PS3: Sony sticks with non-unified online service
Instead of using a unified system for on line play like Microsoft’s Xbox Live, Sony is taking the same route as it did with the PS2. So what will this mean? well on line gaming with the PS3 will be like on the PC and this could cost us the end user a small fortune!
Firstly I will describe how a unified system works and for this example I will use Microsoft’s Xbox Live, you pay a yearly fee to Microsoft to hook your XBOX up to live, it is around the same cost as new game for the year, and you connect to Microsoft’s servers for on line gaming, this way Microsoft can keep control of the what is offered to the consumer in the way of quality of gaming and the only fee is the only paid to Microsoft.
A non unified system has its good points and its bad points, the good points are the publisher will not be constrained by the rules and regulations like on the XBOX so they have a wide berth to basically do what they want within reason, but this may turn into a main for us the end user if the software houses decide that every game that goes on line has a fee like on the PC. This will mean every game you purchase and you want to play on line you will have to get a membership for, yes this means a user-name and password for every game and a fee for every game too.
It will be OK if the software houses get together and arrange something that will be cost effective for the end user but I wouldn’t hold my breath with that happening, this is either going to go two ways it will be the birth of the next generation of gaming on consoles or it will be the death of the PlayStation, I don’t think anybody like to give the thumbs up to Microsoft but for a change they have done something correct with the Live! system they use for on line gaming and being Microsoft the daddy of the PC I would of thought they would of been the ones making the mistake and going for a non unified system but it looks like they have learnt their lesson with that gone.
SONY listen up you are releasing a better console than the XBOX 360 sort out your on line play or you WILL loose us all.
