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[vesuvious]

I was wondering what Sony's plans are to expand the online gaming market? Right now how many PSP games actually go online and how many games have been announced to take advantage of online features? Is Sony eventually going to take the Microsoft route and make people pay a yearly fee just to play on a Playstation Live infastructure? Or are they going to be more like Nintendo and offer a free online service and make money through downloadable content?

I think free access is the best way to go. I think online gaming will expand alot next gen and if Sony has a free online service like Nintendo it could expand the online gaming market while putting pressure on Microsoft to rethink their Xbox Live service. I am definitely interested in online gaming, and eventually I will own a Revolution and one other next gen console, but I am going to hold off on purchasing a Xbox 360 or PS3 until I see how the online userbase for both consoles turn out. I just don't want to be stuck with a console where I get a great game and try to go online with it only to find no one there to compete with.

 

[Skin]

Or are they going to be more like Nintendo and offer a free online service and make money through downloadable content?

Since when is Nintendo gonna make money on downloadable content?

 

[BirdySky]

Since they announced Old 2d games would be sold to Revolution users? Through it's Para-dimensional phase induced Planatery Shifter Device - Aka Control pad.
-

SonyPs3 Betta have something like XboxLive. Only better...

And for ffs, give us a console that doesn't require a pc/router to go online... How hard can it be to have a usb modem built in for adsl/telephone broadband users. And no stupid credit card 'Milk the users' bullocks game that Ms play.

 

[Skin]

Since they announced Old 2d games would be sold to Revolution users?

Ah, ok. Is anyone here seriously thinking of downloading old NES, SNES or/and N64 games btw?

 

[Kai Dracon]

I forsee a totally new, epic RPG series from Square-Enix which will be Sony-exclusive.

It'll largely be about a multi-generational quest to find the Sony online plan.

 

[Kroole]

Ah, ok. Is anyone here seriously thinking of downloading old NES, SNES or/and N64 games btw?

Why not?

As long as it's cheap I wouldn't mind downloading such games as SMRPG, Earthbound etc.

 

[Rabid Wolverine]

One can only hope they go the Xbox Live route in regards to features and easy setup.

 

[vesuvious]

One can only hope they go the Xbox Live route in regards to features and easy setup.

But would you mind paying a fee for all those features just like Xbox Live? Do you think its possible for Sony to offer all those features on a free online service?

 

[Mandoric]

Most of the XBL features are stuff that isn't exactly resource-heavy---MS makes their Live money off of a combination of monopoly-by-default and utility-end rather than value-end appeal. Given that, in the end, XBL Silver will be offering all the features but actual game-playing for free, and game-playing is the part that uses absolutely minimal resources, I have no doubt that both Sony and for that matter Nintendo could easily offer a Live-eqivelant for free.

That said, it's plainly obvious that MS can get away with charging money, so there'd have to be an obvious major gain to doing so, whether it be high content sales or a marketing study showing that a large fraction of the userbase would consider free online gaming heavily in choosing a console.

 

[sprsk]

All that "extra stuff" you thought you were paying for on xbox live is free on the 360.


YOU ARE PAYING FOR NOTHING YAYYYYYYYYYYY CONGRATULATIONS.

 

[DCX]

.
SonyPs3 Betta have something like XboxLive. Only better...
.

Take the Sony goggles off please...

DCX

 

[Gattsu25]

All that "extra stuff" you thought you were paying for on xbox live is free on the 360.


YOU ARE PAYING FOR NOTHING YAYYYYYYYYYYY CONGRATULATIONS.

funny that the only part you have to pay for is the part you are already paying your ISP for (P2P...which is free on PC and PS2 also) =\ =\

I forsee Sony floundering about with their online plans compared to MS no matter which course of action they take

 

[Yusaku]

Keep it free, but provide a universal name and friend's list and I'll be happy.

 

[DCX]

I think Sony will go the route that MS did with XBOX Live, what is wrong with Live? I don't mind paying $50 a year.

DCX

 

[ThirdEye]

I think it'll be announced after XB360 is released. Just like Nintendo reluctant to release the details of their new controller.

 

[Bartman3010]

I'd rather go for stuff for free. Especially downloadable content stuck online for a game. Mostly stuff like levels for a game you already bought. When you buy a game, you should be getting everything, if its not in there, it damn well better be free wherever that content is.

I also am going to buy the downloadable games on the Rev. games just so I can have the all-in-wonder machine of gaming nirvana.

Plus, if my games were online for free before, I see no reason why they cant be free now.

Screw Halo 2, I'll crawl into the hole known as Doom 2. Grab a source port like Doom Legacy or zDoom that adds all this neccesary stuff to Doom, and I'll get countless hours of fun.

 

[The Take Out Bandit]

I'm counting on Sony and Nintendo providing awesome on-line gaming for free next generation to further humiliate MicrotransactionSoft. :lol

 

[BirdySky]

Take the Sony goggles off please...

DCX

Our kung-fu...is better than...your kung-fu.

 

[kaching]

Most of the online PS2 titles coming out now have all the standard matchmaking bells and whistles built in with the exception of universal account and universal friend list, so I don't think taking those two additional steps would be something that Sony could justifiably claim requires its own fee among the userbase they've already established.

While they've still been on the vague side about future online plans, they've certainly talked most about microntransactions, so I'd expect that's where they're putting the emphasis for an online profit model.

 

[Musashi Wins!]

I just wish they would release some details about their online console plans. To some people it doesn't really matter, but to me it's nearly a deciding factor to which console I'll pick up at a higher price. If they could make me slightly optimistic that it will be much better than what's available on PS2 I would be really happy.

 

[The Take Out Bandit]

I'd say having standardized wireless on-line play out of the box would be a huge selling point for the PS3; if MicrotransactionSoft hasn't effectively lowered the standards of the corporate interests of console gaming by parting out all of their components, for maximum profit, for Xbox2.

I'd really hate to see Sony go the MS route and make 802.11 and the Bluetooth controls optional. :/

 

[Brofist]

I think it would be ideal to have both a free barebones online gaming plan, and a Live type extras subscription service for those who want all the trimmings.

I don't pay enough online to want to pay for any services. It's not that I can't afford it, but I just have a problem with subscription based services, especially if I'm not a big user. The PS2 free service was enough for me, since I'll pop on a couple times a month to play online.