'Gamercard' spotted in UT3 demo – is this PS3's answer to the 360's Gamertag?

During a playable demo of Unreal Tournament III at the Edinburgh Interactive Festival, games-digest.com spotted something very interesting on the game's menu system. It's called Gamercard and it doesn't seem too unlikely a possibility that this will turn out to be a unique player identity system, not entirely dissimilar to the Xbox 360's Gamertag system that manages player stats and achievements.

Games-digest.com quizzed Epic's Mark Rein about and he did little to dispel our assumptions saying quickly "Oops, you shouldn't have seen that".

[bym051d]

I'm all for copying good ideas, but they could at least name it something more original.

[Xbox 360 Will]

come up with a better name if that is the true name but none of this is confirmed so it may change by the time its announced. Can anyone think of a good thing to call it? Maybe

Player Points
Trophy Attributes

[big_tim]

Place holder until Sony comes up with a name or it could be in the code for the 360 version when it comes out.

[toughNAME]

Sony innovation at its best

See sony fanboys...everyone copies everyone!

[Xbox 360 Will]

Xbox 360 hardware reliability!

[Amplifier]

Doesn't hurt that Sony is slowly but finally making strides in offering us what Microsoft charges you for?

It must, since you attack such a great thing for gamers to have in a FULLY featured console.

[VirusE]

True. I wish sony would copy the whole coming out with new games thing. Its one of the cooler things about the xbox.

I hope this happens, its one of my more favorite things about the 360.

[DrPirate]

Starting August 28th, every week after that we get minimum 1 major game release. Hold on for 2 more weeks bro.

[Rockstar]

Give it a rest.

EDIT: @ Slappy

Who are you calling an xbot lol...I own a PS3 and a Wii, no 360...yet.
My comment was directed @ toughNAME

[SlappyMcTaint]

what he said is true! You xbots are always the first to mention your AAAAAA games when nobody has actually played any of them. How do you know they're AAAAAAAAAAAAA? Are you Nostradamus? They could look like AAAAAAAAA games , but end up playing like turd blossoms.

[Xbox 360 Will]

for Sony to release some more big guns!

[solidt12]

What is GC?

[DrPirate]

GC = Games Convention occuring in Leipzig.

It's the European equivalent to E3. It occurs August 23 to 26.

[Xbox 360 Will]

It stats next week on Thursday the 23rd and runs for a few days. Sony has said they saved some big announcements for it.

Edit: Looks like DrPirate beat me to it but he's right.

[AznSniper]

“Oops, you shouldn’t have seen that”

lol @Mark Rein

[Marceles]

I wouldn't be that surprised if he did it on purpose

[Charlie2688]

Interesting...but I wouldn't be surprised if its UT3 specific...but again...you never know O.O!

I wonder what is the secret since Mark didn't wanted people to see it :/

[Tempo]

...meh* -_-

[Anything but Cute]

But I hope it has a single player story campaign also.

[AznSniper]

It has a single player campaign.....but not much of the storyline has been revealed yet.....wait till LGC or TGS

[Ri0tSquad]

They said it was about revenge.

[Meus Renaissance]

Ouch!

[DrPirate]

@ 7 Unnecessary self-ad.

Also, there was no fanboyism.

And I'd rather have them copy and improve then have people say were missing the feature altogether. Why complain?

What the hell? X-Box fanboys should be loving this. Look, if Sony 1-ups Microsoft, they'll be forced to come out with something even more revolutionary. YOU GUYS WIN OUT OF THIS! Comeptition drives the market up! Who cares if it's copying, both parties will inevitably win with this.

[DEADEND]

Its funny how SONY is giving us all these things for free. I wonder if HOME was on the 360 do you think they would have charged 360 owners for it? And how much do you think they would charge for it? LMAO

Naw seriously answer cause i wanna know LOL!!!

[DrPirate]

Home is free, but they'll nickel and dime everything on it.

No, I'm not hating towards Sony, so no disagrees please?

Home itself is free, but all the good furniture, the nice appartments, the cool clothes, even certain events (Kojima live in the MGS4 lounge, 10$ admission fee!, E3 Lounge, virtually be there are E3 only 24.99!!!) will cost money.

No service in business is free. There are always costs to foot.

@ 11.2:

:P Ha, nice. Now you mention it...Air is a completely untapped market, we should start a new business.... And I fixed the statement.

Edit2: Which chicken sh*t son of a b*tch disagreed with me? It's not opinion you can disagree with, it's fact.

[Amplifier]

"Nothing in life is free"

Well that is bold, I could've swore that the air outside that I breathe is free but maybe I am wrong and just haven't received the bill yet.

-_-

[ShiftyLookingCow]

I am going to be a virtual homeless beggar in Home or a moron hobo with a house and nothing in it. Furniture in Home is just the 3D version of the money cow that is Themes and Gamer Pics on XBL

[the worst]

ps3 rules

[2tired2day2hate]

is it still news when sony rips off some one else's idea? i thought this became common knowledge

[DrPirate]

If they rip-off everybody and combine the best of both consoles...

Wouldn't that make it the best console, rip-off or no rip-off?

[Xbox 360 Will]

got some sleep! Hater

I'm glad Sony make things better on the PS3 that the 360 failed at.

[Darkiewonder]

It's only for this game.

Basically information will be set somewhere to a server and be like the 360's gamertag but only for UT3. Won't be unified though.

[aaquib2]

Darkiewonder is scared PSN is going to soon crush XBL, so he tries to downplay it and spin it, kind of like all the scared MS reps.

The power is in the box, now all we need is time...

[Darkiewonder]

You look at the picture. You ask me Do I have a XBL Subscription and then you come back and talk to me when you can find something else to say.

[Tempo]

thats the mentality he didnt even consider you own all three. Its the whole "either your with us or against us " fanboy mentality

[Mr Murda]

Get that sticker off of your TV! Come on, get off the couch and take the two seconds to get that orange distraction off of your TV. LOL!

Nice Setup!

[Darkiewonder]

Nah... I like both sticker on there. I think after hmmm 5 years when I take it off you can see how much of a discoloration it will get xD

and thanks ;D

[aiphanes]

Sony said they are working on such an update...so this will probably be it...it got leaked early.

Epic likes sony now...so anything is possible.

The only company that really hates sony is EA and Ubisoft...everybody knows that the PS3 can do AI...look at Killzone 2...and MGS4!!!

I hate all these companies who try to promote the fanboy wars...

[LSDARBY]

Awsome, they might anounce it at Leipzig :D hope its good

[Bill Gates]

They could have called it "Gamertag II" for all I give a shiet, so long as I won't be paying for the feature like M$ has the ROBOT XBOTS do.....AHAHAHHHAHHHHAHAHHA

Drink my Oil you ROBOTS!....AAAHAHAHHAHAHA

{edit} @ Odion the BABOON. Did you just say that XBL has "lag free multiplayer"?......AAHAHA AHHAHHAHAHHAHHA
You truly are a ROBOT....AAAHAHAHA

[Robotz Rule]

Nice one Bill!

But yeah,I agree;)

[ben hates you]

know what else is funny, you don't have to pay for it, heard of silver, ha ha ha lol

[razer]

owned yet again! But it's easy when your dealing with a halfwit.

ahahahahahahahah (or whatever you say on every post)

All I can say is.. MS had a great idea and now Sony copies it. I hope MS copies some thing's Sony has and every Sony fanboy better remember this conversation before they bash it like they did with HDMI.

[aaquib2]

PSN is clearly behing XBL as of right now, but its free! Sony is proving they can match(even beat) what XBL has like background downloading, lag free multiplayer, friends list, achievements and more, but then add their own amazing innovations like HOME, PSP-PS3 remote play, and more. Plus don't forget, its all free!

[Odion]

XBL has like background downloading, lag free multiplayer, friends list, achievements.

Except you don't have this.

or the Market Place

or cross platform communication
or a platform interface in every game

or IPTV

or the amount of Demos we get

or cross Platform play.

Also you guys do know that Home is like Habbo hotel, as in your going to have to buy every single item you want in your house, or if you want new houses or cloths, plus your going to have advertisments?

Ya I am really angry i pay 3 bucks a month.

[Marceles]

You're right about everything except about the lag-free multiplayer...I've never experienced lag on PS3 online, but I have with the 360. But the background downloading where you can leave your 360 in a low-power state until everything is done turning off, the friends list and messaging capabilities, and achievements, the 360 pwns big time.

[Vip3r]

I think you might find the PS3 does do background downloading, has lag free online play with dedicated servers, a friends list and will have achievement when Home arrives. It'll also be getting a DVR function next year too.

Keep trying son, I'm sure you'll get it right sooner or later.

[big_tim]

but the PS3 allows for more items in the queue for background downloading. I have both machines and when E3 came around, there was so much content that more items in the queue were necessary. The 360 allows for 6. I don't know the official cap for the PS3, but I had around 15 items in the queue.

[Odion]

but you don't have most of that stuff yet, and your still missing half the list, and you don't have a universal friends lists, and the lag one shouldn't be up there as both systems do that one well, its mostly dependent on the game.

[BIadestarX]

Sony should just pay lots of money to one of Microsoft employ... and just copy and paste XBox live.

"Its funny how SONY is giving us all these things for free" you don't have to pay for gamercard + achivements on xbox live. you don't even ahve to be online..

[Tempo]

its not like telling them that would make a difference they dont care either way. What ever microsoft does they can do better thats their mantra, everyday its the same thing in the comments, if there is good news for the 360 i can garantee that there will be at least 3 counter posts consisting of either 360 RROD, PSN is free or wait until whenever

[Armyless]

No worries, off you go.

[jackwei22]

my with all these games coming out for both consoles it is like total war with bitter rivalry. It is Rome and Carthage or England and France lol!! anyway i am looking forward to this game it look very cool and should sell well this year, and yes that gamercard could be the start of a new strategy against X-box live.

[DEADEND]

I like your set up you should send it to ign they might post it, plus I like the fact that your not a fanboy and you've proved that and don't let them get to you their just acting like kids. Some people can't understand that some of us like more then one system.

To Odion: of course you guys have all those feature MS has been doing this for years, and as far as demos i would hope to god XBL would have more because its been out for 2 years now its going to take sometime for PSN to have as many demos as XBL. PS3 has been out only for 9 months now what did 360 really have into 9 months of its launch not much so chill out ok. both systems are great why can't people see that.

[mcgrawgamer]

Sony should steal everything msoft does with online. do it better and keep it free. Personally I don't mind ads u can't get away from em anyway so if sony can give me free online like x-live + home!!!! Oh boy that's the hotness.

[big_tim]

you still get ads. The were advertising Rush Hour 3 last week when you first go to the dash board. Si, I have to pay and get ads. Sounds fair?

[Lord Anubis]

If you are beta testing home then you know what it is.

[AllroundGamer]

can you tell us pleaaase?

[Lord Anubis]

http://www.killzoneunit.com...

[Bazookajoe_83]

Do they lurk around ps3 news just to start something? Grow up kids!

[MetalProxy]

You nailed that one.

[BubblesDAVERAGE]

Will there be a split screen for the online of the single player?

[celticlonewolf]

Maybe its because Im kind of new to the whole online with a 360 and ps3 thing but I have to say I love my silver membership with xbox live I can download so many diffrent demos and game videos and arcade games and movies and all that teh only thing I miss out on is the online play which I have to say at the moment Im not intarested in I might later on. If sony can match the content that live has with moies and game videos and stuff and let you play online for free that be a real step forward. Home is very intaresting but I think me personaly I would like it even more if they just added a butt load of content instead, The set up they have now could use some tweeking but its nice and stright forward it just lacks content. Does anyone els think they shpuld address this first before the set up home or set up home first then slowly add more stuff? Goog gaming

[ALIEN]

Can't wait.

[Foliage]

Could this be due to xfire again?

[MetalProxy]

This is great news for sony fans, why the hell are the xbots here. I thought they dont care about the PS3. Stay in your section of the woods...thank you very much.

[LiquifiedArt]

There is a link in HOME called "GamerTag". Right now it does nothing. So be rest assured its something that is being cooked up for the PS3 as we speak.

[aiphanes]

I heard the same thing...Its going to be hot!!!

[Danega_Sciphor]

so i can laugh when they say the graphics are better when you wont be able to see it with all the haze, nice, also cant wait for cross platform it wasnt decided though, rok on ps3

[CNIVEK]

...this is flat out COPYING, and likely an infringement MS will sue over.

For those non-360 gamers, the actual designation for the stat system on LIVE for individuals is called a "gamercard"; "gamertag" is merely your "handle". Therefore, if Sony has used this same name for their wannabe-LIVE stats-holder, I seriously doubt MS will let it slide. Either this is completely wrong, or the person who initially reported this, was ACTUALLY looking at the PC version (which would be LIVE-compatible), and not the PS3 version.

[Mu5afir]

I am sure gamercard is not a registered trademark of Microsoft. A lot of game companies use this, not just Microsoft. In fact, Microsoft copied this from a lot of PC games that had been using this in the past.

[toughNAME]

ok off topic

regardless of who copies what...PS3 NEEEDDDSSS a unified friends list pleeeaaasssseeeeee!

[apoc06]

?

outside of a few of the launch games, whats not unified about the friends list?

[AbyssGravelord]

Are you guys stupid? (I didn't bother reading all 72 posts but) a gamercard is something from xbox live its like your profile pretty much your gamertag is your name and your gamercard is like your profile.

SO either thats from the 360 game or sony is completely copying Microsoft. (yet again)

[btkadams]

well, we dont know how big of a ripoff it is until we see it. we cant judge it just because of the name.

[zonetrooper5]

Well the PS3 and PC version is coming out this year, did the guy report wrong? or has Sony just copied it and used the same name ?

[SJL480]

The next thing you know sony will copy the black casing of my elite or the more than 20 gig hard drive they may even stoop as low as copying my hdmi capabilities.

[ASSASSYN 36o]

Who cares if sony or Microsoft copied something. They both copy the heck out of PC's. And this gamercard is only going to be available in UT3. I doubt sony is going to go for the unified network service we pay for on xbox-live. If they do you WILL pay for sony network. And keep in mind you may think sony doesn't need those profits but, I bet they will implement you paying as an option if the ps3 network grows to a point it starts to be a finacial problem.

Running a network like xbox-live isn't free. Keep trying to be like it or better and sony boys will dish out the cash.

[ChefDejon]

is probably going to do it better because they have to

[greed]

People keep saying sony copied this sony copied that but xbox copies games and tries to pass them off on their system splintercell anyone! but back to the point regardless of what it is it sounds like a good idea and i don't want sony to copy xbl i just want something fun and from their own ideas not what someone else created but better.

[jeanm3306]

What is a gamecard?

[dukegodtezza]

the more copying the better the systems will be.including pc/wii
u cant do xbox live multi player for free
it would be a mess .every kid in the house would have a gamercard
if u played halo 2 and u kicked ass.u could start a new gamercard whenever u felt like it,if u got done for cheating u could just start another user name,you need to pay for it,$60 is not much,if you buy mags to get demos,it cost $10.00 a mag per month over the year, u do the maths.
silver is free leave it at that.
how do u think ps3 will keep no more than 4 gamertags, any more and it will up to abuse

[Danega_Sciphor]

HOME = PWNAGE

[CNIVEK]

therefore, you don't have SH1T. :o

[caffman]

a gamercard is the plate version of an xboxlive gamertag. The tag is the name, the card is the info. Hence mygamercard.com. So was this a 360 code being used?

[CNIVEK]

Check out my post at #31. ;)

[Mu5afir]

Both of you check my response to 31.

[btkadams]

lmao "oops, you shouldnt of seen that"

itll be interesting to see, but its not like we all didnt see this coming. i just hope its not a ripoff of xbox live and offers something different.

[progx]

right...

[s8anicslayer]

what aaaaaaaaaaaaaa games are they talking about, ok maybe gears but what else, only they dub their games aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

[THE_JUDGE]

It's not the be all end all of online gaming but it would be cool to see what others are and have played. I guess Sony just wants to take braging to the next level and I'm sure they are cooking up something that makes it different than the gamertag of the 360's.

[XxZxX]

just like Microsoft copied Lotus 1-2-3 in Excel, Corel WordPerfect in Word, Netscape Navigator in Internet explorer and kill the competition. Well In this business, if you dont copy, you will die. Only fanboy cried foul. Microsoft, Sony, they don't give a shat about who cried the loudest.