I was just wondering if this is possible without charging for XBL. The reason I ask is because with the new PSN, the differences between the two consoles is, for the most part, only exclusives come this winter. Can Microsoft afford to keep charging for the same features the PSN gives you for free? This year we have seen the Xbox lose every month to the PS3. To reverse their fortures especially in Europe and Japan they would need something very significant before the holiday season. Price drop is one of those things. Is free XBL another?

I think microsoft is still better online, as in it appears more stable to me. I have yet to actually have a problem with Microsoft online, but I had a couple of problems with PSN.

Im sure if XBL offered the same (small) amount of content that PSN offered, they could do it for free, and still make a profit.

I dont think free xbox live would be much of a selling point as most people who buy 360's seem to have no problem with xbox live's current structure.

edit: I also have found live to be better then psn.

LOL. No way is PSN even close to XBL. XBL has waay more downloadable content and the only thing PSN can do is copy it. XBL has in game chat and other things that PSN doesn't even have. And now you have to pay for Qore for some demos which is pathethic. XBL is a lot better.

By "small" amount of content, do you mean lack of TV shows/movies, or gaming related?

Well while before it was clear live was better, now it will be left up to preference. In game messaging, an achievement system, all of that will be on the PSN and it will be free. I think everyone can agree (unless you really hate Sony) that if Sony is offering it for free, the extra features you get out of the Xbox360.

Ok I wasn't asking if it copied it or not. It clearly has the same features as XBL. Now if you are talking about downloading movies/music, I would rather just do that on iTunes anyways. As far as downloading Qore, that still works out to much less than live a year. You still get demos on PSN store anyways, and really the only features that PSN doesn't have (yet) are game invites and in-game voice chat.

For you who don't know, this Wednesday PS3 will have:

In-game Messaging

In-game music

In-game everthing basically that Live has except for voice messages(?) and game invites.

Are those two features really worth $50 im saying. I thought the answer was clearly no and we would all agree that Microsoft needs to do something lol. Guess not?

Gaming related, as TV Shows/Movies are paid for, therefore null.

Hmm good question , they might have to in future.