Wed, Jul 08, 2009 | 14:22 BST
Sony says it’s no longer playing catch up with Xbox Live
Eric Lempel, SCEA’s director of PSN operations, has said that the service is no longer playing catch up with Xbox Live.
“I don’t think there’s a lot of ‘catch up’ [with XBL] any more. In some cases, I think we’ve got more, and we’ve got some other things they don’t have,” he told Industry Gamers.
“In terms of strengths, of course we’re still free, and we’re giving you a lot for free. It’s not just free online gaming, but we’ve got PlayStation Home, which is a massive community and application that’s totally free to use. I think there’s a lot we’re doing that in some cases they’re not doing, and I don’t see a lot of things they’re doing that we’re not.”
Lempel also elaborated that Sony did not want to go the Apple route with various software options, especially for PSP.
“Right now our free catalog consists of demos, wallpapers, themes and videos about games. I don’t think we want to degrade the experience you get from a PSP. Because [iPhone] is not a gaming-centric device, I think a user picks it up and says, ‘This is kind of dumb, but I don’t care because I know this device wasn’t intended for games’…. we don’t want to see a bunch of little things that don’t quite make sense or provide a good experience because I think that takes away from what the device is intended for.”
Just for reference purposes only, the amount of people that purchased an iPhone amounted to 3.79 million in quarter one of 2009 alone, which represented 123 percent unit growth over the year-ago quarter.
Thanks, GI.biz.
22 comments
#1
Blerk
08/07/09, 2:29 pm
This won’t end well.
#2
G1GAHURTZ
08/07/09, 2:35 pm
Uh oh…
#3
Hunam
08/07/09, 2:36 pm
I thought PR was about getting people to like you, not making your customers regret buying your console.
#4
desiredtime
08/07/09, 2:41 pm
Wasn’t he talking about delivering content like game and movies through the psn, rather than the online experience while gaming?
#5
Dr.Ghettoblaster
08/07/09, 2:56 pm
I thought the article/interview quote was fine…why the “uh-oh”?
If/when Sony can finally add cross media/real time voice chat & voice messaging rather than text only, THEN I think they’d be on equal playing field as XBOX live (actually better considering it’s free).
#6
Blerk
08/07/09, 3:05 pm
Am I right in thinking that PSN still doesn’t have demo versions of ALL of its downloadable games? I remember people complaining about that in the past.
#7
DrDamn
08/07/09, 3:23 pm
That’s correct Blerk though it has got better.
Small point (dons the spirit of Shatner). Bloke said ‘I don’t think there’s a lot of ‘catch up’ [with XBL] any more.’ – headline says ‘Sony says it’s no longer playing catch up with Xbox Live’. No exactly the same thing is it?
#8
David
08/07/09, 3:56 pm
In terms of what xbox live does and PSN does it still has a lot of catch up to do. Xbox live is seamless were as PSN is still not a fluid experience.
#9
DrDamn
08/07/09, 4:08 pm
PSN is free though. That kinda balances it from “a lot of catch up” to not “a lot of catch up” for me.
#10
David
08/07/09, 4:11 pm
lol fine by me cheapskate I would rather play a service that works than a service that still isn’t there.
#11
reask
08/07/09, 4:14 pm
Over 2 years on the market you would imagine it would be streets ahead.
Considering the 399 Euro price tag prior to the free service.
#12
DrDamn
08/07/09, 4:15 pm
I’ve got both thanks very much. There are some great features on Live – like Parties – which work really well. However I’m just pointing out that on balance you are getting a comparable service for free with PSN.
#13
DrDamn
08/07/09, 4:17 pm
Oh and having been on live since launch … “a service that works” … is not what live always is. It creaks, strains and even becomes unusable on occasion.
#14
G1GAHURTZ
08/07/09, 4:26 pm
And people were wondering why I said “Uh oh”…
#15
Dr.Ghettoblaster
08/07/09, 4:30 pm
Like I said, other than desperately needing voice chat, I think PSN is great. No major complaints here.
#16
G1GAHURTZ
08/07/09, 4:45 pm
I’m not making a single comment on either PSN of XBL, Doc.
The “uh oh” was just because of the anticipated comments defending/attacking one or the other.
#17
Dr.Ghettoblaster
08/07/09, 4:49 pm
No need for explanation Gig…i suppose uh-oh is a pretty accurate prelude to the majority of these post article comment debates…lol.
#18
deftangel
08/07/09, 4:55 pm
If you think that we were paying for Live on the original Xbox whereas PSN surpasses that easily now then they’ve done a good job from a standing start.
However there is no way they’ve caught up to Live in it’s current incarnation.
#19
MushroomStamp
08/07/09, 5:34 pm
come on Live is only $4/month.. BIG WOOPY… dont’ buy that Fast food for one day! Live is hands down better. Instant join voice chats with individuals or party’s while seemlessly jumping in and out of games. Live is much easier to contact friends and send voice messages. the PS3 Screen Keyboard is flippin Painful to use. Most games on PSN also require you to purchase without trying. I don’t think i’ve ever seen a Buy without try on Live.
#20
easyian
08/07/09, 7:23 pm
i think PS3
#21
Dr.Ghettoblaster
08/07/09, 7:26 pm
I like chocolate
#22
easyian
08/07/09, 7:28 pm
I think PS3 has a long way to go to catch up with Xbox. They don’t have a party chat function they don’t have cross game chat. There is no chat for Home in public places. I find their online gaming to be nice but wobbly when a lot of users are on. Its nice to install games but i like the fact that xbox gives me the choice to install instead of making me do it. PSN has the basics of what you need for online gaming. Yes there store might have caught up a little with xbox but the online gaming experience is no where near what you can experience on live. I like chatting with my friends even if they are playing games i don’t have. Its nice to chat with someone while playing a single player game at times too.