360°

Sony's Patrick Seybold Makes Dig Against Live Price Increase, Outlines PSN Free Services

Earlier today, Microsoft announced they would be increasing the price of Xbox Live on November 1st and reactions have been mixed over the announcement. In a release from Microsoft, they made mention of some new features Live would introduce later this year to make Live worthwhile and show they are expanding the service with these new features. Sony's Patrick Seybold is now making a slight dig at Xbox Live.

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examiner.com
Hallmark Moment4979d ago

LOL Sony is worried, they should know better after charging for PSN because the service can not evolve without money.

Motorola4979d ago

Keep defending it. It wont be long before they pull a stunt that you cant defend. And its not a pun, he cant speak for all of Sony. So fix the title or gtfo

ChineseDemocracy4979d ago (Edited 4979d ago )

Halo Reach release in less than 2 weeks, from a business standpoint this is genius.

Unless they're adding some new features this makes no sense whatsoever, screwing over their customers again. Try and hold on to your exclusives next time Microsoft.

OSU_Gamer4979d ago

Although it sucks that MS is raising prices, they have quite an understandable reason for doing so:

Supply and Demand

People are willing to pay for it and demand the service so MS will keep raising the price.

Like I said, I completely hate the fact that MS is doing it because it costs me more money, but truth is....I will probabaly keep buying it.

Chubear4979d ago (Edited 4979d ago )

You guys will defend ANYTHING from MS to the death uh? WOW!

THIS is a good move? and great thing for 360gamers? REALLY?!?!? wow, just wow.

NYPunkster4979d ago

Oh snap Patrick just clowned Live users. muahahaha

+ Show (1) more replyLast reply 4979d ago
Philoctetes4979d ago

Yes, I'm sure Sony is terrified that its competitor raised the price it charges for a feature that Sony offers for free.

darthv724979d ago

While they can make a dig at this situation, it also gives them ideas that raising costs of the membership is not totally out of the picture. They could raise their membership price to match and in doing that, make it seem more worthwhile in the process by making the free side a bit more restricted.

The more you take away from the free side and make it seem more like perks for the members, the more it makes the free side not as attractive. It isnt sony that is worried but the free members and current paid members are the ones that are worried.

Both companies are after the same $$$ and will make their paid services look as appealing as they can to justify the prices. MS just happens to be a bit more direct about it.

SpitFireAce854979d ago

Prime example why Microsoft will increase XBlive
pricing.And why devs put out DLC that should have
been on the disc in the first place or how they
sell you rehashed maps that you played a year ago...

Hey Hallmark some of us have more important things
to pay for like Medicare,electric bill,mortgage etc

bustamove4979d ago (Edited 4979d ago )

Brb...lol'ing at your comment now. Yeah, Sony's worried alright. They have to worry about a tiger, some creepy kid named Milo and some weird tech that doesn't even work correctly. Oh yeah, and XBL.

Sure. Cool story bro.

pippoppow4979d ago

Those in charge love the Hallmarkmomemnts of the world. Just keep on taking it. Maybe XBL next gen will be $100. I'm sure you'll love it.

moparful994979d ago

Dude get your facts straight. Psn is still 100% free, they have a complimentary service called ps+ (playstation plus) that is optional and has a ton of additional content that you can subscribe to.. Psn's core online experience has always and will always be free... It just burns you up inside that sony is growing and perfecting psn and finding ways to do so without charging their customers while microsoft cannot continue to grow xbl without raising memebership fees.. LOl fail..

JD_Shadow4979d ago

Wait...so Sony is FORCING us to pay for PS Plus?

And increasing Live's price ISN'T "desperation"?

I would LOVE to know your logic!

+ Show (4) more repliesLast reply 4979d ago
Omega44979d ago

Don't see why Sony is mocking MS, MS makes a killing from Live and will continue to do so even with the hike.

Its amazing Sony still keeps PSN free but you know if Sony charged $60 for PSN no one would buy it, unlike Live and that says a lot about the quality of the two services.

Philoctetes4979d ago

Besides the party system and cross-game chat, how are XBL and PSN different?

8-bit4979d ago

We all know Sony is working on x game chat and when it is released XBL subscriptions will be a complete joke

OSU_Gamer4979d ago (Edited 4979d ago )

the community

The majority of people are playing multiplat online games such as MW2 on XBL.

It doesn't justify the price increase, but that makes XBL a better choice for a lot of people.

Add in Halo:Reach online community and I think that gives a lot of gamers reason to keep XBL around.

skrug4979d ago

dedicated servers... on PSN

wtf!?!

SpitFireAce854979d ago

Well 8.3 mill copies of MW2 sold on the PS3
disagree with you... and an average of 250-300k
players online 24/7/365

PS.You just keep paying that live sub and before
you know it you'll be paying $20 a month on top
of your DSL/Cable bill... it used to be its only
$3-4 a month what now? its only twice that.

OSU_Gamer4979d ago (Edited 4979d ago )

OK great I'm wrong. But when a lot of people amke the decision to pick XBL or PSN if they know that a lot of friends play on XBL they will pick XBL.

all but one of my friends use XBL. I choose XBL. I also choose PSN..but I wouldn't if it wasn't free. I think PSN is great and rivals XBL feature wise, but if it wasn't free a lot of those features don't matter because in the end I wouldn't pay to game with one friend.

Not to mention you didn't respond to Halo Reach. Halo Reach will likely compete with the online numbers of MW2.

moparful994979d ago

Lol YOu got owned with your modern warfare 2 statment and then you turn around and use the friend excuse.. First of all sony doesn't advertise the soul out of a game and they still manage to sell 2,3, even 4 million copies of their biggest titles... Modern warfare 2 had so much hype and advertising. Ohh as far as friends go Most of my friends have 360's but I bought my ps3 because it was the best choice for me not because everyone did it.. That kind of mentality is why people make bad decisions.. I find it funny too because most of the people that only have 360's they bash ps3's despite never really playing one. They automatically dismiss them regardless of how good it is.. I dont know what it is about you 360 owners but you have this aire about you like you're better then everyone else just because you own a 360.. You never admit when microsoft makes a mistake and you pounce on everything sony related that can be miscontrued in a negative manner... I'm glad I dont own a 360, people like you make me sick..

+ Show (3) more repliesLast reply 4979d ago
Optical_Matrix4979d ago

Lol people would pay for it. Because that would mean, just like with XBL, they are FORCED to pay to play online. However bad that is. But what makes XBL so much better. To this day no one has answered. Cross Game chat and party chat? wtf

OSU_Gamer4979d ago (Edited 4979d ago )

people answer, you guys just ignore them

ThanatosDMC4979d ago

And that would be? cross game chat?

OSU_Gamer4979d ago (Edited 4979d ago )

I use both PSN and XBL so It's not like I pledge my allegiance to only one online service.

But XBL is still worth it to me.

XBLA Arcade titles
X-Game Chat
Still a lot better user interface for invites and messages.
Voice messages
99% My friends play on XBL
Halo, Gears

I'm not arguing that PSN is better than XBL. Because I don't think its the case. But it is definitely worth it for me to have both.

I love the PSN titles.
I love browser.
I love that its free.
UC2, KZ3...

You cannot sit here and tell people that they are wrong for choosing XBL.
Each service may have benefits for each individual more so than the other service.

If you have more friends on PSN...then go with PSN.

I spend a TON of time playing games online with friends on XBL. I think that makes it worth the same amount as one grande Starbucks coffee a month.

Edit:

I would also (like anyone) rather pay $0 for XBL...but that doesn't make it not worth the amound I am currently paying.

ZombieNinjaPanda4979d ago

@Omega

It says nothing of the quality of the service. I guarantee you that if Microsoft offered silver for free, they would lose half or more of their subscribers.

It's simple, people want to play online on the 360, the only way to do that is to pay. I know many people that wish Live was free, some pay, others don't.

Baka-akaB4979d ago

If the service was any better , PC folks would have accepted live . They didnt because they know the servers aint better , their p2p hosting not better , and all of their services are free with the same and better quality .

Azazel4979d ago

Wow, are you serious? Noone would pay for the PSN if SONY charged for it? I bet people would pay, as it is the console with the most capabilities software and hardware wise. You are just a xbox fanboy thinking your opinion is correct. XD

+ Show (2) more repliesLast reply 4979d ago
PirateThom4979d ago

That isn't a pun.

But I'm glad to see the usuals are out defending wallet rape.

ActionBastard4979d ago

Indeed. Personally, I take my savings from not having to pay for Live and buy games, or hell, a PS+ subscription. At least I'm actually getting something.

jambabie694979d ago

take my usual 50 give plus a try instead of giving that 50 to ms. either way im out 50 bucks, but atleast i'll be giving plus a try and giving some revenue to sony so they can continue to update/enhance psn if they choose too.

with my 50-60 going to ms i know its going for nothing but online play. i do not use the other shit they have put on there. hell even if i did im ona pc right now, why the hell would i give them money for things i have right here if i want for free?

sure it's "only 10 more dollars a year" but it's the damn principal of it all. maybe i'm just going crazy but i just can't see anyone defending this-

if anything for competition sake ms should be doing the opposite! i dunno maybe i need to start drinking 24-7 just to understand some people on heres train of thought. some comments in here are just whoa and a wow!

i been bitching about it and i can renew mine next month for 50 so it wouldn't effect me til next year, but it's the principal behind all this to me. maybe i am missing something..........

peace

Raoh4979d ago

agreed

you should see the g4tv forums full of people actually happy its raised

Garrus_Vakarian4979d ago

Are you serious? They're HAPPY that the price went up? Wow...

XxZxX4979d ago

what???!!!! happy to pay..... there is no recession

Raoh4979d ago

here are a few of the comments onm g4tv, probably the same as on here and probably by the same people

theantigzus
its understandable i mean cost of living, taxes everyhthing goes up in time so im not shocked, besides they did a great job getting people hooked on their online service, so me personally i wouldnt start using my PS3 more just because of an extra $10

Boogie1188
I'd rather pay $$ to experience all that XBL has to offer than play the PSN for free.

Sukimaki
everything goes up after a while and i look at it from a monthly thing when i buy year 60 bucks thats 5 bucks a month so i am not really bummed

drane10
While its not enough to make me stop using Xbox Live, it is slightly annoying that I'll be paying for services that I will rarely use (i.e. Kinect, Netflix, Last.fm). The only thing I use Gold for is multiplayer and the occasional facebook post...

nix4979d ago

wow... are ppl really that daft????

P_Bomb4979d ago (Edited 4979d ago )

They're all singing the same song 'bout how everything goes up. Someone tell them we're talking about videogames, where the price on hardware and software etc tends to go DOWN over time, not up. Heck, XBox360 just had a price cut.

We paid $59.99 and 69.99 for new NES games like Metroid and Kid Icarus back in 1987. In 23 years it hasn't even gone up.

Redempteur4979d ago

it's a new low then ..

i'm paying more for the same thing ...let's rejoice !!!

/s

jambabie694979d ago (Edited 4979d ago )

in the real world their is alcoholics, drug addicts, crack heads, i guess their also should be xbox live addicts added to the mix.

i was once addicted to online gaming, when i first got live in jan of 05 i was like damn! but in the last while i just weined myself off. started playing my ps3 more, and i use psn some, but more times than none i play single player more these days. just by choice, i still throw in mag from time to time and resistance 2. btw i need to update mag.....(been playing red dead, and i just finished heavy rain a couple weeks ago)

i think i need to open a "xbox live rehab facility" for some of these in the world. thing is ms would try to shut me down for taking away some of their business lol.

edit- to bustamove- no shit! i don't get it either.

edit 2- to redempteur- EXACTLY some in here finally get it, god damn i thought i was going crazy! thanks dude! have a bubble :) for reassuring me im not going insane!

+ Show (5) more repliesLast reply 4979d ago
bustamove4979d ago

...People are happy that it's being raised? WTH, did I just step into bizarro land?

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280°

Sony Taps Bungie's Head of Revenue to Lead Live-Service Games

Sony has recruited Bungie's head of revenue Jaremy Rich to head up its live-service gaming division, Rich has announced on social media.

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techraptor.net
ChasterMies13d ago

Please do not put Destiny’s monetization into Sony’s first party games. The monetization is what’s driving players away from Destiny.

just_looken13d ago

The new temp boss is the sony cfo bean counter so i can see this being a thing get every penny.

Cacabunga13d ago

PlayStation officially losing it.. fans will never support gaas games

just_looken13d ago

@car

The new boss did a interview in japan he wants to tap into the mobile market like nintendio so he give 0 fucks about gamers/fans

https://www.pushsquare.com/...

Redemption-6413d ago

@Cacabunga
You only speak for you and those who think like you, but most fans will support what they want. Playstation and PC fans are literally supporting Helldivers 2 and that is a gaas. Maybe you wouldn't, but many more would if they like it.

Huey_My_D_Long13d ago

@Redemption-64
Look, Im not making any judgement calls about this guy, but I will say that Helldivers 2 GaaS model is unique to Helldivers, and legit the only other game I can think of thats similiar was the Avengers game except HD2 pass is still better.
The fact that you can earn in game currency in a way that doesnt make you feel like you have to grind forever, as well you being able work on that pass that you bought...on your own time without a time limit...that right there is fucking huge to me, and I can't name any game other than avengers that avoided trapping players with FOMO logic...I think GaaS on HD2 shouldn't be compared to the rest of the industry...it should be copied.

Einhander197213d ago

Cacabunga

Helldivers 2...

Redemption-64

In Europe it's a 60 40 split favoring PC.
In the US its a 60 40 split favoring PS5.

So PlayStation owners supported the game just fine, it's not getting carried by PC or anything like that.

FinalFantasyFanatic13d ago

@just_looken,
I'm perfectly fine with the way Nintendo entered the mobile market, I never touched their mobile games, meanwhile, the console/handheld stayed the way it is. As for being a bean counter, he's probably going to reel in these massive budgets that Sony's studios have had lately, I haven't played Spiderman 2, but I cannot see how they almost tripled the budget for that game.

@Redemption-64,
That's an exception to the rule, I'm expecting a lot of these GAAS games from Sony to fail, to be fair, they only need a few to succeed, but I would have preferred that they put more of their resources into other types of games.

+ Show (3) more repliesLast reply 13d ago
DivineHand12513d ago

True their monetization is driving players away and at the same time, their decision to chop out content and convoluted systems is keeping new players away from the game.

Joe91313d ago

I don't think that will happen based on how things worked out at Naughty Dog now that we know what we do, seems they had the option to fully commit to live service games or stay making single player experences so they gave up on their live service game. We are not sure how things came about with Bend making a live service game but I hope that was not a forced situation. Sony doesnt seem like they are forcing studios to switch up but we will see, Sony's bread and butter is single player games it is how they dominated the console market.

Obscure_Observer13d ago

Yeah, I though Sony learned something from all their failures in the LS segment under Bungie´s disastrous leadership and supervision which led to games been cancelled, studios closed and all the people laid off.

Looks like Bungie still plays a major role in Sony´s LS initiative and Sony is not backtracking on their GaaS plans.

S2Killinit13d ago (Edited 13d ago )

Are we forgetting that Destiny is also a highly successful franchise? I feel like that definitely deserves mention here.

Besides, there is no reason why a person cant learn from past experiences.

Joe91312d ago

I agree, people act as if Destiny flopped when it came out lol it took 9 to 10 years for the numbers to fall yet people are still playing it add the success of Helldivers 2 no wonder Sony is going forward down this path.

S2Killinit12d ago

Personally, I see no problem with Sony also having service games as long as they make good ones, and more importantly they deliver the AAA story driven games that they are known for. So yeah, I agree 100% with you.

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Christopher13d ago

I mean, this person made some pretty bad decisions at Bungie. I hope they've learned from them because I definitely don't see those type of ideas as good for PlaySation in general.

CrimsonWing6913d ago (Edited 13d ago )

Honestly, what’s to learn from? How to make people happily continuously dump money into a single game over its life-time? Buy season passes continuously for several years with a smile on our faces?

GaaS is a design decision that is everything wrong with this industry. The fact that Helldivers 2 did so well and people defend the monetization because it was $40 and is a fun game, scares the sh*t out of me to see that the door is open and all shift will probably be to replicate that in future games. We already know the ROI for traditional game dev cost isn’t doing it for them.

I thought with Jimbo leaving we’d see a change for the better… I’m not so sure now.

S2Killinit12d ago

Service games are being offered by everyone. Sony cannot afford to only create single player AAA games. No one can. They already said they will be doing both.

Abnor_Mal13d ago (Edited 13d ago )

Ps5 gamers in 2023 seemed to play more live service types of games, so regardless to how people feel about them, numbers don’t lie and Sony is going where the money is. I mean look at the excitement around Helldivers2, people are showing that they want live service games.

Christopher13d ago

They play long-time existing live service games like CoD, Fortnite, Apex Legends, Destiny 2, and the like. Mass majority of new live service games are considered failures and aren't moving gamers away from older games.

just_looken13d ago

Yep the huge issue with live service is they need paid players along with a reason to play them.

You forgot mobile market that also taps into that player base as well as the eve online style games there is only a certain amount of krakens/whales blind supporters compared to the amount of live service games we have its not sustainable math wise.

700 restaurants making food for every seat for 1000-3000 eaters just does not work out

Einhander197213d ago (Edited 13d ago )

Christopher

I am not a big live service fan and literally own zero of the games you listed, but that is not true, unless you call games that aren't the top games to be failures.

There are tons of live service games that are profitable.

Games don't have to be the biggest game ever they just need to make more than they cost.

I challenge you to show professionally prepared data that shows that more live service games fail than make enough to keep going.

Because all the data that I have seen shows that live service is less of a gamble than making a big AAA budget game which needs to survive off retail sales.

FinalFantasyFanatic13d ago

I sometimes wonder if we're at saturation point, where it's hard for a new game to join those ranks unless it's particularly exceptional, people only have so much time and money to devote to these types of games.

romulus2313d ago

Correction, they have no issue playing good live service games

shinoff218313d ago

Lol it's not even a quarter of the ps5s sold. Helldivers may have been a hit but let's not say most are enjoying it because truth is most(the real most ) don't care about it.

S2Killinit12d ago (Edited 12d ago )

I play what is fun. If a live service game is good I’ll play it as long as its not a money scheme which Helldivers is not.

And Im a single player gamer.

mastershredder13d ago

How do you kill a franchise that already been killed?
Destiny’s grind, cash-in-on-playbass-cha-Ching, and pop-culture-insertion mainstream-me-too bs totally killed any rep Bungie had. Sony/Bungie, if you are doing this to ward-off players, it’s already working.

crazyCoconuts13d ago

Headline truncated:
"... off a cliff"

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80°

Sony May Soon Let You Decide How Much NPCs Talk In Games

Sony has patented to add multiple dialogue modes to let players switch between how many conversations with NPCs they want in the game.

blackblades19d ago

Sony is like the only ones outta the 3 that has atuff like like this pop up changing thing in ways.

just_looken19d ago

Sony in the past has always been first at bat with new ideas/tech but in the end never fully use it or just toss it away.

blackblades19d ago

I think they did use some but yeah most usually never happened but at least they thought about it. Sony seeks things like this and other, Nintendo seek different ways of playing going by there different controler designs and console designs.

just_looken19d ago (Edited 19d ago )

some of the other stuff sony want's/owns never used
https://gamerant.com/sony-p...
https://gamerant.com/sony-p...
https://www.eurogamer.net/s...
https://metro.co.uk/2023/03...
https://decrypt.co/114754/s...

monitor/adjust game difficultly as you play
https://www.techradar.com/g...

Sony nfts
https://www.theblock.co/pos...

Pay ai to play the game for you
https://thebusinessofesport...

Oh all the above last 12 months

I just imagine a evil scientist with test subjects when it comes down to sony recent patent reports.

Kaii19d ago

Will we get dialogue options that won't spoil puzzles in a matter of seconds? :p

280°

Judge rules in PlayStation's favour in $500m patent infringement lawsuit

Genuine Enabling Technology was seeking damages, claiming the tech allowing PlayStation consoles and controllers to communicate infringes its rights.

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gamesindustry.biz
S2Killinit21d ago

Big victory for Sony. And a long time coming.

DarXyde21d ago (Edited 21d ago )

Crazy to think the savings from this lawsuit allows them to develop one AAA game.

Make it Bloodborne 2, please and thank you.

21d ago
Profchaos21d ago

Sounds like patent trolling they tried the same thing against Nintendo with the same pattern.

Motion and control input traversing over higher and lower frequencies seperate from each other allowing the controller to do both

Pyrofire9521d ago

Patents suck. Most of them are complete garbage.

Knightofelemia21d ago

So to recoup the money Genuine is going to take on Nintendo or Microsoft next. I hate patent lawyers they are some of the worst bottom feeders out there.

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