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Forums - Microsoft - Can Microsoft's gaming division still be profitable with free XBL?

mrstickball on 30 June 2008
Jandre002 said:

 

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?

 

 

 Anyone want to do a comparison on how much content there is available on PSN versus XBL, for game demos, trailers and games to see exactly how much bigger the 360's is, before we say the features are the same?

I mean, a Kia has the same features (AC, Power Windows, ABS) as a Lexus....Right?



Back from the dead, I'm afraid.

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PIMP on 30 June 2008
mrstickball said:
Jandre002 said:

 

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?

 

 

 Anyone want to do a comparison on how much content there is available on PSN versus XBL, for game demos, trailers and games to see exactly how much bigger the 360's is, before we say the features are the same?

I mean, a Kia has the same features (AC, Power Windows, ABS) as a Lexus....Right?

I totally agree with mrstickball.

*Checks VG chartz and sees Soul Caliber released for XBLA only and laughs at PS3 owners*

 



Jandre002 on 30 June 2008
PIMP said:
mrstickball said:
Jandre002 said:

 

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?

 

 

 Anyone want to do a comparison on how much content there is available on PSN versus XBL, for game demos, trailers and games to see exactly how much bigger the 360's is, before we say the features are the same?

I mean, a Kia has the same features (AC, Power Windows, ABS) as a Lexus....Right?

I totally agree with mrstickball.

*Checks VG chartz and sees Soul Caliber released for XBLA only and laughs at PS3 owners*

 

*Checks long list of XBL games to see if any measure up to Warhawk or Socom:Confrontation.*

Yeah about that lol. You get Ms.Pacman and that warrants charging $50 a year for online service? Ha well if getting a demo fills you with happiness maybe you and Mr.Stickball enjoy being charged that much just to be able to play games online. For everyone else who would rather get to play the game online for free over paying $50 to get and play a demo, umm theres PSN.

 

Lol. Come on. Thats a pretty desperate attempt. Is XBL better in some ways.YES IT IS. Is it worth $50 a year? No its not. Thats what im getting at. But I guess some people are in denial that PSN will be on the same level as XBL to most people in the world.

 



noslodecoy on 30 June 2008
Jandre002 said:
PIMP said:
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.

 

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?

 

Technically you only pay to play online.  You can have all the features you listed for free except for game invites for free.  Game invites not included because you can't play online.  That and you have to wait a week later for demos than gold subscribers.  Microsoft isn't going to stop charging anytime time soon, though.  It does pad their profitability quite a bit.



De85 on 30 June 2008
Jandre002 said:
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.

 

I can do both of these already on my free Silver account.



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noslodecoy on 30 June 2008
Jandre002 said:
PIMP said:
mrstickball said:
Jandre002 said:

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?

 

 

 Anyone want to do a comparison on how much content there is available on PSN versus XBL, for game demos, trailers and games to see exactly how much bigger the 360's is, before we say the features are the same?

I mean, a Kia has the same features (AC, Power Windows, ABS) as a Lexus....Right?

I totally agree with mrstickball.

*Checks VG chartz and sees Soul Caliber released for XBLA only and laughs at PS3 owners*

 

*Checks long list of XBL games to see if any measure up to Warhawk or Socom:Confrontation.*

Yeah about that lol. You get Ms.Pacman and that warrants charging $50 a year for online service? Ha well if getting a demo fills you with happiness maybe you and Mr.Stickball enjoy being charged that much just to be able to play games online. For everyone else who would rather get to play the game online for free over paying $50 to get and play a demo, umm theres PSN.

 

Lol. Come on. Thats a pretty desperate attempt. Is XBL better in some ways.YES IT IS. Is it worth $50 a year? No its not. Thats what im getting at. But I guess some people are in denial that PSN will be on the same level as XBL to most people in the world.

 

Well, again, you can download and play demos without paying for gold.  You can also purchase games without paying for gold.  Whether it's worth paying to play online is up for debate, but millions seem not to mind at all and, as I stated, all those features added to the XMB have always been available without paying monthly so those aren't an added bennifit for paying.  Also, I'd imagine retroactively Sony's decission not to charge effects their profitability.



Godot on 30 June 2008

Personally, I wouldn't want to pay 50$ yearly for online gaming, not matter how better XBL is from PSN or even the Wii's online. But if people don't mind paying for it, why not? I mean, that way it's Xbox360 consumers who are paying what for the RROD and they are not even complaining. If anything, Sony was stupid not to be more arrogant and make people pay for their online service.



How many cups of darkness have I drank over the years? Even I don't know...

 

Tigawoods on 30 June 2008

Considering that people have been purchasing live for a long time now it's safe to say that people don't mind paying for it. Value is in the view of the customer. If it's not worth 50$ to one it doesn't mean it's not worth it to another.

MS has a targeted audience of 18-32 or something of the sort so assuming most of those ppl have jobs it wouldnt take long to accrue 50$ even if you are part time. And as it's been said you get almost all features available on XBL on a silver account. I've played both PSN (loved Warhawk) and XBL a lot and IMHO live just works better. Even with the updates which are very much welcomed in the PS3 community, for me it's just like ehh i've alrdy had them on my other service.

Both have their strengths and rather than bashing the other one we, the consumers can pick whatever we want, and be civil about it.



Consoles Owned: Sega Genesis, NES, PS2 (RIP) N64, Xbox, Xbox 360, PS3, Wii

  

"In individuals, insanity is rare; but in groups, parties, nations, and epochs it is rule."

~ Friedrich Nietzsche

mrstickball on 30 June 2008

Maybe if Sony paid, they'd have the amount of content the X360 has...

I'd rather pay $5 for online, and get 5x or more content.

Oh, about the Warhawk and SOCOM comparison: we do have XBO's 'ya know. Last I checked, Sony had 0 PS2 games available.

And lets not mention the fact that XBLA has about 100 more games than PSN Games.



Back from the dead, I'm afraid.

Jandre002 on 30 June 2008
mrstickball said:
Maybe if Sony paid, they'd have the amount of content the X360 has...

I'd rather pay $5 for online, and get 5x or more content.

Oh, about the Warhawk and SOCOM comparison: we do have XBO's 'ya know. Last I checked, Sony had 0 PS2 games available.

And lets not mention the fact that XBLA has about 100 more games than PSN Games.

 

100 more games that I dont care about you see. Games I've already played, and shouldn't need $50 a year to HAVE THE OPTION of buying those games again. Its not like you pay $50 and get to play all those games.

and XBO? What...is your point exactly? Still, old games which most people have already played. You still haven't shown why $50 a year is getting an option to pay for other games or getting demos of games you will eventually pay for later on.

XBL free>PSN free. But XBL @$50 vs a free PSN? I dont really think $50 is well spent on anything. I am not going to go and list all the new games the PSN has that XBL will never have because its not even worth arguing about titles.

 

IS GETTING DEMOS AND PLAYING CLASSICS YOU CAN BUY AT THE STORE ANYWAYS WORTH $50?

It seems thats what you're trying to say, and I can't see how anyone can belive that. If it were a one time fee and unlimited downloads that would be different. That is, of course, not the case.