SOE President Refutes Microsoft blogger Ozymandias

Sony Online's president John Smedley has posted a response to Microsoft blogger Ozymandias comments on the PS3's Network Platform.

"I came across a Microsoft blogger this morning that had some thoughts on our just announced deal with Xfire

http://www.gametab.com/news/707581/

There is some bad information in there that I'll get to in a sec, but it was interesting to me because it highlights some pretty core differences in the approach that the Playstation folks have taken.

From the very beginning the team at Sony Computer Entertainment has always had a very open view of the the networked Playstation 3. This is showcased in our game Untold Legends: Dark Kingdom. We've been able to integrate Xfire's new PS3 API into the game very easily (I should also point out that this API is absolutely free… no clue where Ozymandias got that info but it's just plain wrong). What this is going to do is allow an already huge network of online gamers on the PC continue to track their Xfire friends already as they play our (and other games in the future) PS3 game.

This is not a replacement for the PS3 friends list.

This is something over and above that. In this day and age many people are members of different communities. For example, I belong to a Battlefield 2 team and a guild for MMO's. The two are very different and I enjoy them both. Since people spend their time multi-tasking and switching between their computers and consoles, it just seems to make a lot of sense to me that it's inevitable that people are going to be a part of many different communities.

This open approach that allows licensed middleware providers to put hooks in PS3 games (assuming that's what the publisher wants to do) really opens a lot of doors that a more closed approach just wouldn't allow.

To me that's just plain common sense.

Online console games are going to be huge. They're growing at an extremely rapid rate and we already have several MMO's in development for the PS3 that are cross platform with the PC. We're working on cool new ways to allow people to communicate (online keyboard interfaces, voice-to-text and other ideas). The power of the PS3 is going to allow us to bring a lot of computing power to bear on the challenges of communicating with other players. To me the idea of an online universe of gamers as large as 100 Million or more is really exciting and is going to end up really allowing all kinds of awesome games."

[andy capps]

Looks like Ozymandia got owned. Ouch, good blog. I've added it to my bookmarks.

[Boink]

see if sony would actually give some people an idea as to what they are doing online(some developers would love the info too), then they could avoid people coming to conclusions about what they are doing.

is what he is saying true? I hope so, this is what MS has been doing with live, and is part of their plans from the getgo(the whole live anywhere thing, integrating pc and console, cellphone, etc...). Just we have actually seen it from MS, whereas sony is still jsut talking.

[Scythesean]

SOE President "Pimp Slaps" Microsoft Blogger!

[Balance]

in relation to the xfire stuff i understand that the Api might be free but xfire is not going to let ps3 users on their network for free, that doesn't make sense. i would think ps3 users would have sign up for an xfire account. the only way i could see it being free was if the game developer was paying xfire for the games to connect that would come from the price of the game?

[VirtualGamer]

Since its free for PC gamers not sure why you think it would cost money for PS3 users. Currently Xfire has over 5 million registered users you can check it out here.

http://www.xfire.com/

Here is abit about Xfire.

* What is Xfire?

Xfire is a free gaming tool that automatically keeps track of when and where gamers are playing PC games online and lets their friends join them easily. It doesn't matter which online game your friends are playing, which server browser they are using, or which gaming service they're playing on; Xfire is intelligent enough to recognize where your friends are at any time.

* How can I get Xfire?

You've come to the right place! Download Xfire at the Download section of this website. Xfire is a free tool, with a small download which requires a simple installation.

* Is Xfire really free? What's the catch?

Xfire is completely free. Xfire is supported by leading sponsors in the gaming industry, and brings relevant advertising messages to you. But rest easy; we do not sell, exchange, or share any user information with anyone. If you need further clarification on how we handle user information, read our privacy policy.

boink - Yes I agree that it would be nice if Sony said more about their Online service for the PS3. However since no one can actually use it and the fact that no matter what they say people will say BS, why bother? Add to this that the PS3 will sell out without any more info on the network for the PS3 there is no rush. We will all see what the PS3 network is all about next month or maybe even sooner.

[Islandkiwi]

Oz wasn't saying the PS3 customers had to pay for it, he was saying Sony & developers have to pay for it.

[VirtualGamer]

Here is what Ozymandia said...

"Another challenge is that Xfire is now effectively middleware - and that's not free. Had Sony purchased and integrated Xfire into their SDK I could see the effective cost of integration being "free" to publishers. Now, unfortunately, each and every publisher has to look at their budget and decide whether adding a second online service/friends list/presence is worth it. I have no idea what Xfire's licensing costs are, but whatever it is, it's not free - Sony lost that opportunity. And that means publishers have to decide whether to spend extra dollars, effort, and time in an era when game costs are already spiraling higher and higher."

This is what John Smedly is saying is wrong. There is no fee for Sony or anyone else to use Xfire. Its free software period.

[omansteveo]

But why is this needed for the PS3 i guess is where im confused ya know like theres not cross platform games for them benefit from this. Like i see M$ view on this with live anywhere plans and cross platform games on xbox and windows. I'm just not seein this being anything really all that useful for Sony going forward or maybe they are doing it just to say that they can..im really not sure...does that make sense to anyone else...MMO's are big on PC not on consoles so i think they definately have to go with another approach to this

[Siesser]

In the last paragrpah he states "we already have several MMO’s in development for the PS3 that are cross platform with the PC."

And I guess they figure even if you're not playing with them, if you're in your living room or something, you'd still like to talk to them. It's just an added, superfluous extra that doesn't detract from anything.

[andy capps]

If you read the SOE's presidents blog I think it'll make more sense, that and the interview with Xfire's higher-up. The reason for Xfire is that it brings more visibility to their service, and may attract some PS3 users to use Xfire on their PC's (which is where they get their money from, as there will be no advertising on the PS3 version of Xfire). SOE wins because they'll be able to use it for upcoming MMO's that are for both PC and PS3. Hopefully this also means that they'll provide keyboard and mouse support for those PS3 MMO's so they can play against their PC brethren.

[LiquifiedArt]

Its just another layer to Link up the PS3 Online community and the PC Online Community. Its really nothing more then that. I for one think its a great idea, and a great alternative to bring aspiring communities together.

[Boink]

the MS blogger said they would have smarter to buy the company that does xfire, or make their own software for this. rather then have to pay them(xfire) whatever fees they charge(I can guarantee xfire is not giving it for free). makes sense since the big thing sony does not have right now is money.

[VirtualGamer]

See he said

"I have no idea what Xfire's licensing costs are"

He does not know so he is specualting that there is a cost. Since he tells you he has no idea, why would you take his word over someone that actual does know and tells you there is no cost?

[TheXgamerLive]

Licensing Cost. Nothing is totally free or else your just fooling yourself. As a lead in your going to be told free free free, nope, wrong, the only way would be if sony paid all the fee's out of there pocket and maybe if all there games will be sold for 80.00 a game.

[shysun]

Take that MS...BAM!!:P

[THELANDSOFSAND]

Xfire is Sony's answer to Live! Anywhere, not to Live!

[TheXgamerLive]

No, this wasn't a slap in the face unless it was to your own. Questions still continue to go unanswered. But you'll all still see soon enough unless another delay is on the horrizon.

This smells like virtual sh*t.

[FeralPhoenix]

but I think the bottom line is that Sony will be "adding" Xfire to whatever their existing online will be....and SOMEBODY is going to pay for it, at this point it seems that Sony must have paid some type of lincensing fee and the gamers don't have to pay anything...so thats a good thing.

[VirtualGamer]

Ozymandias says the following in his Blog.

"Another challenge is that Xfire is now effectively middleware—and that's not free. Had Sony purchased and integrated Xfire into their SDK I could see the effective cost of integration being 'free' to publishers. Now, unfortunately, each and every publisher has to look at their budget and decide whether adding a second online service/friends list/presence is worth it. I have no idea what Xfire's licensing costs are, but whatever it is, it's not free—Sony lost that opportunity. And that means publishers have to decide whether to spend extra dollars, effort, and time in an era when game costs are already spiraling higher and higher."

John Smedley then writes a blog entry to rebutt his statement by saying..

"We’ve been able to integrate Xfire’s new PS3 API into the game very easily (I should also point out that this API is absolutely free… no clue where Ozymandias got that info but it’s just plain wrong)."

So you can continue to believe what ever you like but the fact is Ozymandias clearly stated that this decision by SCE would mean developers would have to pay the cost of implementing XFire if they wanted it. One of the developers actually using XFire, SOE, has stated that this is not true that they did not have to pay anything as a developer to integrate XFire into their game.

Now you can speculate that SCE paid for the XFire software but considering that Ozymandias clearly stated that SCE had not done so and had missed their chance to do so, it would mean he is still wrong in the statements he made.