Xbox Live is faster and more reliable than PSN, Microsoft says - also here are some NFL stars for some reason
In a promotional campaign that feels like someone mixed up two sets of cue cards, here's a study and some famous athletes.
Xbox Live is faster and more reliable than the PlayStation Network, Microsoft has claimed.
The platform holder points to a study by IHS Markit which measured the reliability, speed and overall quality of the two networks across five of the most popular multiplayer titles.
Under the heading of reliability, it's faster to get from first logging in to your Xbox One console to being online, and from log in to game servers, than an equivalent experience on PS4 according to this study. Part of this conclusion is based on it taking one button press to log into Xbox Live, but two steps for the PSN, which probably depends on how you set up your console, but okay.
More compellingly, the study found Xbox Live out-performed PSN across three metrics - network log in reliability, game server log in reliability and uninterrupted play. PSN out-performed Xbox Live in terms of matchmaking reliability.
In terms of speed, the study looked at lag and latency, matchmaking, game-load times, login service and friend interactions. Again, it ruled Xbox Live was better in all areas bar matchmaking.
Having taken out both sub-categories, Xbox Live unsurprisingly triumphed in terms of overall quality too, with PSN again winning through on matchmaking. It's worthwhile clicking through to the link above to read the methodology before you get too mad about all this, though.
Anyway, Microsoft announced all this as it debuted a new TV ad campaign for Xbox, which features NFL stars. Why are these two things related? It might have something to do with the recent release of the latest Madden game, which is one of the most important multiplayer events in North America.
Check out the first video in the campaign above.