It’s tough to deny that Xbox Live is a more refined service than the PlayStation Network in its current state. It has been around for almost 6 years, so you’d expect a higher level of service, especially when you’re paying $50 a year. But the PSN has been making strides to recover lost ground through numerous firmware updates.
It’s now been confirmed that firmware v2.4 will be released soon and bring the coveted in-game XMB access to the PS3. Gamers on Sony’s console will now be able to access messages and friends lists in-game as well as send cross-game invites. This has been one of the biggest criticisms of the service since the PS3 was launched. Along with in-game XMB, firmware v2.4 is set to bring Trophy support, which is a service similar to Xbox 360’s Achievements.
With the strides Sony is making, how does the PlayStation Network now stack up to Xbox Live? The often criticized missing features are being put into place. There are minor differences, however. The custom soundtrack support is global on the Xbox 360, whereas it’s implemented on a game by game basis on the PS3 (Microsoft owns the patent for this feature). Sony has YouTube upload integration available for game developers to utilize and its open network structure allows for Mod support in games such as Unreal Tournament III. Finally, Microsoft has the Video Marketplace, a feature that is oddly missing from the PS3.
In my personal opinion, launching firmware v2.4 will put Sony virtually on par with Xbox Live in terms of a gaming network. Both will offer similar features to gamers, with the PlayStation Network having the advantage of being free. Either way, you’re getting a great online gaming platform. With E3 rolling around next month, I’m sure both parties will have some details on further enhancements to their respective services that can only serve to improve your online gaming experience.
In-Game XMB is going to help Sony a lot, its about time. It depends on the actions they’re going to take in the future to make a better virtual community.
Who said that in-game XMB will come with cross game invites? It probably will not, yet. In-game XMB will be just like many other features that come via firmware onto the PS3. It will start off as ‘oh my god finally this is awesome’ but then complaints will come in, and they will continue to refine the feature. Such as cross game invites, then voice messaging, the voice chat in-game, etc.
It doesn’t start off with everything, it just starts off with enough.
[...] http://loot-ninja.com/2008/06/20/will-in-game-xmb-bring-psn-closer-to-xbox-live/ Permalink Comments [0] [...]
PSN will need more than in game xmb features to achieve Lives level of service. First they’ll need more than a 50 friend capacity. Second they’ll need access to friend’s friend list. That will marginalize the 50 limit though. Third they’ll need the ability to jump in a friend’s game. Fourth they’ll need to have better information about the game our friends are currently playing (not just game title). Fifth they’ll need to allow access to the PSN via PC like live does. Sixth they’ll need a better system to track PSN trophies (on live I can see all the achievements of my friends list while they are offline. Seventh they’ll need to allow more customizable personal information (Live has the ability to display name, location, motto, website, custom gamer pics, bio information). All this information has customizable privacy levels too. And lastly they’ll need the ability to change the filter for voice chat. Live uses everyone, friends only, or none to filter out knuckleheads.
If FW 2.40 does this then yes the PSN will be on par with XBL.
Will this update also include the ability to play music while in game? Doesn’t sound like it, but hopefully. Playing music on the Ipod in MGS4 was fun, but I want my own music now.
2.40 is too little, too late. These features had to be available at launch to be adopted consistently across all games. These features also don’t do anything to prevent things like the Konami MGS4 sign-up fiasco or getting people on PSN to actually talk. Sure there’s always a lot of homophobic racist jerks online, but how can you have a rewarding team based experience when no one talks? Live has plenty of features that allow us to find like minded gamers and develop a strong friends list (achievements, website messaging integration, etc.).
let’s not forget the rep and reporting sytem on XBL too.
This looks like the exact same article that was posted 24 hours ago….
http://talkplaystation.com/after-2-4-what-is-needed-for-psn/
I don’t want PSN to be on par with XBL. What benefit would I receive from two systems that copy every feature from each other 6 months after it’s originally implemented? I like that PSN is being created to provide the same core service but in a new and creative format. Let the differences grow. Realize, PSN is still in it’s infancy and needs time to grow. XBL has been around a while and PSN was just rolled out with the PS3. MS makes the most widely used operating system for PC’s and can link up with most PC’s, but the 360 can’t play most video formats…. why not if it’s hailed as a home entertainment system/media center? I hope Sony fixes this and produces something that can play most codecs/file types. I also hope Sony continues to fill gaps in the online/media center services, and come up with innovative answers that can answer questions we haven’t thought of asking yet… and keep it free.
Regarding the slower development pace I’m glad PSN is being developed as an attempt at a new and original take on the core product. I would say the building out of a system such as PSN does need to happen in stages over time to allow for proper feedback from the masses, to reconsider, and re-tune the system as is necessary to achieve an original product that provides a good service. Development is not instanteous, there are many considerations when building a system. You can’t get to point D without going thru A B and C first. And along the way if you rush to D without getting feedback if A is what your clients want then you have to redesign your entire system, or “patch” and work around the original mistakes/restrictions of A. Not an ideal situation when you are trying to grow and evolve a product to capture market share.
So take these opportunities to come up with original ideas and push Sony to create features that we as gamers want to see. New ideas, and not just a list of demands, but clearly thought-out threads or development streams to be posted as you don’t know what message boards the PSN team are taking a look at.
For me, please make any media file/codec play across a networked hard drive. spanks.
sony is garbage. there copying everything that xbox live is doing with there service. i thought sony was this genius company.
Yeah,I can definitely see in-game XMB removing one of the primary advantages of XBL,with even more content coming to the PSN,I think it’s about time Microsoft started working on something new for XBL(I’m still wondering why there was no Spring Update??)