Battle of the Online Networks - PlayStation Network
Via Gamedaily
The PlayStation 2 was capable of having online play via several games offered for the system, but Sony was at a disadvantage by not prepping a dedicated network for said games. You could still hook up easily via online lobbies and such, but without Sony giving much presence to the proceedings, it almost felt independent instead of company-sponsored. Fortunately, the company's trying to make amends with their PlayStation 3 console, offering up a full-blown service complete with downloads and online-supported gameplay...even if all the details haven't been revealed on it yet.
Pros: For starters, the ability to really implement your personal style into the PS3 community. Sure, some may be turned off by certain kinds of gamers, but you have plenty of options available. You can put together video blogs with the help of the PS3 EyeToy and show the world what's on your mind, as well as customize videos and music. The service will also feature a vast supply of downloading opportunities, both through the PSP and with various "classic" downloads from the PlayStation 1 library. How this will work has not yet been broken down, however. The menu also looks easy to navigate through, and the basic level of service will be free. As for game support, well, it'd be killer to "frag" people in Resistance: Fall of Man. We're still waiting on confirmation.
Cons: The downloadable content through this service still looks kind of iffy. So far, only one game has been revealed for the service- flOW- and it's currently available for free. During the Tokyo Game Show, Sony proclaimed that several classic Mega Drive and Turbo Grafx games would be available through their service, although Sega indicated that such a deal for their Mega Drive library hasn't yet been reached. And we know that the "basic" service for the PlayStation 3 Network will be free, but what is that indicating about an "advanced" service? We need to get more details on that, as well as game pricing.
Overall prognosis: Sony has a long way to go before they can get a service that's on the same level as the Xbox Live Arcade. They have plenty of great promises in the making, especially with their PS1 titles, but with so few titles actually revealed (and in less than two months to the system's release, no less), it's looking kind of lowly right now. Only time will tell how this network shapes up.
