MSFT, Sony Release XBL and PSN Usage Numbers

[Honis]

You guys are missing the PSP which also offers direct access to PSN. With the PS3, PSP, and PSPgo these numbers do not come off as any surprise to me. I hit PSN once a week to check out recent releases and if there is something I want on the PSP I'll pop on through it. I also find it refreshing that I can access game servers for free. As an avid PC gamer, I will never pay for server access to an online multiplayer game.

 

[plato360]

I do use both fairly regularly (though it's been a few weeks on XBL due to the MAG release) and I would say that XBL beats PSN, though Sony is definitely trying to close the gap. Both give similar performance for online gaming, what gets me is how easy gaming with friends is on XBL. The PS3 doesn't really support joining up with friends, it all has to come from in the game. Plus there is no "party chat" feature so if you and a friend are just talking about what's been going on that day, the entire team is privy to the conversation. Also, the lack of this feature disables the ability to talk with anyone you aren't currently playing with. Plus you have to go through 3 menus to find a game invite in your inbox. with XBL as long as I can accept and join with two button presses no matter what I'm busy doing.
I enjoy both networks, but if I'm playing with other friends who own both systems, it's usually on XBL.

 

[plato360]

[citation][nom]Regulas[/nom]I will take free any day along with a Blue Ray player, a user upgradable hard drive, built in WiFi and so on.[/citation]

we're supposed to be comparing the networks, not the hardware. the 360 is my preferred system, but any body can see that hardware vs hardware the PS3 is better for exactly what you said: a blue ray drive and built in wi-fi for the same price as the 360.

 

[Supertrek32]

Well, xbox live has a free version, too. The 23 million are gold accounts only. How many Silver are there?

 

[sidran32]

[citation][nom]VampyrByte[/nom]I play Xbox online, and PSN online and this is how i see it.The playstation store is superiour to any of the marketplace components of Xbox Live. Not only are prices shown in real money which helps to decide how much something is actually worth but the look, feel and responsiveness of the UI is much better and easier to use. Content purchased from PSN also has the least restricitve licencing on those products, wheras XBL licencing is restrictive beyond logical reason.If Sony would only ship the console with a headset there would be little or no diffrence with the friends/chat systems of the 2 consoles, from what i have used however there isnt much diffrence between the two, just that you have to buy a headset for the PS3.As for online, well it really depends on what your friends have. If all your friends have got Xbox, and you just play with randomers on your PS3, ofcourse you will enjoy your Xbox more. But to be frank the differnces are minute if any, i got some friends on Xbox, we have good fun, and ditto for the ps3.Once you get over your Sony/Microsft fanboyisms and realise all you really want to do is play kickass games you quickly realise it makes sod all differnece wether your on XBL or PSN. The biggest difference is the cost.[/citation]
It's easy to calculate the prices on the XBox online store. It's just the dollar price + 5%. Just like calculating sales tax. However, I do hear that Microsoft is ditching the points system for purchases, which would be a welcome move for me.

I don't know what you mean by easier to use, though. I messed with my friend's PS3 as well as the PSN store (I am a longtime PS fan and so I wanted to see what PS1 games they had available). I also wanted to check out some demos, since his library of games is very small right now. It certainly works, but the interface is hardly intuitive. It took me a little while getting used to the XBox interface as well but it still seems a bit more straightforward to me. On PS3, things are categorized haphazardly. They even have 2 different download systems that don't work together properly. If you are downloading something in the foreground, you can't push it to a background download without cancelling the download altogether. I was downloading a demo and after 50 minutes and about 80-90% of the download complete, I decided to skip waiting and do something else while it downloads in the background. On XBox 360 you can just back out and it does this for you. On PS3 it cancels it or restarts it from the beginning. That's a serious design flaw.

 

[surfer1337dude]

I have used both (my XBL gold just ran out...) but I like the PSN better. For me I almost nvr have any lag (same goes for XBL) but it is free which is the kicker. But I do not like Sony's numbers since the PSN is a little lop sided. I mean this because a lot of people (including myself) own both an American account and European accounts so that we can d/l and play stuff on their servers (I actually got mine since Sony gave me a heavy rain demo voucher a week early but could only be redeemed in the UK).

 

[surfer1337dude]

PS: There is a reason that MS has been using a point system compared to a dollar system. The reason is the same as why casinos use chips instead of dollar money. It is easier for the human mind to just say this many chips/points than it is to say 10 dollars.

 

[Regulas]

Man oh man the Crapbox 360 fanboys are out in force. I am sure after they OK it with their mom first.

 

[Guest]

I find the playstation network great to use, it's easy to find things I want to download & quick to do. All the games I have with multiplayer work fine and such also.

Can't say I quite understand what you can possibly add to it that costs the extra money than xbox live does to be honest.

I'm not quite sure what the one guy was saying about downloads cancelling & restarting from the beginning, mine all just run in the background happily & don't stop or restart or anything unless I tell them to.

Only thing I find annoying is that the USA psn store is laid out a bit nicer, i'm not quite sure why the layours are different for eu & usa at all..

 

[Supertrek32]

As far as lag goes, you have to be careful which part you're talking about. Most games are using a player's connection as the host - which means your lag has nothing to do with the service.

That said, XBL has been much more reliable in my experience in terms on downloading content and such. It also has a much broader selection of content.

As far as gaming experience goes, I still prefer XBL as the skill-level of your average opponent seems to be higher. Don't get me wrong, I know there's plenty of good PSN players, but I always go from decent at MW2 playing on XBL to amazing when on PSN. I'm not trying to flame, it's just that people who pay for something are much more likely to use it regularly, and the extra practice shows.

 

[eklipz330]

SONY could have taken those number out their asses

Think about it... Every PS3 owner has free access to the PSN... now how many of those people have multiple accounts? How many of those people have a PSP with an account on that [since, I recall, they did say they counted those too once upon a time]? What if someone bought a PS3, made an account, and sold the PS3? Their subscription STILL counts. They are obviously counting every single PSN account possible, even the unused ones. I can't believe I'm saying this, but MS is actually being fair in their numbers... and those are real numbers, if a person pays for their account, I feel that is a legit reason to include their account.

Now let's see what happens when SONY brings out that subscription based service.

 

[Gin Fushicho]

Free service that lets me play games with other people online is WAY better then paid service that does anything else.

 

[DearSX]

I like both. Xbox has been faster for me, but I do use a cable for my xbox and wireless on the PS3 so that may be it. I prefer the PS3s approach, xbox is confusing and gets on my nerves with its menus. I feel more free on the PS3. I find it easier to watch/stream movies, go online, and get started. Again though, the xbox has been more smooth with some games though (MW2!).

 

[tacoslave]

[citation][nom]eklipz330[/nom]SONY could have taken those number out their assesThink about it... Every PS3 owner has free access to the PSN... now how many of those people have multiple accounts? How many of those people have a PSP with an account on that [since, I recall, they did say they counted those too once upon a time]? What if someone bought a PS3, made an account, and sold the PS3? Their subscription STILL counts. They are obviously counting every single PSN account possible, even the unused ones. I can't believe I'm saying this, but MS is actually being fair in their numbers... and those are real numbers, if a person pays for their account, I feel that is a legit reason to include their account. Now let's see what happens when SONY brings out that subscription based service.[/citation]

um how do you know those numbers are legit. How bout this whats the total amount of xbox 360's sold? do those include all the red rings?

 

[captaincharisma]

[citation][nom]billin30[/nom]I don't really care which is better, I just want some cross platform play for my FPS games, or any game for that matter. Then we can solve the great debate over sticks vs. mouse and keyboard. I like gaming on my computer because of the better graphics and M&K. My buddies like there consoles, but even if we play the same games, we cant play together. Especially MW2, where it all uses the same stupid IW.net anyway. If I gotta play online like a consoler, I might as well get to play against some.[/citation]

geez man we would smoke the console players if you could play the xbox and PS3 users in a FPS like unreal tournament. i remember there are some servers on PC game specifically for people who wanted to use gamepads but a mix of the 2 would be really one sided

 

[jurassic1024]

I can't wait to see the numbers after Sony starts charging fees for PSN use. Give us those numbers when they come, Mr. Trenton.

*rubs hands together grinning*

 

[captaincharisma]

[citation][nom]tacoslave[/nom]um how do you know those numbers are legit. How bout this whats the total amount of xbox 360's sold? do those include all the red rings?[/citation]

LOL yea really i wonder how many of those Xbox live accounts are deactivated because people got tired of there xbox failing all the time and gave up on it and got a PS3 or even a

 

[gtown]

LIVE offers a slightly better experience but you have to pay.

PSN offers a slightly worse experience but you dont have to pay.

Me, I choose the PSN, but if I had unlimited money... I'd be decking myself out with an awesome PC rig and still play online for free!

 

[thorimmortal]

Both services have their benefits the only thing I see lacking in psn is the availability to chat while playing a different game or party chat, live is getting pretty heavy handed with their ban hammer lately. They really need to make an 18 and older any thing goes service rather than banning customers for violating the tos, I dont mind trash talk and colorful language but not from a 12 year old! I wonder what Ben and Rob would have to say on this subject?

 

[antilycus]

Bar none XBL is the better service. It keeps costs to developers (and there for consumers) low and the service has been top notch most of the life of XBL. The updates are fast (UNLIKE THE PS3, where an typical system update can take at least 10-15 minutes, BASED ON PERSONAL EXPERIENCE, using a WIRED CONNECTION).

Sony has a history of playing with numbers to make it seem like everyone and their mother is using the service. But MS could easily do the same thing by saying HOTMAIL accounts are LIVE accounts and then it would DESTROY the lavish 40 million number Sony has come up with.

Another thing to look towrds is what userbase is more likely to generate a vendor using the service, more money? The one that gets it for free (aka the cheap spender) the the person willing to pay for the service? I have a feeling both of these numbers are padded by free accounts.

But based on personal experience, XBL has outdone itself time and time again while PSN looks and feels like its ALWAYS playing catchup. The speed of its service is par, at best while XBL is an eagle everytime.