Sony teases 'in-game communication' this summer

[Queasy]

Link

Sony Computer Entertainment UK boss Ray Maguire says PlayStation 3 ?in-game communication? will arrive this summer.

Speaking about the success of the PS3 in the UK, the console having sold one million units faster than either of its predecessors, Maguire told MCV that he expects the platform holder?s momentum to continue through 2008, aided by the summer release of firmware version 2.4, which will enable users to communicate more fully in-game.

?Our momentum will continue with the introduction of in-game communication in the summer, firmware update 2.4 and the strongest line-up of games through our third party partners and our own studios,? he said.

We assume Maguire is referring to the highly demanded in-game integration of the PS3's Cross Media Bar (XMB), which would allow PS3 owners, like those who play their games on Microsoft?s Xbox 360, to call up a list of their friends, voice or text message them, see what they're playing and send invites to matches while gaming.


?I'm afraid we are not releasing any further information with regards to firmware version 2.4 at this time,? was all a Sony spokesperson would offer when we contacted the company to clarify whether Maguire was talking about in-game integration of the XBM.

 

[erwos]

Well, as a PS3 owner, I'm definitely interested in seeing what they have to offer. Then again, the 360's firmware team hasn't been standing still, either, so it could be a very nice April/May for everyone.

 

[mugs]

Hopefully they add private chat with more than 2 people. Maybe that'll light a fire under MS's ass and get them to do the same.

Edit: WTF, why did I sign my name to a post? 😱 Writing too many e-mails lately. :|

 

[oznerol]

Originally posted by: mugs
Hopefully they add private chat with more than 2 people. Maybe that'll light a fire under MS's ass and get them to do the same.

Brandon

I have a feeling groups/clans will be the next firmware upgrade for MS. Grouping friends, private group chats, etc. It's the next logical step.

As for Sony - this is long, long overdue. If they can manage basic functionality of an always-accessible, universal friends list - for free - I'd be much more inclined to get a PS3.

 

[vi edit]

I still can't beleive they released the PS3 without it already in place. But hey, I at least got folding at home thrown in! :roll:

 

[Queasy]

Originally posted by: vi_edit
I still can't beleive they released the PS3 without it already in place. But hey, I at least got folding at home thrown in! :roll:

That's one of the things that is amazing to me about Sony this generation both for the PS3 and Blu-Ray. The released essentially incomplete/not-ready-for-prime-time products but are still succeeding.

Despite the delayed release, the PS3 was released missing many features and not much in the way of games but a promise of a better tomorrow. They've been adding features and cleaning up the XMB steadily though and everyone in the gaming press is proclaiming 2008 to be the year of the PS3.

Blu-Ray was released completely incomplete but won out over HD DVD because of BD+ and better studio support.

I just find it intriguing how the two major Sony products of this generation are succeeding/have succeeded despite being incomplete products from day one.

 

[Thraxen]

Originally posted by: Queasy
I just find it intriguing how the two major Sony products of this generation are succeeding/have succeeded despite being incomplete products from day one.

Of course, to be fair, MS released a complete, but rushed, product... resulting in massive hardware failures. Sony is the opposite. Solid hardware, but lagging software/firmware. Sony's is/was fixable through software upgrades. MS's problems... not so much.

 

[Queasy]

Originally posted by: Thraxen

Originally posted by: Queasy
I just find it intriguing how the two major Sony products of this generation are succeeding/have succeeded despite being incomplete products from day one.

Of course, to be fair, MS released a complete, but rushed, product... resulting in massive hardware failures. Sony is the opposite. Solid hardware, but lagging software/firmware. Sony's is/was fixable through software upgrades. MS's problems... not so much.

Heh. It was complete. It was just flawed. 🙂

 

[Aikouka]

Originally posted by: Queasy
Blu-Ray was released completely incomplete but won out over HD DVD because of BD+ and better studio support.

Which stemmed from having region codes on movies. No studio wants to lose out on that extra moolah from distribution rights!

 

[Thraxen]

Of course, what I said about the firmware upgrades only applies to the PS3. There are plenty of BR players out there that can't be updated to 1.1 or 2.0 specs with firmware updates. I'm still glad BR won out though. In the end both are simply storage formats and BR has more storage. It's the superior technology even if it took the BDA longer to finalize the specs for the format than for the HD DVD camp to finalize their specs.