@ Legand11

What are the significant Live advantages over the PSN regarding multi-player? So far developers have said the PSN is more flexible and thus more powerful to them with regard to how to implement things for their games, how would the PSN be a limiting factor for Rockstar with regard to developing GTA IV for the PS3 compared to the 360 version?

madskillz said: MikeB said: libellule said: I agre BUT GTA4 will have more legs on Xbox360 ... less fans BUT more total users !!! I would think the PS3 version would have the better legs for the long run. There's a huge list of top ranking PS2 games which are set to receive PS3 exclusive sequels, I would imagine many PS2 users upgrading towards a PS3 also played GTA III and/or San Andreas on the PS2 and thus may be interested in picking up this title. MikeB, what carrots has Sony tossed PS2 users to upgrade to a PS3? First, Sony removes the reason to get rid of their PS2 and forces them to keep their PS2 around, especially if they want to play the games mentioned. Second, Sony sold many, many more PS2s when it dropped below $199 - so you are assuming the masses will upgrade to a console that is over $399 and buy all new games? Hmmm ... Third, have you ever admitted in a VGChartz post that there's any good in the 360?

The PS2 is cheap and the PS2 can be moved to the kid's beroom connected to a SDTV and have the PS3 in the living room connected to a widescreen HDTV. The 80GB PS3 does include backwards PS2 compatibility, maybe Sony is going to offer a similar unit for Europe in the future or provide a software based solution. Price is crucial (many consumers may only be interested in high definition content), thus a cheaper motherboard design is important in this regard.

The PS2 actually sold very well right from the beginning compared to the PS3, PS1 and its rivals, this due to many high profile games like Final Fantasy,  Grand Theft Auto, Metal Gear Solid and Dragon Quest launching earlier within the console's lifecycle.

Japan is a small market for GTA. It can sell all of it on launch day at the fastest rate ever and it will still count very little towards the lifetime million level sales for a GTA game.

At the moment, for multiplatform multiplayer games, Xbox 360 takes the cake by a mile. So when a consumer chooses which version, the average HD consumer is choosing the 360 version, because ratios are above the HW 1.6:1, and this translates to millions in total sales. You have remember that Xbox Live members already have an established group of friends in their communities and gamer identities with achievements, and this momentum is carried forward.

For the PSN to do well, it has to look towards its future games and improving on its communication tools and focusing on multiplayer. Haze may be the first to actually take it seriously, so we will see how well that does. At the moment, the marketing is heavily towards being a media player, so its not in their top priority.

@ EaglesEye379

I think from the grand perspective this means little, about a third of 360 owners are currently subscribed to XBox Live Gold, membership may fluctuate as it does cost consumers additional money on a regular basis and some of the subscribers may just be RRoD compensated temporary members.

And it's not like there is nobody playing PS3 games online neither. Growth is more easily achieved on the PS3, someone who owns both 360 and PS3, may decide Live isn't worth the cost, yet playing PS3 games online is always a free option if you have internet access.

With regard to communication and multiplayer, Home looks like to allow for way more extensive communication than the 360 ever provided (sharing content, playing chess, bowling, checkers darts, etc with others, war rooms, avatar experessions in combination with voicechat and keyboard support, etc). With regard to multiplayer Resistance 2 seems to take online multi-player to a new level, especially for console standards (8 player co-op campaign, up to 60 players for deathmatch, etc).

Well you can have your view that it counts little, but sales of multiplayer games are heavily 360 based at the moment, above and beyond the install base ratios, so its having a big effect on sales numbers which is factual, as opposed to your opinion and is what we have already discussed. I didnt say that no one is on PSN, I am saying that Xbox Live is the preferred choice now. When a multiplatform multiplayer hit sells better on PS3 then come back and argue (and this is not going to happen for GTA4 as we have all discussed already). Home, Resistance 2, yea great, so lets wait for it to come to prove itself and lets see whether it has an effect on sales. By the way, with the extra money I have to pay for a PS3, I can get 3 years Xbox Live anyway, and you that quip about RROD was a cheap shot.

Dont forget that only the ps3 version will be multiplayer via splitscreen...dont know how much that will help.

Also, bundled ps3 with GTAIV

Also, Rockstar said in an interview yesterday that the ps3 version looked better.

These things will no doubt help the ps3 version

@ EaglesEye379

I think you should have spent the money you saved on a hd-dvd player instead...oh wait...never mind.

@ EaglesEye379

I usually consider a cheap shot something you hold against a person. Not against an unreliable television set, 360 console or dish washer...

And it's true, those who suffer from RRoD get a free month of XBox Live Gold, this may help Microsoft to crank up Live figures for PR purposes. Personally I got a free month with Gears of War, didn't really subscribe beyond that though.

Also , even if its not much we should see a 300k lead from Japan to for the PS3 version .... and probably a serious lead in Others in lifetime sales . In the US the 60 vs 40 % sales lead from the 360 version is possible ... maybe even more ...

A blow below the belt is something you hold against a person. A cheap shot is just grabbing at every other point to cater your argument. Saying that Xbox Live Gold members are overstated because of RRoD when we are talking about the impact of Xbox Live/PSN on GTA4 sales is a cheap shot.