Online:
The Final Frontier
Although
Nintendo tried desperately to downplay online gaming
as an integral part of the videogame industry during
this current generation, truth is that millions
of gamers saw it very differently. But that doesn't
mean that every company that saw the importance
of online gaming got it right either. Sony's online
model for the PS2 was hamfisted and broken almost
from the start. By pandering to the lowest common
denominator, which I will call "dial up"
or narrowband and scoffing at Microsoft's draconian
pay for play XBL service, Sony wound up with a less
than desirable muddled online mess. Microsoft's
XBL service was costly, but certainly cheaper for
a year than most online games such as City of Heroes
and EverQuest and the presentation and service was
as close to perfection as anyone could have hoped.
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"Sony
wound up with a less than desirable online
muddled mess."
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Sony
Online
Microsoft's
Xbox Live is the service to beat this time around
and Sony has their work cut out for them. We know
little to nothing about Sony's online future plans,
but I would expect they plan on providing an online
service akin to XBL for either the same price or
lower....or free. Who knows how low they're willing
to go? Thankfully Sony will prepackage the Broadband
adapter and it will be wireless (Wi Fi 2.0) out
of the box this time. Smart move.
Microsoft
Online
Microsoft
is offering a two tiered XBL service, Silver and
Gold. Silver will be available to all Xbox owners
free of charge right out of the box who have a broadband
connection. They will be able to voice chat with
friends and observe games played online. But if
they want to play online and download extra content,
they will have to purchase the Gold plan which will
function much like the current XBL service.
The
Xbox 360 will support Bluetooth wireless (Wi Fi
2.0) ethernet, but you'll have to purchase the adapter.
Sony gives it to you, Microsoft charges for it.
But niggling over that might be nickel and diming
when we find out exactly what both systems are packaged
with at launch and their price points.
XBL
Marketplace
Their
idea is to charge you for everything. Everything.
Remember those cheat codes you used to get? Remember
that cool costume or weapon you would unlock after
you beat the game? Yeah, no more of that. Microsoft
wants to implement extra$ (the dollar sign is my
emphasis) that you'll pay for. Crazy? Definitely.
Especially if the PS3 version of the same game doesn't
make you pay for that cool weapon, costume or level.
We're thinking they'll only try this with their
first party titles but who knows? If this is the
case, expect to see "Double Barreled Shotgun
for Ash in Evil Dead 5" on eBay and lots more
where that came from.
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"Remember
those cheat codes you used to get?"
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Pretending
the online marketplace doesn't exist for a moment,
which we see as a really cashgrabbing kind of idea,
Microsoft worked out the kinks with their online
service during this generation, expect them to have
the smoother service right out of the starting gate
when the Xbox 360 launches.
