Yeah it cost them $50,000,000 for the "exclusive episodal" content, which are gonna equal a total of TWO, and you know their gonna pass this cost on to their customers (i.e Xbox fanbois). They must have spies in the Sony camp if they reckon the up coming Playstation network "revamp" and HOME introduction is not going to eclipse their service.

Or the fact that Microsoft paid R* the cool sum of £50/$50 million for the privilege of having it's own DLC. I'll still end up getting it though. :D :D :D

Microsoft has been Tooting its horn about its $20m GTA4 content for a while now but they have not really divulged any information about it other then calling it 'Episodic content'

If MS want to use this as ammunition in its console war they should be throwing around details on how many more hours and how much 'greater' it'll be, so I have my douts on the actual size of this content.

Apart from that, yes XBL is currently the superior online console platform but the Playstation network is improving its service with extra functionality (home and new communication options) and a store makeover in the future.
Also the PSN has its own console exclusive features such as Unreal Tournament 3 mods and the fact that it is completely free, gaming online with both consoles is pretty similar too as both can be stable/laggy depending on the internet speed of its users.. which brings me to the question of why do we have to pay for Live when PC gaming and PSN is completely free?

Also before flamewars, I own both consoles and a gaming PC.

The "our games are better" and "Live is better" arguments which MS is grasping onto for dear life will no longer be viable within the next 6 months. Tis' sad that is all they have left and even that is gonna be gone in short order.

Your all sad.

You're next on my hitlist crazyeighty8. I will rid the world of fanboy scum!

I think Microsoft need to keep an eye out on how HOME ends up on the PS3 as it looks very impressive and promising, although Xbox Live is a fantastic service once Sony implement XMB into the games and becomes similar somewhat to Xbox Live then Microsoft will have less to go on...Thats why they need to start doing things now to improve so they are one step ahead if they can since Sony might be able to catch up sooner or later with the online side of things...

this is completely correct. PSN will never be as robust and elegant at XBL. PSN will never be able to have a single sign-on and single 'presence' across ALL games, that XBL has.

frankly, you get what you pay for.

I hope PSn does give Microsoft Xbox Live a run for its money.
If it does, then Live will have to be made free.
But, as Microsoft are so far ahead in this area, it will take time. And in that time, Microsoft will have made other improvements, additions, additional functionality improvements. etc. so most likely the great gulf between them will still exist. And Live will still be a paid service, still streets ahead of the rest. But that what happens, I will still gladly pay for it.

blizaine. its obvious you dont own a ps3. They have a single log on for every game that goes online. I would know i own both systems. As far as single presence? What are you talking about? Achivements? If so, who cares most adults that play xbox could care less about them. It does not enhance the gameplay at all.

Well fancy that, what an exclusive scoop! Microsoft's President thinks Microsoft's online platform is better! I'm shocked! Next you'll be telling me Sony's President think Home and PSN is better! Who would have expected such a shocking announcement?!

“You don't have the same experience (with other consoles) that you get with Xbox Live,"

He's right about that though:

we don't get the experience of paying for something everyone else does for free

we don't get the experience of using a stupid points system to try and mask the over priced content

we don't get the experience of systems dying and discs being scratched beyond repair

we don't get the experience of the archaic size limit that prevents all but the most basic games being available to download

we don't get the experience of having to buy an over priced memory card or over priced harddrive addon if we got their "value" models

we don't get the experience of $50M diverted from possible 1st party game development to instead be wasted on downloadable content that won't be out until the over-crowded Christmas season for a game that most people won't complete anyway

I totally agree with the statements above by shocked apart from the system dieing thing my ps3 blu ray suddenly stopped working the other day however here is a new we dont and a we do.

We dont get the experience of having to send back faulty equipment only to wait weeks to recieve a repair job or an email saying we cannot replace this console due to xyz

We do get to experience ringing up sony who send you a new console out next day and take back the old one :)

Ya too bad for this guy, he doesn't know whats gonna hit him when HOME Is released. My friend (who is a 360 fan) even said that home looked awesome, and said that he would get a ps3 for HOME (Obviously not just for HOME).

IMO, once Sony really gets the ball rolling it will force MS to pick up the slack on both their console's manufacturing and maybe even make XBL free. And I agree with whoever said that they need to come out and say what their episodic content is going to be if they want to persuade people to come to the Gatesside. For me, I'll be waiting until the RRoD are done with before I purchase a XBOX.

Here's the deal...I was a big Playstation fan for a long time, I now own the 360. Yes, PS3 is finally stepping to the plate and offering an online service that looks pretty cool. However as much as they advertise stating the service is free, not all of the service will be, you can mark my words on that. We are talking about Sony who is king at the spin game and doesn't fully inform their customers until it is too late. Just like Blu-Ray, where they are not able to make a combo disc so you can enjoy your movie anywhere but in one place...or their cameras having a memory stick instead of the standard everyone else is using.
The plain and simple is that you cannot offer a free service and throw money at it...it doesn't make financial sense and Sony won't do it. Either you will have a free service that's completely unmonitored and not kept up, or you will have a partially free service(like Xbox has), and pay services so they can make the experience better for all. Sony offers quality, and I do like alot of their electronics, so I know they will make a quality product. However they are very slick with their advertising, so don't expect it to be completely free.

F-Off... PS3 could've had the DLC for GTAIV as well, if Micro****s didn't buy the rights for it... so they can go to h3ll with that crap that no other platform is capable of doing that... please... Micro****s desperate... and i think Blizaine is losing his grasp on reality... elegant... elegant my @55...

er.. yeah.. no other consoles can give the same online experience? Would that experience include forking out $100's just to play online with friends? Having owned the 2 systems and played online on both.. I'll stick with my free ps3 online service thanks!

Wow,

look at you all go.

Lame. Who gives a ****. Shut up either way!

I've been a Live subscriber for three years now and yes it has been a great experience, up until Christmas 2007 that is. Since then it's been the worst service I've ever used. Lag in most games, some impossible to play.... movies don't fully download, XBLA games not worth bothering with, and all for £40p.a. "Awesome Ultimate gaming experience!" When you do get an online game, you're subjected to abuse, racism, accused of being *** etc. by mostly pre-pubescent or the mentally challenged et. al.

However, the PSN experience, ok, the comms suck at times, there's not as many games to play online, but when you do get online the experience I've had I have to admit has been better. No lag in Resistance (even with a full room!) and the people online are more polite, no trash talk/racism etc., at least so far, oh, and all this for free!

PSN IMO can only get better, XBL we've seen can get worse. I think the war (if there even is one) is far from over. But Exclusive DLC is not gonna cut it for me, I want a reliable service thats easy and fun to use, and if it's free then that's even better!

I think M$ need to stop bragging, and try to ensure that their customer base doesn't just up and leave to other platforms... I've already had four ppl on my XBL Friends List ditch everything Xbox for the PS3... if the crappy service continues, I might just join them.

well i too had a 360 from lauch for 2 years loved it, apprat from lag on graw2 when trying to play co-op with 5 players!!
moved to ps3 played the same game and it was simply amazing. Plus the lag you get for £40 a year is a disgrace.
As for GTA 4 they only have like 2 extra missions or something, its not like they have an extra city with 30 missions extra. Halo has been and gone, sony have loads of exclussives, hence why you see Gears of war 2 all over IGN.com, they need something to shout about, but in truth, the xbox is getting close to 3 years old soon, Sony are just getting started.

Using PSN and Live daily, PSN fails miserably, PSN needs alot of work.

Please everyone, I love XBL! Yeah it does have its problems, and so does the 360 for that matter. I've owned all systems from launch as I have for every real system since before the 2600. I have also been an avid PC gamer back to b4 the TRS-80, and I only mention all that to make the point that I am very biased. It's the gameplay (i.e. fun to play) factor stupid! ;-) While we can argue all these little points about MS and Sony's online stuff the good thing is they are both getting better every time the other makes an improvement. Even if you only support one system, which is silly, you should be very happy when any system improves. As it means your system of choice will also get better. I must say however, having said all that, I was really impressed by the PSN and upcomming PS3 stuff! It is a GREAT time to be a gamer!!! Just wait for the announcements within the next year! You will LOVE what is comming, and won't even be able to believe whats comming in the next couple years...

Long live the GAMERS!!!

Having recently chosen to not renew my LIVE subscription due to the terrible service now running and having switched to PSN which runs smoother, has better content and is constantly improving all the time I fail to see how anyone can not only try to justify the price tag that comes with LIVE but try and convince everyone that its a better service.

Past tense my friends, LIVE was better, but not anymore. PSN has a much brighter future than LIVE-and its free.

Well I have played X-Box Live and PSN... PSN is great it's free and I have had very little lag, I admit the PSN is a little barren as of now without access to XMB but that's changing soon, X-Box Live has a great service but it costs you. Now for the part X-Box fan boys can't admit, the PS3's failure rate is about 2% The 360's 33% PS3 uses Blu-Ray, 360's use DVD-9. PS3 has motion sensing technology, the 360 is rumored to be adding it (LOL) PS3 has Metal Gear 4, 360 won't get it because it may be a 2 disc PS3 game leave the 360 out of any chance of getting it because 360 uses DVD-9. PS3 allows user content (user created themes, Mods for Unreal, little big planet) X-Box Live not so warm to user content (denying Mods for Unreal) PSN game have more potential than X-Box Live Arcade titles due to the game size cap for X-Box Live Arcade games, PS earns it exclusive content or demands it X-Box pays for it (a very dirty tactic) PS3 is made of next Gen Tech. (Blu-Ray, Cell Processer, HDMI, Blue Tooth, actually has Native HD Resoltions for 1rst Party games) X-Box uses last Gen Tech (DVD-9, no HDMI unless you get a premium, runs some 1rst Party games at a non HD standard and upscales them (ahem HALO). So tell me which Console is Next Gen. Also about GTA4 cause of the 360 it's potential is limited for disc space reasons. Oh I wrote this on my PS3's Browser yet another decent feature I find useful.

lol at Lavos55, what a fanboy, grow up alittle.

am i the only one who things its stupid to charge for going online when you charged your customers 500 for a system when it first came out and still after it dropped to 270 they still charge and i think it runs on points not sure im sorry but i aint dissing out cash for a system that charges after you paid alot to get the damn system! yes you might get extra features and what not but still ITS MONEY! but just wait man 2007 sucked for PS3 and this year in 2008 it will be a glorious year cause i know some stuff that no one else knows about what sony might be doing.. Heh Heh...

I have both consoles. I used to have a complementary Gold subscription to Xbox Live (three months). I am absolutely amazing at how willing people are to be getting it up the backside, without the decency of a reach-around with that service! Not only do you have to pay an exobitant amount for the subscription to be "Gold", but you also have to pay even more for stupid "points". They use "points" instead of real prices because it's easier to rip you off that way.

They should either include everything in a flat Gold subscription price (it's high enough already), or get rid of that stupid points system and quote real prices. I don't like the idea of handing MS my hard earned money just so I can have "credit" on "points" and they make real interest off my real money. You Gold subscribers and "points" purchasers are A-1 top class, Grade A, super duper, mega-suckers.

PSN doesn't charge for their service, and I don't complain when the store has real prices for games or add-ons! I'd even pay a reasonable subscription fee if I knew everything is included in it. Having it free is a bonus.

Imagine if Valve started charging for Steam play access. Think of the possible riots. Valve's games (specifically Half-Life) became so popular because of its free online multiplayer presence, even before Valve themselves offerred the service!

God forbid the ability to host your own locally served Xbox-360 game yourself. It uses your PC for media, why not multiplayer gaming? That would eat up the profits from the fanboy/suckers out there.

If you like Live, then more power to you. For myself, I like to sit down without having the desire to call a crisis center just to play a game online.

Yes Microsoft, keep bragging. You won't be laughing when 1.Sony's online service gets even better, 2. they steal your exclusives, and 3. Get more developers as they leave your system.

Dream on all you PS3 owners who think their service will stay free. As another poster said it doesn't make good business sense for Sony to throw money at a service they make nothing from unless they load the price of the hardware or games with any additonal cost. FACT.

I've seen nothing of either system to really blow me away yet. The PS3 has a poor software library compounded by the fact that the 40gb version isn't backwards compatible with the PS2. The 360 has some good games such as Gears of War but honestly, how easy to finish. If I pay £35-40 quid for a game I want more than a weekends play out of it. That's were the live service comes in to play and gives you a lot more playability. So Sony are going to sell you a game that you can complete and then give you a free service to extend the life of that game ?? Wake up and smell the coffee everyone!!!!

lol @ Grim Reaper "Dream on all you PS3 owners who think their service will stay free. As another poster said it doesn't make good business sense for Sony to throw money at a service they make nothing from unless they load the price of the hardware or games with any additonal cost. FACT."

you wouldnt know the fact they advertise there service for online play "free for life" or are you really that dense!! just like an xbox fanboy to say its a fact but in reality it aint so hard to realise ITS FREE AND GOING TO GET BETTER. so keep dreaming about a service that microsoft charge you for but xbox live is losing its customer base THAT IS A FACT I have both consoles and notice a huge ammount of difference in quality of service btw i have a really fast connection so i have no lag but with xbox live it dont matter how fast your connection is! ok xbox live has more content but thats soon to change ive stopped playing my xbox 360 and still druellin over the free service PSN has to offer go SONY you have truly converted a xbox 360 supporter!

Ps3 sucks

Face it sony fanboys .. PSN Sucks. Stop being cheap little cry babys and pay the measly 50$ a year for an awsome service that im sorry WORKS and has loads of content on it. I mean come on if you would have not blown your load on that *cough* bluray player you would have been able to afford it.

I am no fan of either but as it goes, both have cons. Such as the major amount of pull-out of game developers for the PS3. Also Home, PS3's major system is 2 years late, The music system on PS3 was ruined by the update (Unsure if fixed).
And Xbox 360's continuous lag problems because of the point that they never increase the amount of servers they have. Also Xbox 360 costs and they do have the ability to decrease the cost but they don't because they are greedy bastards. But due to the major crisis involving the credit crunch let's just see what Sony do, because with the money they currently get they will either have to put in costs or else the whole PSN network will have to be terminated until the crisis is over...

You guys are bloating the view of PSN because it's free, maybe it's free because they are trying to get more people to play on their small community maybe its true that the X is better, ok at how many people are still paying for Xbox live and how many of each of these game systems are sold, 357,000 xbox's and 157,000 ps3's I think the sales speak for themselves your system is not going to get better both systems are going to stay the same the updates won't change much and if they do how often are you going to use them. (ow you can piss and moan about my faulty english because you can't complain on my argument)

It's getting over a year since this was controversial. The first GTA content came out and did superb, the second one is on its way. I can't say I really care, as I did not even enjoy GTA 4 that much to begin with and found it the most boring in the entire series.

Home is still a weird pipedream, that can very well end up no better than SecondLife. I'm glad every single day I do not have to deal with that one the 360. I've dealt with enough virtual services to know that people will largely act like morons and harass.

I still don't want to buy a PS3. I did replace my 360, it lasted me for four years, which was two more than my PS2 which I replaced several times at my cost. Though it's a shame I don't own a PS3 to utilize the Bluray I wont pay 10 bucks extra for, to watch on the 1080p television I just don't need.

So yes, if you bought a PS3, you may be ahead of the curve. It's a shame you did not see that being that far ahead of the curve is like smacking your head against a wall instead of going around it. Sony has been blabbing on about a 10 year plan, and yet I see nothing spectacular being done with what is supposed to be a very advanced piece of hardware.

In closing you might want to ask yourself. If the 360 is such a waste of space and Sony is going to crushify it, than why is it getting a Metal Gear solid game when the developer clearly hates the console ? Well I guess the poor guy wants to actually make some money, so he's going to swallow his pride.

I wish you all luck with your overpriced console, that works so superbly. I might just pick one up when they drop below 200. It's a shame that all that fancy hardware I don't need is going to keep that from happening any sooner than it should.

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