Sign on Options
Theme:
To Dark

Sony prepping a PS3 online service?

  • By Polybren, GameSpot
  • Posted Feb 15, 2006 12:46 pm PT

Source: An article on Next Generation, citing "well-placed industry sources." The official story: "At this point we have not released any further details on PlayStation 3. Any information you may have heard is purely speculation." -- A Sony representative. What we heard: Next Generation's article...

Source: An article on Next Generation, citing "well-placed industry sources."

The official story: "At this point we have not released any further details on PlayStation 3. Any information you may have heard is purely speculation." -- A Sony representative.

What we heard: Next Generation's article says that Sony is preparing a service modeled after Microsoft's Xbox Live, currently referred to as the PlayStation HUB. Apparently the HUB will be a subscriber service that has "chat, downloadable demos, independent games, and online play," and it will support online play for both the PSP and PS3. The article also says that developer sources are "suggesting" a September launch, and it pegs a couple of possible release dates couched with the non-attribution that "some in the industry" are speculating September 16 and September 21 as Japanese and US launch dates, respectively.

A third-party developer of games for Sony platforms confirmed the planned service for GameSpot, saying that it was previously planned to roll out on the PlayStation 2 initially, followed by the PS3 and then the PSP. "It's probably now just PS3 then PSP because I think the service was supposed to roll out this spring," the developer said.

But while Sony is on the online bandwagon, GameSpot's source suggests it has plenty of catching up to do.

"They [Sony management] don't understand it. They don't understand why it's important. They don't get what developers need to make it good," the source said. "They're trying to adapt due to tons of inside pressure (there are, of course, many incredibly brilliant people in Sony who have been screaming about this stuff for about a decade), but essentially Microsoft is on the cutting edge of this stuff and Sony is like your grandmother who just got her first AOL account."

Although news of Sony's plans for a unified online service is interesting, it's also old for the most part. Back when Sony unveiled the PS3 in May of 2005 at the Electronic Entertainment Expo, it emphasized that the machine would have online capabilities similar to that of Xbox Live on the Xbox 360. Sony Computer Entertainment chief technical officer Masa Chatani said the PS3 would be constantly in touch with a "PlayStation World" network fundamentally based on "community, communication, commerce, and content." He also said that subscribers could "exchange unique characters and items through the network."

So considering what Sony already said about its PS3 online plans, the real news out of the Next Generation piece is that the service has a tentative name (PlayStation HUB), that it will be a subscriber service (naturally), and that it will support online play for the PSP. The September release dates, while certainly possible and newsworthy if true, are pure speculation; even Next Generation admits that. As for launching in the US and Japan five days apart, we'd like to think Sony learned something from the supply shortage that plagued Microsoft's worldwide launch of the Xbox 360.

Bogus or not bogus?: On the existence of an Xbox Live-like service from Sony, not bogus, but quite old. On the rest of the news, it seems each bit is still up in the air to some extent, and Next Generation is careful to phrase it as such.

187 Comments

  • LordAndrew

    Posted Dec 11, 2006 1:26 pm GMT

    Why, oh why didn't they do it?

  • vivaladaryl

    Posted Mar 1, 2006 6:26 pm GMT

    xbox wanna bes

  • buckshot

    Posted Mar 1, 2006 5:12 pm GMT

    sorry guys sony copies the anolog stick, and rumble feature from nintendo!
    controller....

  • kkkknaruto

    Posted Mar 1, 2006 12:58 pm GMT

    the next generation is gna be pretty exciting. all da new systems come with their own advantages like xbox 360 for online, ps3 for da best hardware and nintendo for its controller. overall gameplay is really all that matters so i have a feeling if sony doesn't choose to take money for online and give a decent online service, it will prevail over others especially in da japanese market. microsoft seriously has become a better competitor since last generation.... APPLAUSE!!!!! i seriously hated microsft for its games like cmn.... no original games except a few like fable or halo....the others are all on the ps2 and ps2 has awesme originals like socom,rachet or jak. But microsoft, this generation is showing its true potential. Itz actually giving a challenge to sony and came up with alot of good games and got final fantasy and a few other nice games. sony was my favourite up until now, i am really confused on what to get and it really depends on what i can afford.. xbox 360 offers many features for a good price but then again i really dunt mind if sony's price is around $200 mre. sony has WOWED alot of ppl in the past in the electronics and entertainment department of business and is really successful so if sony manages to stay on time and come up with a great hardware and no online fees i will be gettin ps3 because even if it is a bit more in pricing, im still not payin for online which i will have to do for xbox 360, later on multiplayer online and video chat will be a popular feature to game systems and sony has video chat and offered free multiplayer online services last generation on th ps2. so i all waits til e3 or if sony decides to come out in may. Sony and Microsoft............WARRR!!!!!

  • kkkknaruto

    Posted Mar 1, 2006 7:44 am GMT

    umm you guys are talking abt online but we buy systems to play great games on and online is another awesme feature to it. we want a system that plays the best games possible at this time and year. PS3 is delivering on that!!!! xbox is awesme as well but when you are looking for a game system that offers the best abilities up to date means the graphics and gameplay with online. PS3 is delivering on that!!!! it might take some time but why do u think itz takin time, because they are trying to make it the best possible and make as many possible so all of us can get our hands on it as soon as possible. online is to face and compete with other people not to look at their faces and chat with them. PS3 has all the main components of a great online service, it has voice chat,video chat, music downloads, movie downloads, online gaming action and cool psp online services as well. xbox 360 has all dese plus live arcade and marketplace. ummm BE REAL BETTER GRAPHICS AND GAMEPLAY ARE BETTER THAN PLAYING LIVE DEMOS OR LIVE ARCADE!!!!!!!!!!!! wen your playing a game you want the best out of the game PS3 GIVS DA BEST!! BETTER HARDWARE THAN NE OTHER GAME SYSTEM EVER CAME OUT OR WILL!! 1.8 TERAFLOPS PPL!!!
    360 has 1 TERAFLOP!!! whatever work dey did on the 360 PS3 DID DOUBLE DA WORK JUST FOR US TO HAVE BEST TIME WITH!!!!!! SO STOP COMPLAININ ON SONY!! hardware is everyhthing that matters in gameplay and the games which sony is known for and on top of dat online it has everything thing you can ask for!!! XBOX 360 WILL BE GOOD AND BEST TIL SPRING 2006 WEN PS3 MAKES ITZ DEBUT INTO THE NEXT GENERATION!!!! BELIEVE IT!!!!!! latz peace out n HOLLA to my ps3 peepz!!!

  • abelmaestro

    Posted Feb 24, 2006 8:00 am GMT

    I`m afraid that this competition will ruin Sony,how sad cuz I don`t like games made by MS

  • yaht03

    Posted Feb 23, 2006 1:49 pm GMT

    My comment is okay. How much do you guys pay for xbox live? and how much do i pay to play online for PS2? Don't get me wrong, the xbox live features are nice, BUT....who wants to pay for that. I for one don't. I'm accustomed to playing online freely without paying a fee!!!! And that's how it should be. I already have to pay for internet service through my provider, so why should i have to pay twice!!!! I know all playstation fans agree!!!

  • jjwalker9600

    Posted Feb 19, 2006 9:48 pm GMT

    Did playstation ever gets its online service up and running with PS2

  • beesbreck

    Posted Feb 18, 2006 10:40 pm GMT

    Not surprised.

  • Earth_Krish

    Posted Feb 18, 2006 1:28 pm GMT

    I dont play online with consoles cause i dont have the money for the connection for one, but before that there is what I would have suspected to be the obvious reason; playing games online through a CONSOLE is pretty retarded.
    I think there are other features of these 2 consoles that we need to be looking at to determine there worht. Online compatibility can only be so useful, for those games that are only on console, like fighting games (DOA4) which are just about meant to be played on a controller. People keep talking about Halo, but my experience with first person shooters is that trying to aim with a frigging little joystick thing is just dumb compared to using a mouse, and unless you actually attach some keyboard and mouse to your XBox, I cant imagine how u have fun playing anything, FPS, RPG, or whatever else it is you rave about being so great in online console play.
    If you wanna play online, it should be on a PC. I mean its only the sequence of developments in gaming that consoles aren't obsolete, which by today's standards they should be. Does anyone else think these companies are trying to keep us with something useless? Making us hurt because we can't play great games online or at all because they are console only?
    With consoles, its like they are a cheap alternative to expensive upgrades on a computer, u get this one thing that does so much (though upgrading coms today are prob more effec) We should be looking at how these consoles will handle games and advance game types( like whatever the hell Kojima is talking about with advanced AI and random generated environments whatever) We should stop with this online **** so we force the damn industry to put online gaming where it belongs, on the PC, which just forever makes more sense.
    Okay this was mostly irrelevant to the actual topic, but i figure i have a big audience here , and it does have some relevance. Online play when you think about it, shouldnt be an issue at all, playing friggin FPS games through consoles(back to Halo again), just stupid.

  • papichuloazul

    Posted Feb 18, 2006 1:18 am GMT

    sorry about that I am old 28 deaf person... (don't think about) oh ok. I get it. It's make me confuse all time. I hate to say that (I got xbox live 12 month trial play halo 2) like boring.... But I'm sick of tired against kids suppose play to in halo 2 "battle vs battle". some kid boys shot me, I just yell at him (I thought they mature +17 and adult level skill) say away from me out of my way we blue team or (red team). I realize he's shot me like he doesn't know what we team!. I lost level down again I blame on kid boys. That's all I won't play in halo 2. Well they need separate online age the xbox live idiot. If ps3 xbox live killer without age then not good b/c mixing kid boys and mature/adult that's why who's higher level skill could be team vs team. I would wish ps3/xbox/rev/ds live get ID driver or high school both college card/passport/ss card allow to mutiplayer battle vs battle...that's deal and they all ps3/xbox/rev doesn't know about "ID driver or hight school card person age". I am more level skill play in mutliplayer than kids boys.. I ain't boy. I'm already the man older than boy (grr) I kick kid boys ass out b/c I booth them out....alright...Do you realize that parent allow to kids boys enter in halo2 (mature +17) damn parent ignored warning rating: mature +17... I suspect them all a parent ignored warned rating mature +17, parent would breaking the law (video game rating)...I tell you what... video game company isn't responsibility their a kids..... Video game company can responsibility with ratings....sorry I write long...done see ya

  • FrankSoul

    Posted Feb 17, 2006 2:10 pm GMT

    oh and even if sony only get around 20 to 25 % of the sony userbase online that is still a LOT more then microsoft xbox.

    and from a industry stand point the xbox 360 was a flop. sold less then the first one . the only market where the xbox 360 is really succesfull is the USA only, now if they had put more of this console available there , MS would have had a better start.

  • FrankSoul

    Posted Feb 17, 2006 2:07 pm GMT

    Simple. make it either Free or really really cheap and cut the crap ( some of the online feature of XBOX Live are worth ****

  • townsenda1

    Posted Feb 17, 2006 1:32 pm GMT

    If the PS3 wants any chance of beating the Xbox 360 online play is a must have. Now let's see how they do it.

  • way_eXtreme

    Posted Feb 17, 2006 1:08 pm GMT

    old news yes but still interesting. xbox live is good but the reason i dint get an xbox is cuz u have 2 pay 4 online. I will pay for the online in ps3 of course, but if its free, ps3 will sell millions in its first few weeks.

  • mezonesxbox

    Posted Feb 17, 2006 10:45 am GMT

    Now that will be a G FLOP or O Flop (online flop)

  • Titan_BG

    Posted Feb 17, 2006 10:22 am GMT

    Is it quality adrianchan56? Have you seen Halo 2, not nearly good in storyline like the first one however amazing live play and what did we get, millions sold. roleplayer2004 - all I have to say to you is keep dreaming and maybe try Halo before making snap fanboy judgements. And finally papichuloazul please look at what you are writing before you submit I tried reading like 3 of your posts and understood none, here are some tips dont repeat the same two words (AOL/AIM) more than once or twice in a sentence and conjugate the rest of your words so they follow their subject (I,You, It, He, She, Them, etc). The reason HUB wont be successful is that Sony is still a hardware company and MS know s how to make software needed for online.

  • adrianchan56

    Posted Feb 17, 2006 9:06 am GMT

    online gaming with consoles isn't the big selling factor. It's the quality of the titles.

  • McDove

    Posted Feb 17, 2006 6:59 am GMT

    As a mate of mine put it

    Quote:

    HUB = Highly Useless BS

    End Quote

  • friar_joe

    Posted Feb 17, 2006 5:07 am GMT

    toooo bad Nintendo's online will be free......

  • TheTrueMiH

    Posted Feb 17, 2006 3:50 am GMT

    I seriously doubt that HUB will be better then Xbox live, but I still wish it the best. Lets hope it will go out good.

  • 932

    Posted Feb 17, 2006 2:51 am GMT

    Xbox or Playstation 3!? m... Well I'am gona get a better over them (Xbox360 & PS3) after PS3 hav come out! plus! FF7 comes to PS3 One DAME GOOD REASON to even get PS3! and "Metal Gear solid 4" there is coming to )

    PS3 is good to thus that injoy RPG games, that for sure!
    Xbox360 is to kind of games!

    So it is about tast for game typs.

  • roleplayer2004

    Posted Feb 17, 2006 1:19 am GMT

    Well I hope Syny can compete with Microsoft 360's online capabilities. Then the XBox will go out of business so that we don't have to put up with all that Halo is the best bull****

  • mezonesxbox

    Posted Feb 17, 2006 12:56 am GMT

    Sorry people Sony Hub is going to be a flopp just like the Web browser for the Dreamcast. Seriuosly who in their right mind wants to surf the web on a console? PC is king for web browsing leave Consoles for games. i am tired of people drooling about WEb on PS3 bla, bla bla. Are they poor? Dont have a PC yet? Whats the deal? Web on TV is useless; poor quality text, no printer, less features.

  • KiLLer_ba

    Posted Feb 17, 2006 12:25 am GMT

    We will find out soon if its true @ GDC or E3. Im hoping that Sony Improves its online service and makes it as good or at lest better than Xbox Live.

  • Jshaw71

    Posted Feb 16, 2006 11:10 pm GMT

    I said it before, I will say it again, I am not going to pay to play a game online, unless it's an MMO i don't see the reason I would rather have free online play with no bells and whistles, than pay for extras that i will not probally use... not like it natters now since i 99.9 % of online games, have a only broadband connection, and i don't not have one at the moment, and have hardly ever used online play anyways

  • sonic_xa

    Posted Feb 16, 2006 10:58 pm GMT

    cooool

  • dimebag667

    Posted Feb 16, 2006 10:46 pm GMT

    I've honestly have seen nothing on Xbox Live that excites me. I don't care about the community, I don't care about crappy demos, and I don't care about user created content! All I want is a good online service that allows me to find a room of people, and play the game. So far, the best one I've seen was for Rouge Spear on MSN Zone. One thing I hate about Live for Halo 2 was that I couldn't stay in the same room with the guys I just played with, without send invites and/or adding them to my friends list. I want to pick a room, play for a while, if I like it great if not I'll move on. I hope they just do something that benefits the game rather than themselves. And thats my opinion, I can't speak for anyone else but myself.

  • papichuloazul

    Posted Feb 16, 2006 9:07 pm GMT

    nonsense... you are not business sony company and I not sony company too...I don't know what the sony have say something is words. the sony isn't dumb you don't know what the sony's busy be smart work in the online service from korea. you see? they korea and japan audiences don't like xbl... duh! that's why the sony understanding what koren and japan want...(why xbox live rocks?) cuz the MS xbl service is need money... that's ridiculously you already got high speed with verizon dsl or optimumonline cable in the PC? it's both too much cost...waste your money pay year or monthly...like struggling...I ain't no teenage fanboy either. I'm die-hardcore gamer the man that's deal the onlne serivce is free. I mean there is price subscription to sales download only and without online service is not price. If service is price well I don't buying it... So sony ps3 keep to update blog weekend...see ya

  • FrankSoul

    Posted Feb 16, 2006 7:58 pm GMT

    The online service is something huga and even if i have no real love for microsoft, i have to give it to them the xbox live service is something good. as for sony setting a online service im all for it. Now here is where the real problem arise. MMO. MMO is the new baby of the gaming industry, and requires
    a monthly fee. i believe that the first console to fully support them will get hold of a new market. Now SOE already implemented a 1 fee for all thier MMO ( good idea). something that could be interesthing for sony to do is actually give some of them with the ps3 online subscription.

    in the end i dont want to end up paying a lot to play online

    ISP+ SONY+MMO FEE= ARGHHHHHHHHHHH

  • Thailfish

    Posted Feb 16, 2006 6:50 pm GMT

    who cares what Sony has. We all benefit anyway. Xbox LIVE rocks, and Sony would be dumb to not try to compete.

  • gmoney20xx

    Posted Feb 16, 2006 6:33 pm GMT

    Sony will never render Xbox Live..... Dead. It just ain't gonna happen.

  • papichuloazul

    Posted Feb 16, 2006 3:55 pm GMT

    that's interesting....If sony PS3 figure out about AOL account same the website playsation.com/forums (id email). Which I already had aol account I can accept PS3 ID account from AOL. Or AIM account free unlike the XBL account. It's good thing well!. B/c AOL got broadband high speed. I guess PS3 AIM account free too. It's probably with AOL/AIM already account cause AOL account million and million in the peoples world than XBL account, I think so. Look like Sony PS3 got aol/aim I'm agree with PS3 can relative to AOL/AIM account. (not bad) you know what you were people already had AOL account pay monthly or AIM account free. I think so....that's ps3 aol/aim live killer better than xbl live. you were guys realize why aol/aim million and million peoples in the world got high speed? right? I have feeling sense of sony ps3 got AOL/AIM live too... I like it.... If sony ps3 say "correct or incorrect" If i'm wrong or right...I'll see what sony ps3 and gamespot.com say...see ya

  • She-Geek

    Posted Feb 16, 2006 3:48 pm GMT

    Remember way back when when the first Sony console came out and everybody thought that they were going to get smooshed by Nintendo and Sega, and they ended up selling and outrageous number of consoles in the first six months or whatever it was? I'm going to keep my faith with Sony, I think they'll pull through with the massive online stuff.

  • DrKill09

    Posted Feb 16, 2006 3:12 pm GMT

    Hell, they haven't even said that PS3 will have a hard drive. Without one, online is USELESS.

  • jimbo102671

    Posted Feb 16, 2006 2:13 pm GMT

    How many of us will actually use the service for playing games? Plus, I still remember the previous pledges for downloadable content updates for some games (roster updates for sports games, for example), yet we still have to go to retailers to buy whole new versions of the same games every year. Who else is tired of these broken promises?

  • Sonicplys

    Posted Feb 16, 2006 1:54 pm GMT

    ONLINE CONSOLE GAMING = OVERRATED

    ppl, IF YOU WANT THE BEST ONLINE GAMING AND FREE, ITS ON THE PC.

    Microsoft, Sony, and Nintendo want to challenge the pros of online gaming,
    they can go ahead, PC will always rule the online gaming world.

  • Safe_Bet

    Posted Feb 16, 2006 11:55 am GMT

    I won't even begin to "think" of buying a PS3 if they don't offer some kind of Online Service that's at least "on par" with Xbox Live.

  • Mullinator

    Posted Feb 16, 2006 11:22 am GMT

    Well it certainly sounds like they have only just begun work on this, which leads me to believe that it will either come out with the PS3 on release and will completely suck or it will be released much much later and be decent. If you are wondering why I think that then just take a look here: http://www.1up.com/do/newsStory?cId=3148104

  • amirkalloe

    Posted Feb 16, 2006 11:16 am GMT

    great news for the PS3 gamelovers

  • Titan_BG

    Posted Feb 16, 2006 11:05 am GMT

    For all the people who think Sony will outdo Microsoft on its first try realize that you are wrong...it won't happen, Sony can catch up but it will be an uphill battle because MS has an installed base already, not to mention a network and applications of which Sony has so far showed nothing. Remember when they were going to offer AOL on the PS2 what happened? This is not news because sony is always talking going online, lets be adults and wait for it and see, however expect microsoft to stay on top of the online gaming for a while.

  • Ohidjwae

    Posted Feb 16, 2006 11:04 am GMT

    I cracks me up how so many people are saying Sony is a "copycat"!!! If Sony DOESN'T develop an online service similar to Xbox Live, people would say that Sony is making a mistake. If they DO, they call them a copycat.

    Get over it!

    Sony knows a smart move when they see one, so I imagine a ubiquitous online service (probably with a fee) will be the route they go. It STILL all comes down to the games. Halo 2 is keeping Xbox Live afloat right now.

    There just aren't many console games that are designed well for online play.

  • -DirtySanchez-

    Posted Feb 16, 2006 11:00 am GMT

    now if they would just add a costum soundtrack like the xbox

  • _LEGIONS_

    Posted Feb 16, 2006 10:19 am GMT

    all the more reasons to own more than one console. Yay!

  • Lev_Arris

    Posted Feb 16, 2006 9:57 am GMT

    It would be nice if sony could created a better and fun way to play with other players online through the console for as for right now xbox is the king of that. Xbox live is in the lead of console line quick pick and play with friends. Playonline was a good ideal but sort failed because of the sort amount it feature for only few games. Guess we have to wait til E3.

  • Fatality4u

    Posted Feb 16, 2006 9:32 am GMT

    They will compete, but IMHO I think it will take a few years for them to get up to speed with Xbox and not seem like they are copying Xbox.

  • skyvader

    Posted Feb 16, 2006 9:10 am GMT

    Maybe Sony will make the PS3 stream content from Vaio computers much like MS does with the 360. Only the 360 will do it with any computer running XP. Oh and isnt it funny that a Vaio comes with what else...XP! I think it is purely funny how this part of the entertainment industry is so cut throat where as in the PC world MS, Toshiba, Sony all get along nicely. In fact, wasn't it Toshiba that co-developed the Cell? And they are (a division of them anyway) in a format war with HD-DVD and Blueray. And on top of that, MS (who supplies Sony with their OS's for their PC's) in in a console war with the 360 vs. PS3. Nintendo is playing it smart. They haven't announced anything yet but perhaps they are working behind closed doors with once rival SEGA! to use their seganet infrastructure to create the backbone for "Netendo".

  • oblioneverests

    Posted Feb 16, 2006 8:56 am GMT

    Hmm they copycats! But I like the idea, tho I hope they get their own ideas in it.. But I doubt it will be as great as XLive since its their first time.. nut hey, Xbox did nice with their first time and I bet PS can do the same =) Mit_man uhm what about XLive Silver? its free you can play in weekends and download demos anytime, buy MScoins about just as much as gold members, but with limited play against real players.. =/ so NO NRevo will NOT be the only FREE service Xlive Rules and will always rule!!! because with all the things I just said...

  • MikefStktn

    Posted Feb 16, 2006 8:41 am GMT

    To say that Sony has been ignoring online or didn't know what to do with it is an exaggeration. They have been raking in millions from EQ I & II since the late 90 's. Not knowing how to approach it I think would be a better assessment. They've known what the profits to bring in with online services but by letting third party take care of the multi-player aspect it kept costs down for them. No overhead, no server costs, and still reap the software sales. I think they've realized that having a secure system would drive sales of software and would bring in a new source of income with a yearly subscription. It'll be interesting.

  • Paul_TheGreat

    Posted Feb 16, 2006 8:26 am GMT

    The Playstation HUB will own Xbox Live.

Subscribe to GameSpot's YouTube Channel

Hot Stories

Newsmakers

Featured Stories

Submit News

Got tips? Send them in!