Game On(line) For Microsoft, Sony
from the which-strategy-will-win? dept
As both Sony and Microsoft push their gaming consoles into online gaming, there are questions over who has the better strategy? Microsoft, as they’re known to do, has a completely proprietary, completely controlled system for offering online games. Sony, on the other hand, is going with a more open system, giving people the tools and letting game makers build their own online gaming offerings. Now, the battle is on to see which model is going to win over consumers.
Comments on “Game On(line) For Microsoft, Sony”
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I think the Microsoft ‘closed’ system has the upper hand – companies don’t want to work on all the hassle of billing, connectivity etc., and Microsoft always releases in depth SDK’s and sample code etc. for any of its systems.
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Makes sense. For all that techies have to say about the virtues of open systems, the fact is that most Windows crashes are caused by bad DLL’s built by non-MS vendors.
Microsoft has better expertise in its own operating system, so they tend to be more stable.
Monthly charges
As a consumer, I prefer Sony’s online offering as it is free, whereas Microsoft requires a monthly fee to access their XBox Live servers.
However the major advantage of a central sign on is that you can keep the same username/password across games.
I’ve been beta testing the PS2 Online kit in the UK and it has been performing fantastically well. Very stable, fast and lots of fun.
Arguments over who writes the better operating system, or provides SDK documentation are redundant since both companies offer this to third parties.
The list of online games for both platforms also indicates third party development houses are being supported well. I hope we soon see an end to the highscore table as the token online feature.
As always, it is content that will decide the battle. This should be an exciting time ahead for console players as the two giants pour money into providing the best online gaming experience.