Merriam-Webster Dictonary: service, \ˈsər-vəs\, noun - a facility supplying some public demand
Microsoft's Robbie Bach: service, \ˈsər-vəs\, noun - only Live, not PSN or anything else. also, I'm the best
When the Los Angeles Times asked Microsoft's games and music business division president Robbie Bach if he was worried about the retooling of Sony's PlayStation Network, he replied that Xbox Live doesn't have competition, and that the PlayStation Network is not a service.
"It's fair to say that Xbox Live is clearly head and shoulders above anything anyone else has tried to do. We don't have competition," says Bach. "Sony has done some things online, but nothing that can be called a service."
Unattractive cockiness aside, we'll totally agree that the Xbox Live service is at the top of the heap, and is a shining example of what an online gaming service should be. It's been around for five years and has 8 million users to be proud of, but that doesn't mean that that the PlayStation Network isn't a service, and it's too early to rule it out as far as competition goes.
PlayStation Network users are downloading games, playing online, chatting, maintaining friends lists, and more. No, it doesn't provide gamers with as much options and functionality as Xbox Live, but it still is a service for the network's 3 million members. Furthermore, it is undergoing constant improvements that continue to add new features.
With upcoming PSN features like social networking and rumored music and video downloading services, it wouldn't be wise rule out the competition just yet.
Cocky Bach: being the best service doesn't mean you're the only service.
Contest:
11:33 AM on 11.19.2007
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Wait, doesn't sony constantly talk shit on stuff they NEVER MAKE HAPPEN?
Sorry but, XBL blows away PSN, and IPTV for XBL hasn't even been implemented yet, and if that works out, then shit, it will change a lot of things.
XBL is constantly getting new features added a lot of the time too, and consediring how many people use it and how well maintined it is, then yeah MS can be a little cocky once in awhile. And what it was back in 2002 to what it is today, MS really put a lot of good work into it, and made it something great.
I wouldn't really consider PSN a service either, because yeah you can download games, but there is no were close to the number of titles they should have on there, and hell im not even going to compare XBLA to anything on the PSN.
People don't take PSN seriously because sony talked complete BS about a lot of things that were going to be awesome on the PS3, but then compltley failed to deliver.
MS doesn't have to fear anyone, they are so damn deep rooted in buisness that they could fuck up 6 million times and still make money by the end of the day.
And anyone that really thinks PSN is going to top XBL users, HAHA, thats a joke, honestly, that is so unrealistic.
Until PS3 gets halo 3, or something that blows up to be bigger than halo 3, do not expect the PS3 to overtake XBL.
I would agree with that if it was free.
Also, why hate? Why cant people just get along and love everything? Oh thats right, because of competition in the market. Even though I firmly believe that competition is a good thing for the industry, it also creates an unwanted side effect: fanboys
At least PSN is better than the abortion that is Nintendo's online system. I mean come on. Friend codes?
I think that PSN will come along much more quickly than the 5 years it took XBL to become what it is today. Every month there are improvements to the XMB and store interface that make it more usable.
Otherwise, I'm fairly happy with the service, and I think it encourages more games to offer multiplayer, which is usually a good thing. And it isn't that expensive. What is it, $60 a year or something?
For me, I'm a videogames fanboy. The PSN network isn't great, and I love the Live one - how is that fanboyism?
oh and if you want to mention jokes, lets take a look at what the ps2 had for online...yeah...ouch.
the dreamcast did online better than ps2, plus it had a web browser, and Q3 was cross play with PC.
and people that complain about XBLs price, haha, how much do people pay for WoW each month, yeah, that doesn't stop them.
2. XBL disappoints by not using servers...while PSN has from the start.
3. PSN will improve due to competition from XBL, and will evolve quite a bit in its second year.
4. Microsoft serf #23 needs to stop criticizing a service that is one year old. Microsoft would not have appreciated such mudslinging after Live's first anniversary, and it is unfortunate that they felt the need to verbally assault PSN.
5. The cake is a lie.
6. Master Chief dies.
7. hexfix93 in 3...2...1...
Please take your own avatar image's advice.
I'm not really a Xbox fanboy, i used to love my ps2, but then i realized that xbox was a way better console to enjoy games with your friends with. plus, nobody really supported the ps2 multi-tap, so i just driftied away from my ps2.
And i've played alot of PS3, but it makes me angry when sony is hell bent on talking about how there the best, when in reality, theres not that many good games on the system, and the price is a real kick in the face, especially when it came out.
So the MS rep is not being cocky at all, he's just saying well, you know considering we have 8 million paid users, and sony has 3 million free users....yeah MS is doing better with it.
And you stand up and defend PSN, you have to realize the MS rep never put down the PSN, he just stated that when it comes to service and competition the PSN is not a threat what so ever, and thats compltley true.
I agree that Live has more "features" than PSN but PSN is nothing to write off. A 5 year head start can work wonders. And as far as content, PSN games are pretty awesome.
Also, free.
You take that back! Take it back right now! [sobs]
;)
Hilarious post. The comments in this from the XBL fanboys is even better.
Just because something is free doesn't give it the right to suck. Yaris on the XBLA was free but that doesn't mean I can't talk about how much it sucked and proceeded to delete it off my Xbox.
I'm not really a fanboy, its just bullshit that people feel the PSN is being verbally "attacked" by XBL. It's not, MS rep was asked a simple question, and he gave the right answer, he didn't say
"yeah were teh best, PS3 sux, were so good, oh and did i mention PSN suxs!"
And if it weren't obvious to some of you, if none of you were fanboys, then this article wouldn't even exsist, because its an article on how somebody feels that MS is bad mouthing Sony.
That make sense?
PSN is free but it just doesn't have all the paid perks MSoft gives us. Except dedicated servers, my god. All that money and MS still can't get deidicated servers.
Gears NEEDS one bad.
suckers
I think it's fair to say that most PR bitching back and forth, about which system is better and which features are better-executed, is useless to the greater part of the people in the market to buy a new console. It goes unnoticed by the general public, and to the rest of us it just makes them all look like self-important egotists.
I would like to introduce a building company specializing in office construction, which has been tasked with building a office building for Sony in Seattle. However, another building company working on office space for Microsoft has been working next for five years on a location directly across the street from the Sony project. As the builders working on the Sony office begin to break ground, the other building company begins to cover the outside of the Microsoft building with gold, from the paid subscribers. After the commute to work every day the company working on the Sony office is verbally assaulted by the Microsoft office.
Disses Include:
"Have you seen the gold on our building, bitch?"
"How does that dirt taste?"
"Is that hole for your Mom? I'll tell you when I'm done with her!"
"Why don't Sony charge subscription fees? It's free money!"
"Your building isn't even a building, while our building is a magnificent. Look what five years of work can do!"
"Why don't you buy a time machine, so you can go to the future where our building still is more awesome than yours."
Needless to say, the Microsoft-focused group of builders has no business dissing the work of the Sony-focused group. They just started at different times, and therefore have iterated at different rates. People like Cocky need to get the Wii Remote out of their ass and understand that Sony is focused on iterating their service - however, according to Microsoft, PSN can only be respectable after it is five years old and looks exactly live Live.
I don't argue that PSN has a way to go in order to in order to become the ultimate online gaming network or downloadable game source, but Microsoft needs to understand it took awhile for Live to become the service it is now. This should not be ignored, especially by Microsoft.
However, it always amuses me that people trumpet the "free! free!" aspect of PSN, and bitch about XBL costing money. It's $4 a month, people. You spend more than that going to McDonalds. Big deal. I guarantee you that once PSN is worth a shit and gets to the point that it demands a lot more company resources out of Sony, you'll be paying for it.
ok go
"It's fair to say that Xbox Live is clearly head and shoulders above anything anyone else has tried to do. We don't have competition," says Bach. "Sony has done some things online, but nothing that can be called a service."
If people think thats a slam to sony, then you are taking shit WAY to personally.
Oh and Varible Gear, its one thing to disagree with me, but dont be a sarcastic smartass and go out of your way just to prove a point. Please don't insult me, thats all I ask.
All im saying is, everytime somebody says somethign about sony, especially when its MS, people think MS is being cocky.
Honest truth is, XBL at the moment does not have anyone that is threating them loosing XBL members, and sense the question was "Are you afraid the PSN will beat you", then yeah the MS rep response was completley valid, and it wasn't really cocky at all.
good day to you all, and no hard feelings i hope.
And somethign about paying to host my games on my system over my internet connection bothers me. I get the feeling XBL will be free once sony has sold enough ps3's. Competeion with sony has already given us 360 owners 1080P, hdmi, bigger harddrives, and hd-dvd add ons so free online isn't too far fetched.
(All of this coming from a guy who owns a 360 and not a PS3)