Microsoft on the evolution of Xbox Live (The EGTV Show)

UK and Europe top brass weigh in on the autumn Xbox update, as Last.fm, Twitter, Facebook, Zune Marketplace go Live.

[-Alpha]

Revolutionized console online gaming, especially with games like Halo 1.

It's what the Sega Dreamcast 2 would have been. The Amazing Dreamcast even pioneered online and Xbox took it to the next level.

[The 1]

Well online on the Dreamcast was made possible by Microsoft so in a sense pioneered console online. (modified version of Windows CE, developed by Microsoft)

[Saaking]

MS took online gaming on consoles further and at the time I was happy to pay for XBL; however, the times have drastically changed. PSN now offers an experience on par with that of XBL and it's completely FREE. MS just cannot justify the price anymore unless they add something REALLY good. I'm not talking more social crap (which, fyi, is available to PS3 owners since 2006), I'm saying something that's actually useful to gamers. Oh,and before anyone accuses me of anything, the guy above is not me.

[-Alpha]

I agree that gaming-wise and JUST gaming-wise PSN is on par. However people love the extra features of LIVE and guess what? It's not a bad fee. $50 a year is really not much and people blow money on so many other things that are even worse. I'm sure we've all bought that expensive game that was never worth the price.

Now, the extra features of LIVE make LIVE the much more better, attractive, and cleaner product. Achievements from the beginning. In-game music being universal. Mics for everybody. Party chat, PC/360 integration, private chat, demos for all games (unlike the spotty ones on PSN). Xbox Originals, etc.

Now sure, all these are not needed, but they make LIVE the better service.

I love PSN too-- it's straight forward online gaming. Sure it's not as nice as LIVE, but I care to:

a) Play online
b) Play with friends

That's all that matters most. Everything else is icing on the cake.

Now u may not like LIVE because PSN is free, but that doesn't mean LIVE isn't a notable service.

[Bubbles_Kitty_Cat]

Last.fm caught me by surprise.

I had never heard of it until the update, but when I finally got around to checking it out I was like "wow, this is very cool".

I listen to "extreme" metal (stuff you would never hear on the radio) and to be able to simply enter a band's name into the search box and listen to them (along with seeing photos of the band) is really cool.

[nix]

omg...

[Godmars290]

That's all well and good, but the specific "Revolutionizing" of which you speak was pretty much over once XBL launched on the 360. What you're talking about now is MS doling out web browser pages w/o the full freedom of a web browser.

[ape007]

"PSN now offers an experience on par with that of XBL and it's completely FREE"

oh my god,I don't know how the hell did you write that,do you try to convince yourself???

oh my god again,If I bought mw2 on ps3,psn will not give me the same fun or same awesome experience that xbl gives,simply,joining games would be a pain in the @ss,I couldn't do parties,we couldn't plan anything,no invites means that if someone disconnected,he is lost forever,on psn you can't see what your friend is exactly doing,that make things sometimes confusing

xbl is better than psn,the difference is very obvious

if you jump from xbl to psn,you'll notice that psn is very limited,very basic,I know it's free,I know it has awesome online games but I'll pay for these features

go ask eric lumpel himself,he'll tell you xbl is superior

come on man it's clear

I'll pay 40$ a year(+ a month)for these things,it's the bread and butter of xbl

ps3 have some of the most amazing online games,kz2,unchartd 2 are amazing online games,I don't know how amazing these games if these features were added to psn

and....if I bought mw2 on ps3,I COULDN'T EVEN PLAY SPECOPS with my bro and EARNING ACHIEVEMENT TOGETHER

overall mw2 is much better on 360,not only gfx,framrates but features that make gameplay so awesome

I always doubt the 360 many times but everytime it just shut me up

[The 1]

I think Saaking uses his brothers or friends 360 the things he says makes him seem ignorant and the way he finds ways to bash the 360 24/7 makes me believe he is either a hardcore PS3 fan that jumped in or he is fooling everybody.

IMO PSN is far enough behind XBL, it irritates me when using the PS3. I got to find a good controller that is another reason I don't game on the machine and only watch movies, I also wait for demos when they trickle in.

[Mista T]

a good service but should cost at least 25$, instead of 50$

the least MS could do knowing how they go about things

[The 1]

Then you would buy the 360? LOWL

I love it when the supporters of the other team tells the other team what is best for them lol.

[deadreckoning666]

I agree with Saaking that PSN offers MOST of what Live has for free and that it will eventually surpass Live when the premium service comes out, but PLEASE for the love of GOD....

A 12 month Live subscription isn't 50 bucks anymore, its $40. Check Amazon lol. Can we please stop saying its $50?

[Godmars290]

Unless Amazon is selling at retail stores now, you have to look at the general retail price.

Believe it or not, not everyone w/online access hut for bargain online. Want to wait the few days it takes to mail the card.

[Mista T]

I have the 360 you moron

because unlike you there are people out there like me that are gamers and play games to have fun, not be cheerleaders for a platform

[DelbertGrady]

In less than 3 comments this thread turned into a "PSN is better than XBL" war. Thx (again) Saaking.

Why can't you just let people think that Xbox Live is a great service? No ones on you 24/7 because you think PSN is nirvana, are they?

[Bubbles_Kitty_Cat]

"Why can't you just let people think that Xbox Live is a great service?"

The answer is insecurity.

[Godmars290]

Because with their next breath they often call PSN utter crap though they've never used it?

And don't tell me that doesn't happen, that left to their own devices the Xbox camp doesn't bring up "the inferior" PSN because you've charged into PSN threads about "the superior" XBL.

[The 1]

N4G is controlled and populated by PS3 fans. The PS3 fanbase is the strangest I have ever seem their brand of choice is like a way of life to them.

Anyways
I'm waiting for the Natal update, you will be able to use motion to control the dash.

[ape007]

I agree with you man,I don't know how anyone can disagree with xbl being simply better than psn

I love my ps3 so much but xbl seems to make me buy most multiplat games on 360

[Kurt Russell]

In my experience - free things are generally free for a reason :)

[Godmars290]

To give a buyer the impression they're getting more for their money? A gesture of appreciation for choosing a product? Or just a sample of what's being offered? The last of which applies to XBL free weekends.

There's also the one about "the first taste is free, but the next will cost you." Which also applies to the few months MS gives someone in the hopes they'll get hooked.

[i3eyond the Circle]

I always give the PsN the benefit of the doubt and give it a try because I take peoples word that its gotten better.

They lie.

Since it's free the users treat it like a cheap free feature making the community seem dull and not even fun to engage unless its MW2 and even then you can get put into some micless games.

XBL is on top of its game bringing new features and keeping the community strong making online games more enjoyable to play.

[TheGamerz4Life]

And the entire world yawns.