Sony planning to open up and expand online services via PSN

[Queasy]

Gamasutra neatly sums up a longish Forbes article on Sony's plans for the future in regards to PSN.

Game console makers Sony, Microsoft, and Nintendo have known that their connected hardware gives them a unique opportunity to deliver many types of digital content aside from video games. Sony, which already uses PlayStation Network to sell movies, games, and other content via PlayStation 3, plans on making its next strike in the battle for the living room by spring next year, according to a Forbes report.

Sony Computer Entertainment head Kaz Hirai told the financial publication that a new online service will use PlayStation Network as its foundation, but will be more open than the current service. Sony wants people to be able to use the service to share and edit photos, video, and other content through the TV.

Hirai said the service should begin to roll out by next spring. "It's now a matter of what all the services need to look like for each device, and coming up with a rollout plan. It's like city planning here, and we can start small. We don't need to build New York City overnight."

"TV is where we have to win," said Sony's Robert Wiesenthal, head of strategy for Sony's entertainment businesses. "We can no longer afford to only offer great TVs. Otherwise, we set the stage for someone to become the Google of the TV."

In May, Cony CEO Sir Howard Stringer expressed interest in opening up PlayStation Network further, and bringing its functionality to other devices outside of the PlayStation Portable and PlayStation 3. He told Japan's Nikkei at the time, "Next we will be expanding the PlayStation Network to hardware other than the PS3, because the number of PS3 units sold puts a limit on the scale of the network possible."

 

[blurredvision]

I thought they already tried something like this. They called it "Home" or something....

 

[biggestmuff]

I'm really tired of these articles about Sony's plans. I want to see action. Put out some kick ass games that blow people away.

 

[Ackmed]

Um.. there are games of that nature.

 

[ubercaffeinated]

The only way I can see the PS3 do anything great by expanding online services is if they implement a paid subscription online service similar to XBL. XBL is freaking great - it's why my xbox360 gets so much more love than my PS3 these days. Single player games are a thing of the past - people want community and contiguity. PSN is disjointed and clunky at best. XBL is smooth (usually) and at roughly $2.50 a month, I really can't complain.

 

[Dari]

Originally posted by: makoto00
The only way I can see the PS3 do anything great by expanding online services is if they implement a paid subscription online service similar to XBL. XBL is freaking great - it's why my xbox360 gets so much more love than my PS3 these days. Single player games are a thing of the past - people want community and contiguity. PSN is disjointed and clunky at best. XBL is smooth (usually) and at roughly $2.50 a month, I really can't complain.

They're not talking about games...

 

[ubercaffeinated]

Originally posted by: Dari

Originally posted by: makoto00
The only way I can see the PS3 do anything great by expanding online services is if they implement a paid subscription online service similar to XBL. XBL is freaking great - it's why my xbox360 gets so much more love than my PS3 these days. Single player games are a thing of the past - people want community and contiguity. PSN is disjointed and clunky at best. XBL is smooth (usually) and at roughly $2.50 a month, I really can't complain.

They're not talking about games...

I wasn't talking about games. I was talking about community and contiguity. XBL isn't just for games. It's the entire experience of being online with friends and doing shit together. Being able to play together without seamlessly without hiccups is a huge added bonus.

 

[Dari]

Originally posted by: makoto00

Originally posted by: Dari

Originally posted by: makoto00
The only way I can see the PS3 do anything great by expanding online services is if they implement a paid subscription online service similar to XBL. XBL is freaking great - it's why my xbox360 gets so much more love than my PS3 these days. Single player games are a thing of the past - people want community and contiguity. PSN is disjointed and clunky at best. XBL is smooth (usually) and at roughly $2.50 a month, I really can't complain.

They're not talking about games...

I wasn't talking about games. I was talking about community and contiguity. XBL isn't just for games. It's the entire experience of being online with friends and doing shit together. Being able to play together without seamlessly without hiccups is a huge added bonus.

Tell me what you can do on XBL outside of games that you cannot do better face to face, with a computer or just a telephone? XBL is built around gaming, so is PSN. The community aspect for both is secondary and I would say Sony's HOME setup is more geared towards what you speak of. Again, if you can show what XBL does better in nongaming that others cannot do without incurring other fees.

 

[Ackmed]

Originally posted by: makoto00
Single player games are a thing of the past

Hardly. Some of the best games for the PS3 are single player. Or any platform for that matter.

 

[PianoMan]

True - don't discount the single player experience. I can't wait until ODST comes out (I seldom play Halo online), only for the immersion in the Halo world and the story telling.

However, as much as I like grabbing a bunch of friends for some Madden on the couch, I like the XBL possibility of gaming with friends on the east coast. I'd have to agree with Dari, though - email and telephone are still better modes of communication outside of gaming as compared to XBL. Now, if you could stream messages to my BlackBerry... hmmm...

(Guess they tried that with the Zune - could you even begin to imagine if MS struck a deal to stream to the iPhone? :Q)

 

[Inspector Jihad]

sony is fail with all this shit. they need to keep putting out good games and stfu with these whack plans. imo, this whole community nonsense is overblown. good MP games need good matchmaking and updates and its all good.