Microsoft will make BILLIONS from Xbox Live.

[Bitmap Frogs]

Loud_Hot_White_Box said:

Agreed that MS offers fewer features for the price of their console: PS3 gets you online gameplay, HD movies, wifi, etc without paying more for it.

MS's online propaganda campaign somehow worked to convince its fans that "PS3 is overpriced" at the same time that "MS fans pay more."

Profit-wise, MS's strategy is better.  Sony includes so much with online gameplay, continuing firmware badassness, upcoming Home, that they really should be seen as the fan-favorite good guys (yes, in game XMB is taking too long), but somehow in these conversations MS fans conveniently care about their company's bottom line rather than what they are forking out to the company in payment for the benefits received.

Oh well, competition is good for us fans.

I'm sure ps3 owners got a lot of gaming value outta the built-in card reader. Truth is, as much as both MS and Sony tried the consoles are just gaming machines to most people and all that supposed "built in value" the ps3 customers paid an extra for didn't amount one inch as far as gaming values are concerned.

It's similar to comparing two vacuum cleaners, one has a built in merry christmas tree and is 100$ more expensive while the other offers it as an option for 150$. Sure on paper the first one is better value, but what's the use of a christmas tree when you just want to clean the floor.

And frankly, the fact that sony doesn't ask a payment for online gaming has had a cost on ps3 gamers: way less content available online, wonkier net support on ps3 versions of games and even lack of it in some cases, etc. Or to put another way, you don't pay 50$/year but you paid 600$ for the console and had to wait close to two years to have basic online features - not to mention resources funneled the home way that are taken away from game development. Xbox Live Silver users don't get punished because Xbox Live Gold users are siphoning money off the company to keep the online infraestructure afloat. Meanwhile, ps3 users who aren't interested in online play just got 8 Days and The Getaway 3 cancelled.