, you make software, the clue is in your company name. You presence is not required in the hardware market, thank you don't come again!

Why the hate?

My bet is that Sony will go with free multiplayer, and little else. That may convince MS to go the same route. It's not a zero sum game, so quit hating and be glad we have 3 good console makers out there.

Microsft

Is it just me or there are way too many Microsft bashing Sony articles in this site? Phil Harrison aleady said, if they had free online for the PS2, why would they change that for the PS3? So, rest assure, I'm sure Sony will have free online services, and Microsft would be there trying to figure out the next way to try make Sony look bad. Nice try Xbox360.

ello

i hope sony has a good online service. microsoft is ok although my dvd drive is bust for some reason, xboxlive is great . i hope sonys service cheap if not free i bought xboxlive 12 month subscription for 20 quid. thats ok. 40 quid is a bit pricey though. i read that there a way to play back up dvds now for xbpx 360..i wonder if that stops u playing xbox live because onlineplay is much better than single player for most games except the very few like metal gear god of war and halo. when i get a ps3 ill be sure to get god of war 2 , the soundtrack and story as well as the graphics were very smart on that, im going to go to the kitchen soon to make some tea. i hope theres something i can eat .

Well...

I'm not too surprised here, and I whether he is biased or not, he does have a good point. More then likely you get XBL Silver type services with not fee and the online multiplayer will be up the developer/producer. This is how it was with PS2. Whether this is a good or bad thing remains to be seen. With the PS2, it was a bad thing. Some games ran great, most did not. Lots of third party groups were operating the servers for the games and they just ran like complete crap, on a game that would have otherwise rocked online (Battlefront anyone?). The good news is, most games online will be free. So if the producer/developers do their own games justice and get good servers or service then it will be awesome. There is that potential, and already been seen, downside. It's because of the less the impressive online gaming experiences I had with the PS2 that make me not mind so much the price I pay for XBL. Now, if the performance completely does a 180, AND its free, that's something to talk about...

Offcourse...

like Kaz said: "its more just a place to play games!" Im really looking forward for the PS3, cant wait! Questions to everyone; I read before the conference started (2 month ago...) that the PS3 should be "region free", but they didnt said anything about that! -boo-

...

Chances are they will keep it like PS2 where developers decide how the title goes online and if they will support servers or just make players host games. The thing is this is how PS2 went down and their online service sucked ass....the main thing xbox live has going for it is that everyone has a microphone and can communicate....There are little to no M$ hosted servers anymore, usually the matchmaking just picks whoever has the best connectio as the host. Really, all you are paying for with gold is the ability send and receive voice messages which M$ has to save on their servers, as well as I guess the server that does all the matchmaking and stuff...I think M$ could easly make it free if not a whole helluva lot cheaper (not like it's much now though) Really though, if it's anything like p-tv for the psp, they can lick my nuts. Have some crappy ass crap for free and then start charging people for slightly less crappier content....

...

I don't understand why peeps complain about paying for Xbox Live it's under $4.50 a month when pay for it yearly.....That is way cheaper then any of the MMORPG out there......Live helps the game developers by saving them time and money with the on-line part. Sure they have to design stuff, but the infatructure is there and this makes it better for them. They don't have to worry about the servers and running things......Sony can keep it free all they want, but I will have a better time on Live........I also see a lot of peeps bashing MS saying that they are starting all theses rumors about PS3....I don't see anything, I just see the info that Sony is releasing and it doesn't take a rocket scientist to see that they don't have everything together and they are just banking on the masses following what ever they say......I for one will not be one of them and I will be happily playing my 360 and coming this fall I will be down with Wii.............

?

why do you always post the any system in any forum? why not post just xbox info. not just this article but it happens all the time

9?

dude its about ps3 and comparing it to 360 of course its on both, I don't see it on the wii section do you?

Sony's online service sucks

for the ps2, i heard you can even hack those online games and sony doesnt give a *****

...........

Xbox Live as a paying service has been only the really thing holding me back from getting a Xbox 360. When you pay for the damn thing you should get free online.

its free but...

sony said that mmorpg will not be free, but what ever they do i know its going to be better than what they have now on the ps2 also even if they do charge, aint ppl paying for live? dont always believe what sony says and this is coming from a fanboy.

yeah...

I think that was focusing on the community and interaction other than games part. Not the online gaming thing. If you ask me, it will be free, but content downloads will cost you. However they have been keeping mum about this too long.

Gamespy

Earlier Sony announced they will partner with gamespy. Sony teamed up with gamespy for the online service for PS3. This means that gamespy will be the one who will have the option of giving free online gaming with advertisements like they do with the PC version or offer a subscription like xboxlive. With how gamespy has been doing business for years its most likely they will offer free online gaming for ps3 games with advertisements and then offer premium users access to special features like exclusive servers, stat tracking, premium download services and other gamespy features. Gamespy has an entire network and its my assumption Sony will take the smart path and use the same multiplayer system like PCs use. The difference with xboxlive is that one xbox acts as a server and the rest connect to it for multiplayer. This is a cheap method for microsoft because they dont have to maintain servers. The downside of this type of system is a flaw in the halo2 multiplayer that almost everyone who plays the game has expierenced. When the host leaves the game, you have to wait for a new player to be marked as the host and the game will load once again. Gamespy has the ability to provide all sony online games with dedicated servers. Meaning you can connect and disconnect at will and the game will not be disturbed. Clans will start popping up with their own servers and the whole PC pub system will be on the PS3. "for the ps2, i heard you can even hack those online games and sony doesnt give a *****" Xboxlive is plauged with the same problems. A major flaw in the matchup system where the host is a player. This allows the host to cheat. Remember how bad halo2 was before they patched it? This you can blame on Microsoft because its their xboxlive and you pay for it. PS2 multiplayer you cant blame Sony. For one they have no quality control on how developers implement their multiplayer system. So its up to the developers to fix cheats, not sony.

Clarity

No one pays for XBL silver, its free and comes with oodles of goodies and uses. If you want to play games online, with a service that is reliable and works surprising well, then you pay a NOMINAL monthly fee. MMORPG's won't be free because the developer's charge for those. They have to house servers and maintain worlds and account data. Sony and M$ and Nintendo have no control over this. (Some MMO's are free though, but their online service is comparable). I'm not talking out my ass here when I say that most games on PS2 that were online played like complete crap. When I first bought my xbox I was surprised how well all the online games worked, and the initial "ouch" of having to pay $5/mo immediately went away. If PS3 works better then the PS2 with a free service, then more power to Sony for offering that to its consumers. I'm just hesitant to get excited at all after past performance and broken promises...this is one of those "we will see" deals...

Phil Harrison mentioned that gameplay will be included at GDC

Why are we listening to MS on PS3 details? Sounds insane but it seems more and more this site list MS opinions as valuable pieces of news. We all know MS loves to start rumors and their word isn't worth anything specially when they are talking about their competition (They have to claims that say Linux is unstable and a negative impact in the industry). Up to now everything they have said about the PS3 has been wrong. Why even give them the time of day now? If anything, I would bet against anything negative that MS says about the PS3. Your odds would be a lot better. Free gaming is definitely possible, Bluetooth is coming to the ps3 20gb version and yes the Cell processor is much much better than the 360's. Another rumor started by MS that isn't true: "360 HDDVD add-on will be $100". This is laughable. Here are the reasons why: Toshiba's cheap (no 1080P, No HDMI) HDDVD player cost $500 with their better version costing $750. It will only be used to play movies. Developers can't depend on it cause it will leave a lot of people out. In other words it doesn't sell games which means it doesn't give MS any return on investment. For example, the 20GB hard drive add-on for the 360 cost $100 while a PC 20GB HD can go for around $30. By this logic the Add-on might be even more expensive than the Toshiba price. MS didn't mention a price and they wont release one until Dec 2006 right after the PS3, I wonder why. How come you ask? So that people have fake hope that they can get every bit of the experience from the 360 as the PS3 at a cheap or relative price and not buy a PS3 this coming XMas season. I can almost guarantee that the Add-on will be more than $300 or might even be canned. It might be MS is just trying to get those 10 millions systems sold before the PS3 shows up. I really think it will be canned last minute. If MS does charge only $100 for the add-on they will be losing quite a lot of money for something that isn't going to sell well nor make any impact on their sales, or even bring in profit only a lost. Is like giving away free money. No board member at MS with any sense would agree to that, it's committing suicide.

More rumors dispelled, Will the false news ever stop.

A few of the rumors dispelled: http://digg.com/gaming/PS3_Controllers_will_be_wireless_on_cheaper_consoles

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I would like to point out there #17 that most of the equipment needed to do the HD-DVD on the 360 is already in the system. The only thing it needs is the drive is self so that you can do this.....The drive should not be that expensive so this is why it will not be that much......I don't remember any rumors from MS saying it would be $100.00 and were does everyone get the idea that MS is starting all the rumors.....Wouldn't it be a rumor that MS is starting rumors, so your MS starting rumors is just a rumor too........In other words it is all pointless.....When there is a problem on Live, it gets fixed for the most part.....Halo2 got fixed and is still one of the most popular on-line game........I also want to point out that I used gamespy for years and I hate it......It was good back in the day, but with all the advertising and system hogging stuff, I just left and started using All-Seeing-Eye and it was way better.......***** luck with Gamespy and Sony because it will be better than PS2, but it still will not even come close to matching Live with all the stuff that you get there......

You get what you pay for

ps3 online will suck, like most free things in life. Building the infrastructure for all the servers in an online gaming network is not cheap. I think I heard somewhere that MS invested 2 billion into Xbox live for R&D and building the network. Sony doesnt have 2 billion for something similiar, or even close. Free will suck, even if you can play games on it, it will be over run by modders, hackers, and standbyers. And you will most liikely have to pay additional fees to the developer. Its like if you heard a car commercial that said "free cars", you would be very skeptical. Free online service? If sony is charging 600 for their *****box, why would they all of a sudden want to give away a great online gaming network? Sony is serious financial trouble after losing the TV market to Samsung, giving away things is the last thing on their mind. Rome was sacked and burned. Don't think it won't happen to Sony.

#19

..........................................

lol

Most online console games suck anyway. MMORPGs the worst.

yes

i agree with 28 completly

Once liar always liar

That sad kid MN already claimed that there will be no ps3 games with 1080p. Fool me once…

It all comes with a price

I dont really care for XB Live just bc you have to pay, however they have a spectacular set up. It would be ludicrous to hope for something as good from Sony at the same time being free. I will continue as everyone else will to pray for this to be so, but I wouldnt hold my breath. #20 has some good thoughts. Id wish for Microsoft to go down first, however they have to much money. Sony has lost tons on different electronic endevours. How can they deliver something amazing for free... You cant.

Actually the IDE PC versions of HDDVD will retail for about the same 499 price tag

The drive is the most expensive piece. Everything else is so standard. Just look at DVD players which are like $79 now. Take the drive out (-$50) and put in a HDDVD and you get around the same 499 price tag.

PS3 with PC online

With Sony on-line service you will able to play against pc players, with Xbox you are closed in ms box :) And since ps3 will support BT mouse and keyboard it is obvious why ms will keep their fps players from humiliation. Here is quote from ut2007 maker’s interview: Sweeney- The question of PC players playing against console players, or even console players on PS3 playing against Xbox360 is really more of a game play question than a technical one, because right now we do support running a PC server having PC clients join and play alongside PS3 and XB360 clients in our games networking framework. That basic approach works, but on XB360 side Microsoft has chosen to keep the network completely closed so you won't have PC players playing on Xbox Live. Kind of an unfortunate decision, but it allows them to secure their network and control it carefully which you kind of want in a console environment. On PS3, we might actually enable that. When we get down to balancing the game to really play well on a controller, if it turns out we don't have to change the game play significantly, then we will enable PC players and PS3 players to play together, and we are really looking forward to that. We really like the idea a lot, and it looks like Sony will be very supportive of the open network approach.

_____________________________________________

HI IM SONY AND I WANT YOUR MONEY ORLFORLFORLFORLFORFLPROFLROFRLF

I HATE MICROSOFT

Sony is awsome and x-box sucks, Why would you buy an x box 360 when you can't even watch hd movies on it and the ps3 will play the better blu-ray discs

....

Pointing out that playing with PC players will not be good at all.........You all have to remember that the PC games are open in a way that hackers can change the game play and don't forget about all the modes that you will not be able to so anything with........So play with them all you want, but I would expect it to be a far game..........I like the closed controlled system better........I don't worry about hackers anymore on 360..........

Lol

I like how all the lil Sony fanboys are in denial about this. Obviously, even if it costs money, you will pay, so why won't they charge? They didn't mention multiplay for a reason, and that is because it WILL cost money. Unless they do it like they did with PS2, where the developers decide and you need an ID for every game you play, it will cost money.

...

..........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................v

^

I agree

why is everyone so f**king stupid?

seriously.... almost everyone who has posted is either under the age of 15 or is VERY ignorant. thats the problem with this world.. people are just so god damned ignorant... as for this whole PS3 360 thing... PS3 has better hardware, 360 has majour hardware problems that no matter what you tell me i refuse to believe that they are solved as they cannot be with M$ changing the cooling which hasnt happened because they havnt recalled all the other 360s. xBox live is okay.. laggs out alot and no matter how many patches nothing beats PB (punkbuster for all you non-computer gamers) it is the one program that acually prevents hacks. the live system is just in a closed network still able to be hacked while with punkbuster it scans for any files that interfere with the code, if there is something you automaticially get booted from the game isnt that just amazing? instead of swearing your ass off in halo 2 to get the hackers to leave they get kicked automatically. i personally think all games are going to hell because games just keep looking better and better and playing worse and worse. but this next generation seems to be a chance to change that. but how do people thing the 360 controller is anything new? if you have big hands then you will find the wireless controller the most annoying controller you have ever held in your hand because of the battery pack. meanwhile the PS3 has TILT DETECTION... you cant tell me that that isnt a true next gen controller. the 360 is not a next gen system in many ways... the most important being that all the games look WORSE than the top computer games AND lag at times, ever play G.R.A.W for 360? ever play co-op with more than 2 people? it laggs because it cant even handle AI with three separate players to render. and did i mention the graphics? lol this is so pityful. i hope that no fanboys answer this because if they do i wont be around to read about it. because these comments are just a bunch of fanboys and ignorant *****s

^

I take it you've never heard of the grammatical genous that is the paragraph, have you? The games look worse than the top computer games WHILE BEING PLAYED ON A TOP-OF-THE-LINE COMPUTER. You will NOT be able to play games as good as they look on a 360 without spending WAY more than $400 on a PC. Next time, don't claim to be less ignorant than everyone and unbiased towards any system and then make a post filled with nothing but ignorant remarks about the 360, and fanboyistic remarks about the PC, you look like an imbocile.

#34

Just wanted to say to #34 that PB is not the be all to end all and it doesn't work as good as you think....I am a gamer on PC and consoles and have been doing it for years (I am also 37).....XBOX doesn't lag as much as you think, it is you IP, I play GRAW all the time and have no issues with lag. Heck my friend only has a Cox basic account with 256k up and down and he plays with no problems.......There is no hacking on Live and if there is a bug or something, then it gets fixed. You call Tilt Detection something next-Gen, I laugh at you then, MS made a controller years ago on the PC that did this, you could pay motocross madness with it. Nothing really new about it and MS could do this at any time, so don't call something next-gen, when it is over 5 years old technology......Just go away...........

#35

Poor you, with your *****ty computer. Can't learn to replace your graphics card, so you got a 360 instead? Oh well..You can always stick with your sweaty black football players, instead of actually playing a fun online game. Good luck with that.

#34: You sound like an idiot. Good try insulting people on their age. Your post definitely sounded like it was written by an educated adult. #35: You use too many periods.

anti-cheating / hacking / modding

i'm sure the mods, etc. in PS3 online gaming could be avoided by VAC securing games in the same way they do with half-life, CS:S and DoD... i play those games almost every day and never have to worry about cheaters (unless the server isn't a VAC one). i am not holding out to much hope for sony's online service being free, but it is still an attractive prospect.

To #4

Sorry... but God of War 2 is coming out for PS2.

To #34

How do you know PS3 won't have similiar problems like the 360 when the PS3 comes out? You don't. So you have no right to say that. And if you think I'm a Microsoft fanboy, think again. I'm waiting for the PS3, and I own a PS2, not an Xbox.

Free & $$$

For 10 years companies have been trying to learn how to make $$$ online. For years online gaming has been the loss leader, but finally M$ (and others) have figured out a way to turn a buck online. (That's good by the way, its called economics). I just don't see how Sony can offer online multiplayer for free without subsudizing something else...whether that be charging more for additional content or having consumers pay for thier multiplayer experiences. Either way, consumers will end up paying in the end. Its just whether it's up front on thru the back door.

42 is right

42 has it right... if we pay a fixed cost over time... (xbox live), microsoft is able to spread out their future costs of production, r and d, maintainign servers, and upgrading software... i'll be honest i would rather pay for xbox live than have it for free. sony fans should want to pay for it. if you hand out money to someone, they get a profit of course, but they try to use that to get you to buy something else, something new and better... you can't just hand someone the same thing over and over and expect them to be happy with it, it is basic supply, demand, and utility people.. economics..

To #34

How do you know PS3 won't have similiar problems like the 360 when the PS3 comes out? You don't. So you have no right to say that. And if you think I'm a Microsoft fanboy, think again. I'm waiting for the PS3, and I own a PS2, not an Xbox.

PS3 = Gay *****

Sony Are Scumbags! .... Fu-ckin-g gay sony! firstly they copy microsofts 2 package idea like core and premium.... they also rip the hell out of people with their "CORE" package why buy a ps3? simple because you love stupid ***** asian games! the only one i enjoy playing is Dynasty Warriors oh and who gives a FU - CK because Empires isnt on Ps3 its on X360 hahahah eat *****! hmm oh and sony change their online setup from simple non server based play to COPY Xbox live... in very few and simple words! sony freaking sucks oh and fanboys dont even bother flaming me! cause after i POST THIS im leaving this alone so your gay fanboyish nerd comments will fall on deaf ears! SONY Sucks Eat Rice and ***** and Piss OFF MICROSOFT FOR LIFE!

MICROSFOT IS GEY

LO U A LOSER SONY THEB EST GO EAT RICE FEGGIT DONT EVUN TRY N RESPOND CUZ IQ UIT THE INTRENET AFTE RI POST DIS

SoNy RuLes the World in Gaming Sales!

Sony's gaming market sales, dwarf the competition! Over 100 Million Worldwide, and all the competition to date put together doesn't come close! PSP alone is dominating sales of game units, nearing 20,000,000 (and in case you can't count the zeros, that's 20 Million)! It holds the record for fastest to 10 Million and lays low the HeXBox 360's sales per month in head to head sales competition! Wake Up Tards and penny pinching cheap Ba$tards! End of next year will be game over, you LOSE! You are all Steve "Monkey Man" Balmer wana be's! And in case you loser Tards don't know who that is! He's your president of Microslut! You Whores! Sony PS3 will RoCk You and HeXbox 360 will die! ;D

Online

See this is why I play Computer games.... I'll rent my own server with!!