It sounds like the PC market system.

Or what Sony has been doing for a while now with the PS2.

It appears that Sony does still plan on having a 360-like universal gamer tag and buddy list...they just didn't have time to get the structure to developers.

I'm not sure about the numbers, but there are probably more homes with high speed internet access, than with HDTVs displaying 1080p. Sony should have given at least the same ammount of attention to winning over the online console gamers as those with expensive TVs. After all, the strength of the Xbox family has been LIVE. Launching w/o a LIVE-competative service (which they said would be even better because it is free), makes the 360 still look like the premier place of console gamers to play online.

Granted, the PS3 will still sell out everywhere, but the launch batch would sell out regardless of...well...anything.

why is there an Apple logo reflected off the PS3 in the pic?

A universal friends list is one of Xbox Live's greatest strengths. How could Sony not copy that? I don't want to create more than one *anything* when playing online, be it an account, friends list, whatever. That's a huge step backwards.

Why indeed?

Sounds just like what MS people have been talking about all along.

http://biz.gamedaily.com/industry/feature/?id=14333

The interviewed states this would be what would happen with the logins and it will only get worse with the addition of other companies.

Sounds like PS2 quality online support, except this time with an online store.

sniffychimp

the pic is from an old flash that ran on the ps3 site for about 12 hrs when some one used an apple background to make the flash and it bled thru. that was a funny day. every ps3 fanboy thought that apple and sony were comming out with soem statement oh so funny

And this is why a free service sucks. they intend to make it no better than the ps2's online. my biggest complaint was the seperate friends lists. its just crazy sony has no clue. "BUT MOM ITS NOT JUST A GAME CONSOLE ITS A BLU RAY PLAYER"

It's sad to hear that Sony does not yet have a cohesive online strategy. You think they would have learned from the PS2. What have they being doing for the 6 years since the release of their last console? From all appearances, it's like they slapped together an online plan only in the last several months.

like i said befor. free does not make it better and sony has a long road to go befor the have a solid connected community. its funny as i saw this comming. poor sony

"Sony should have given at least the same amount of attention to winning over the online console gamers as those with expensive TVs."

sony doesn't sell high speed internet acess.

@ Deathcoil

Zing-

I hope the PS3 does get a universal friend system like Live has, if it doesn't it will be exactly what most people believe it's gonna end up- a half assed attempt at online- hey! Just like the PS2!

Deathcoll:I'm not sure about when, but it's actually been announced for a while.

Not that I think the Virtual Console is a bad idea. I think that as it, it may be a bit overpriced, but the concept is solid.

vakero is right, of course. The push behind 1080p and HD comes from Sony because that's what they're really trying to sell with the PS3. Of course, there's always Sony DRM to consider, so maybe they can try and push a profit with online too somehow. Sony, always looking out for the consumer's best interest.

Just like the PS2

"Sony, always looking out for the consumer's best interest."

Lol, lol, and even more lol.

WHY IS THERE AN APPLE?

Another Sony attempt at consumer buggery disguised as the most perfect of pleasantries. This is garbage for all us that aren't fanboys but do plan on owning all consoles.

Altered - thing is, if your console doesn't support HDMI connections or doesn't have the power to put out 1080p graphics, you can't change that after launch. The online system they can fix with firmware updates (and it seems in this case they already 'fixed' it, just didn't get it done in time for developers to use the new system).

Wii launch games don't have online at all, so it's basically the same situation there - except possibly with a 'wait until it's finished' attitude rather than a 'launch it anyway' attitude.

This does suck, but at least the launch games do have online play in comparison to Wii's launch games.

Hopefully Sony will have a concrete online system soon which is similar to XBL.

What's next, Sony announces PSP Advance, with no back lighting?

Well, everyone saw this coming. I'm sure they'll sort out the online thing soonish, but launch looks like a mess.

"Like Live, only free!" I actually want to pay the 7€ a month for the privilege of a functional system. And the cost keeps some of the worst brats out of the system.

@quen: The difference between outputting a 1080p instead of a 1080i signal seems to be rather small when it comes to the amount of resources needed: http://ozymandias.com/archive/2006/10/21/Clarifying-Though...

"thing is, if your console doesn't...have the power to put out 1080p graphics, you can't change that after launch."

I'm confused. Isn't that what MS just did with the Fall 360 update? New support for 1080p?

Ya exactly Raring.... and although currently SOME tvs arn't compatible (either because it dosnt allow 1080p over component, or your unlucky to get the VGA wrong hrz TVs (sonys and some sharps and a few others)1080p DOES work, ands its in the 360 now.

See thats why I think the 360 has the potential to outperform the ps3 down the line. Its wholly upgradable through software, like we have seen the past 2 updates. Where as with sony, I just do not see that happening. Take the PSP, apart from a semi-functional webbrowser, they have added next to nothing at all useful for 90% of its consumer base. Thats why x360 has much more potential in my mind.

@ scazza

There is no reason believe that the PS3 wont be just as upgradeable via software as the Xbox 360 is. Even Nintendo is talking about firmware upgrades to increase the performance of Wii (check out the latest interview from nintendo.com).

@quen , and others:

The addition of 1080p to the list of a consoles capabilities is one of the few additions that doesn't actually alter gameplay.

If Sony didn't start this whole "1080p is TRUE HD, and we are the only ones who have it!" no gamer out there would care if their console only output 720p max. Granted, a sharper display may improve accuracy in FPSs, but other advances like 5.1 surround sound (using sound to identify where a shot is coming from), online gameplay, motion control..those things improve the games themselves.

So while Sony spent their time "future proofing" the PS3 so it would look super sharp on TVs that most people don't own yet, they missed focusing on online gaming. Something that is current, that people will want to use right out of the box on day one.

There is no point in future proofing the PS3 if it doesn't maintain steady, healthy sales up till the point where stuff like 1080p becomes common place. The features that are currently enjoyed by gamers on the 360 should be equaled, or improved upon.

In order for Sony to create a centralized, managed system like XBL, they're going have to dump about a billion dollars in software, hardware, dedicated bandwidth and data centers like MSFT did 4 years ago. XBOX live made Microsoft the worlds 4th largest phone company the minute it was turned on. That's part of what your 50 bux a year goes to. Dedicated backbone on Microsoft's network they leased from Level3 communications. Until Sony actually makes a similar investment, their service will NEVER be remotely as solid as XBOX live. You get what you pay for.

My god people, we are talking about what, seven games here. The article plainly stated that the only reason they don't use the PS3's built in buddy lists is because they didn't have time to implement them. That means that - barring idiot developers - every game that comes out in the future will support it. Did you even read the article? If it's really such a chore that you have to have a handfull of buddy lists for a couple months, then maybe you don't deserve a PS3 :P

arcthemonkey

The point (as I see it) is that Sony said, with full confidence, that they will trump Xbox Live, and not charge a dime for it.

Launch day is approaching, and we have yet to see it.

The fact that the first batch of games don't function within that online structure was NOT reported by Sony, but by Insomniac. It is Insomniac saying that launch games won't have this functionality, but later games will.

Also, saying that Sony flip-flopped on the idea of having a Live-type service, and it is that indecisiveness that lead to this delay in implementation.

With this delay, and the only info coming from someone other than Sony...how do we KNOW that it will get straightened out by the next batch of games. It could take a full year before we see Sony's "LIVE". We don't know, and it doesn't sound like anyone else (even Sony) really knows.

@arcthemonkey:

Think about it for a min. If Sony will even have the gumption to release an "online network" that is untested, unproven, and half-supported, what makes you think for an instant that Sony will not do the same thing with a console, dodgey software, feature-copied controller, and other questionable aspects of this cell-powered experiment.

lemmee see, 1080p, great if you have a 50" or larger TV and plan on sitting 3 feet from it, paying for XBOXLIVE, 5 bucks a month, thats two starbucks, not even a pizza, one magazine, or for some fanboys.....a Happy Meal.

well, maybe Sony do already have solid plans for their own 'live', maybe Sony did already invest billions for a solid network and reliable servers, maybe Sony is just stuck up 'coz they don't have a decent name for their "live" network.
I know I would. It took me ages to name my Nintendogs... SuckAsses...

"VakeroRokero says:

"Sony should have given at least the same amount of attention to winning over the online console gamers as those with expensive TVs."

sony doesn't sell high speed internet acess. "

Actually, I'm pretty sure they're partnered with DoCoMo, a leading phone/internet company in Japan.

You can bet your sweet bippie that Sony's online store will be processing credit cards on the first day...