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Xbox Live has been an industry revolutionizer, it is the one feature introduced in the last 10 years that has had the biggest impact on gaming. Console gaming in the past has largely been a very personal experience, and as the industry has evolved gaming has become a more social, and connected experience. With games like Socom, Halo, and pc games like the WOW series, gaming is something that has become almost more fun with friends. When Xbox Live released, console games were forever changed, and now, what was once designed to entertain a single individual has transformed into a multi users centered activity. Some might argue that the induction of online gaming may be the biggest single factor that has grown the gaming industry to what it is today, mostly because no one can sell you something like your friend can.
Games are much different than they were in the past, and online gaming continues to evolve, having already change from it’s simple connect and play model. The online experience, especially with Xbox Live, is now one of the number one ways to stay connected with friends, and family. Microsoft has fully supported Xbox Live by consistently adding new features and services, and it’s been updated most recently with the addition of twitter and face book support.
Almost all would agree that Xbox Live is an excellent online service, and all the fun that is to be-had on Xbox Live is usually centered on their Gold Membership. Up until now, Xbox Live was the number one reason to get an Xbox 360. The service is for sure the best available, but it’s not perfect and to have the best experience you need to subscribe to the Gold Membership, which is $50 dollars annually. Any time theirs a cost involve the expectation for us as users is somewhat higher, and Xbox Live hasn’t always met those expectation. The community is strong on Live, but the services can be hit or miss, Gears of War is probably the biggest example of this.
When the game launched it achieve immediate retail success, and the biggest feature of the popular XBox exclusive was its four player Co-Op, and new online features. On the other hand, if you played Gears of War, than you know the match making system was truly broken, and was fix only recently this year. For a fee based service on a highly touted game whose online features are its biggest selling point, this is hard to swallow. It also took almost 8 months to get this corrected, and that’s not exactly setting a high stander. When a headliner game has these types of issues, you start to question if the service it worth the price. There are a number of games that still have intermittent connection issue, along with Gears of War. Tom Clancy Hawks, and even the great Halo 3, has lag and network hosting problems, along with others.
The XBox 360’s fee based system, though it offers a lot of features, isn’t much more than a Peer to Peer infrastructure, and if all you want to do is play online, essentially you’re being charged to play with your friends. Its like your mom say before you friend bobby comes over to play, Bobby and you need to pitch in for snacks and soda; theirs just something not right about that, although if you thirty living with mom that’s a different story. The community features are strong for Xbox Live, but are they all necessary? Most of them are only used by the most hardcore online gamers, and aren’t necessary for those who just want to jump in and play. Now, it seems Microsoft may be up against the wall with the price drop of the PS3, whose online service is free. The PSN has been the victim of much ridicule and criticism. However, now things are looking up for the service. Both service have their network issues that effect play in different ways, however when it’s free can you complain?.
The Playstation 3 for many games has accomplished some pretty amazing advancement in online gaming, while their community features shine in a different way with Home, their online gaming is largely under estimated. For instance, WarHawk is a game that has accomplished some network advancements not before seen, The game Smoothly & “Lag-lessly” handles 32 players online with both ground, and air Combat happening simultaneously. The air combat is not the slow motion, stiffness you have seen in other games, its high velocity intense action, and is likely the best flying you will experience. This again is all done with no lag, and it happens on some of the largest maps I have ever seen in a multiplayer game. If you haven’t played WarHawk you should, their is nothing like it, and for this generation I would say it’s the biggest advancement in online gaming.
With that in mind, Sony again is looking to push online to new heights with MAG, the largest most organized shooter you will likely ever see. MAG is basically Call of Duty on Crack, and any thing else you can imagine. With smooth controls, an addictive leveling system, and zippers desire for user communication being strongly expressed through what could be the most advance communication system to date (click here for more on MAG’s Communication), Sony’s online offering has become extremely strong. With games like WarHawk, KillZone, MAG, and now Uncharted 2, which was nominated for best online experience at this year’s E3, the PSN has a lot to offer gamers. If you haven’t played the uncharted 2 beta than go reserve it now, so you can find out what the craziness is all about, I guarantee you will be impressed.
Microsoft has been the leader of the online console experience, but it seems that Sony may have learned a lot from Microsoft, and is looking to take us into the next evolution of online gaming. Looking at the future, gamers may become dissatisfied with Xbox Live, as theirs not much coming to keep them interested. Also with the now cheaper PS3, the new direction of the free Playstation Network, it’s possible that Xbox Live could lose many of their loyalist fans to Sony’s PSN. Like many industry professionals have exclaimed, Nintendo and Microsoft’s may have just awaken the Beast that is Playstation, and that may very well be true judging by the current state of affairs.
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