Common things in PS2 and PS3?

[AbhishekS]

I just mean they don't charge for online gameplay, like XBOX live, you still need your own ISP.

Oh, thanks! I knew that but your earlier post made me re-think about it in a manner that each PS3 would have its IP assigned and could be directly connected to Sony's server.

Well, now I just need to know what 'jailbroken' exactly is and what it does.

 

[Chewie]

You can't jailbreak your PS3 yet. Well you can but you can't do anything useful.

 

[riz7khan12]

Well, now I just need to know what 'jailbroken' exactly is and what it does.

its hacking it.

 

[MasterBlaster76]

you're all set then. Great thing about Ps3 is that once you buy it, there are no more expenses. No paying for online, no buying a hard drive, or batteries for controllers, or paying to change username etc.

Yep, some of the real advantages the PS3 has over the Xbox 360. I mean, how much is it to change your name? ?8? ?10? That's the biggest waste of money I've ever come across - what do you gain for your money? And then there's the annual ?40 charge for Xbox Live Gold. I would definitely recommend anyone taking the console plunge for the first time to go with the PS3. MS really need to learn some business sense.

As you said - no batteries for controllers either - and of course, the PS3 has a Blu-ray drive built in!

As far as 'jailbreaking' or 'hacking' goes, I'd advise you to steer clear. You don't want Sony to do something annoying like suspend your account, do you?

 

[Ollie_H]

MS really need to learn some business sense.

To be quite honest with this, you're viewpoint is so consumer it's unreal. Look at this article. 50 million units sold and about 30 million of them have xbox live accounts. You're saying that's poor business? ?40 * 30 million is a helluva a lot of money and it's actually a fantastic piece of business!

 

[MasterBlaster76]

If we're talking about people who are completely new to consoles - especially parents choosing a console for the kids - parents who aren't 'in the know' - what are they going to go for: the machine that requires ?40 per year to play online, ?8 or ?10 to change a user name, a controller that goes through batteries like nobody's business, as well as no blu-ray drive, or the machine that has all that for free, along with a controller that you simply recharge when it needs it - plus it's a slightly better machine as well?

On top of that, anyone buying one of the 'old' Xbox 360s will need to shell out for a wireless adapter as well - no such problem with the PS3.

If I was such an 'uneducated' parent, I wouldn't give the Xbox 360 a second glance.

 

[Ollie_H]

The fact is though that i'm sure many people that are owning such a console have ?40 a year of disposable income to spend and won't mind putting that away. But the revenue that they generate is huge! Say there are 30 million online, and about 10 million of them are paying ?40 a year then that is generating around ?400 million just through the sales of online play. Then you even if only a million of them want to change their name that's around another ?80 to ?100 million pound a year just there.

The fact is, it's a fantastic piece of business and the fact that microsoft make more money than sony with the xbox vs ps3 row just shows how much that is true.

Here's another one for you, http://ukie.info/content/ukie-relea...ong-year-video-games-and-interactive-entertai. I can see your argument, but from a business perspective it's amazing work by Microsoft. Don't get me wrong, I'm a PS3 fan boy for exactly the reasons you have said, but you can't argue with the stats.

 

[MattW]

If we're talking about people who are completely new to consoles - especially parents choosing a console for the kids - parents who aren't 'in the know' - what are they going to go for

They'll buy the cheapest upfront - and that's the Xbox. As someone who did buy an Xbox for exactly that reason (though the gap was a good $300 when I bought mine), the huge difference between their prices there's a good reason to go with the 360.

I certainly would have saved a bit more and got the PS3 now, for all the reasons you've mentioned, but the upfront cost did it for me. I just don't use online play (half my games are old EA ones with online closed off or ones that don't have it at all).

 

[sohum]

When you consider the fact that most new titles cost $60, I think a $50 cost to play online annually is pretty easily written off. And about changing usernames--yes it's dumb to change usernames, but I can see the thinking behind it:

1. Why do you really need to change your Gamertag often anyway? You are allowed to change it once when you first sign up for Xbox Live. They give you a default ID that you can change to something you want.

2. It is to prevent abuse by users just changing their Gamertags after having got a bad reputation. I believe more people use Xbox Live than the PSN, so this could be a way to prevent people from accruing bad rep and then masking it by changing their gamertag.

From a business perspective, MS is raking it in. They haven't needed to make major advancements in the hardware and are still outselling PS3s.

 

[MasterBlaster76]

When you consider the fact that most new titles cost $60, I think a $50 cost to play online annually is pretty easily written off. And about changing usernames--yes it's dumb to change usernames, but I can see the thinking behind it:

1. Why do you really need to change your Gamertag often anyway? You are allowed to change it once when you first sign up for Xbox Live. They give you a default ID that you can change to something you want.

2. It is to prevent abuse by users just changing their Gamertags after having got a bad reputation. I believe more people use Xbox Live than the PSN, so this could be a way to prevent people from accruing bad rep and then masking it by changing their gamertag.

From a business perspective, MS is raking it in. They haven't needed to make major advancements in the hardware and are still outselling PS3s.

My nephew probably changed his name eight times in the last year. That's a ridiculous amount of money wasted - and for what? Something to do with clans and needing to change his name to suit a new clan. Whatever - it's a colossal waste of money.

Anyway, I'm man enough to admit that I was wrong about the MS business comment - I was wrongly assuming that the average console buyer is aware of all the 'hidden extra charges' that come with the Xbox 360.

 

[sohum]

My nephew probably changed his name eight times in the last year. That's a ridiculous amount of money wasted - and for what? Something to do with clans and needing to change his name to suit a new clan. Whatever - it's a colossal waste of money.

Haha, that does sound like a waste of money, but I'm still not sympathetic towards his reasons. I guess it is a nice way for MS to make money from the parents/guardians of kids who can't make up their minds.

Anyway, I'm man enough to admit that I was wrong about the MS business comment - I was wrongly assuming that the average console buyer is aware of all the 'hidden extra charges' that come with the Xbox 360.

Yeah, there are hidden charges. I'm not much of an online gamer, though, so it's not a huge deal for me. Once my free 30-day subscription to Xbox Live Gold expires I'm probably not going to renew it unless I stumble across a greatly discounted deal (there was one on Slickdeals a few weeks ago).

 

[MasterBlaster76]

Same here, I'm not much of an online gamer. Regarding nephew's name changes, he pays for them himself mate.

 

[Lee1981]

?30 or ?40 a year really is peanuts aint it lets be honest, how anyone cannot suscribe for such a small amount is rediculous. Its outrageous value for money, what else can you spend so little and get so many hours of entertainment.

Thats ?3 a month for christ sake.

 

[MasterBlaster76]

Yep, but it's completely free on the PS3 - and it might only be three pounds a month, but when you buy it, it's ?40 all in one go. That's how I look at it, not how much it averages out at per month. ?40 could buy you a new game, or two if you get older ones.

 

[pcfan123]

The endless console argument

Both are good for their own reasons but I prefer ps3 simply because there are WAY WAY less kids online, Blu Ray and better graphics.

Also this whole "I don't play online" or "I only play older games" argument is weak. If that is the case then you are part of a very small minority. Video gaming is totally moving towards online gameplay. Can't stop. wont stop