Sony Clarifies Surprising '17 Million PSN Users' Stat

Sony may now advertise that it has 17 million registered PlayStation Network accounts, but that Xbox-Live-sized stat provoked new questions and skepticism that a Sony rep answered for us (mtv videogames blog) today.

***

The Sony 17 million stat first popped up at CES and immediately drew a parallel to the 17 million Xbox Live users recently claimed by Microsoft.

Sony's 17 million returned in the press release MTV Multiplayer received yesterday, a release stuffed with impressive numbers that confirm PSN to be a well-stocked and actively used service.

[PPnoPP]

How the hell have they got 17 million PSN users when they haven't even sold that many consoles? What i want to know is does these numbers just pop out of their ass.

[rucky]

Answer: Read the article

[cellypower]

So why should we believe you?

[Why dis]

Thats what I thought when I read about it the first time.

Isn't PS3 almost 10 million behind the 360(over 9 million)

[IzKyD1331]

@why dis

PS3 is about 7 mil behind

[BLaZiN PRopHeT]

The ps3 is 8 million behind the 360.

[PirateThom]

The PS3 is about 5 million behind the 360.

[TheColbertinator]

The PS3 is about 4 million behind the 360 ^__^

[Mr_Zkaar]

We'll thats another Xbot myth out the way, PSN is a success, 17 Million online from just over 20 million sold, that's good conversion rates.

[UnSelf]

the ps3 is 3 million behind 360

[UnSelf]

im guessing its multiple accounts on one master.

then again i should just read the article

[Lonely Hunter]

The PS3 is about 2 million behind the 360

[Guitarded]

The PS3 is 7,859,472 behind the 360. Wait now it's 7,859,493. No, now it's....

[earwax]

And the PSP...............Nice spin Sony

[ravinshield]

there's 17 million retards in the planet

[Panthers]

That is the number of Live users, so yea I agree

[goflyakite]

The PS3 is about 2 million ahead of the 360

lol @ Panthers
+bubble

[Kleptic]

thats right Ravenshield...there are 17 million retards 'in' the planet...they are inside of it, er something...retarding each other underground...who is the fecking retard again?

[San anto]

"there's 17 million retards in the planet."

Its ON the planet not IN.
Try learning retard.

/Grammar Nazi rant.

[360 man]

i had special word from sony that the ps3 was actually ahead of the 360

with 30 million sold

[Powertesties]

There are many PS3 owners, me included. Not only that but the service is FREE. In hard economic times, free is GREAT news!

[Why dis]

Did you fucin read the text?

[Silellak]

Seriously, dude, read the article before commenting.

This was about how Sony counts people who register on their website to just to post on the forums, as well as PSP owners who may not be PS3 owners.

For instance, I have a PSN account, but not a PS3. I am certain I am not alone.

Please refrain from posting random pro-Sony (or for that matter, pro-ANYONE), crap that has little relevance to the article in the future, eh?

[CaseyRyback_CPO]

"..the fact that PSN accounts (like Xbox Live accounts) could be registered online without a console and that those accounts were needed.."

[Bnet343]

I knew it was too good to be true because There was no way that 90% of PS3's sold were online and playing.

[GWAVE]

Microsoft counts XbLIVE Silver accounts in their numbers for total LIVE users, yet we all know that a Silver member isn't an actual LIVE user since you cannot do anything except purchase content. I don't see why Sony is taking so much flak for this. They said PSN users. Show me the part where they said "PSN PS3 users". If you took it the wrong way, that's your fault, not Sony's. Unlike Microsoft's console gaming division, their services cover more than just the PS3.

[Silellak]

I'm not even comparing PSN to Live in this case, just explaining to Captain First Poster that the PS3's popularity has little to do with the point of this article.

I agree that it's silly to harp on Sony, since they weren't really THAT misleading. It is common in this industry to make impressive/true sounding statements that are less impressive upon closer examination - everyone does it. To people who don't understand that PSN or XBL accounts can be created without a console, it will sound impressive. Everyone else will know better.

[scottmichael]

@GWAVE

microsofts statement says "14 million PAID subscribers"

how does that include silver? you see the key word right?

why did only 3mill people download home, but 17mill are online, and you chimps think its not including multi users

i have 7 maiN accounts, not sub accounts, so that counts as 7 towards sony stats...

[GWAVE]

@ scott michael

Okay, so they mentioned paid. That's terrific. They hadn't done that in the past.

[jwatt]

I think it's just a miscommunication because PSN does not stand for ps3 network but Playstation network where the psp and ps3 are all connected to it. Although we would love Sony to just focuse on the ps3 they've always try to make sure they mention all three of thier products as one familly "playstation". I don't think we will really know the number of actually ps3 users but we know it's not 17 million.

[socomnick]

Those silver members are also a great source of revenue for MS. Those silver members purchase tv shows, rent movies, and buy dlc.

[littletad]

I have this crazy theory that some people on here actually care about their bubbles so much their willing to praise strange and awkward harmonies or do the opposite to counter negative articles on a particular system; in hopes that the majority Sony fans on here will increase bubble share. I know it sounds far off, but it's hard to deny when many turn a 180 on their attitudes and view in the blink of an eye. And this comment is by no means pointed at Power, I just mean in general. I do agree his comment had little to do with the article.

[Sarcasm]

And another thing Sony isn't track very well, is that people has made accounts for overseas. I'm not sure how many Europeans has made an American account or vice versa. I expect the actual number of PSN users to be 50% (or less). Who will ever really know.

All I KNOW is that if MS has 14 million PAID subscribers, then they are making a killing off XBL.

[Silellak]

It's not a crazy theory at all. In fact, that's basically how N4G rolls these days. One of the big reasons I don't really comment all that much anymore.

Still, I can and (obviously) will mock them for it.

[Kushan]

Christ, you'd think some of you lived in a bubble all your lives.
Get this: Companies LOVE good statistics and they'll spin whatever statistics they have to make things sound good. Sony, Microsoft, Nintendo, they all do it and any time one of them mentions a statistic, you should have the sense to take it with a grain of salt.

[pixelsword]

I'm actually curious now.

[JasonPC360PS3Wii]

So it was a lie...:) LOL

[freeblue]

well guess what.. Microsoft does the same thing. I just bought a Xbox360 for my bro last xmas. and when I went to register Live with my hotmail. it said I already have gamertag which is the same one I used for my Zune player.

[Lord Vader]

"The PSN numbers (17M and 2.1M) include people who have created accounts on PS3, the Web site and PSP. Note that since the implementation of single sign-on, PSN ID and PlayStation Underground IDs (which were often created at the same time when first making a PSN ID) were automatically merged and rolled over. Additionally, since PSN is a free online gaming service, some households create multiple IDs....."

[prowiew]

Ive said this before. That they were counting ps3,psp and web. And someone here at n4g accused me to being a fanboy. But what the hell. This is n4g. Thats the fun.

[Mu5afir]

It states PSN users, it doesn't matter if it's PS3 / PSP or PS Website.. since the stat Sony stated was PSN <-- Notice, that has NOTHING TO DO WITH the PS3. Reading comprehension people, some of you really need to READ. Take your OWN advice, before commenting!

[Ju]

BTW "Home". First, Home is rated. My two kids can't use it. I have 2 machines, 4 accounts. Are the other 3 lesser accounts or what ? I mean, if all of us 4 play Warhawk, what's that, one or 4 users ?

I would download Home once (!) for all 4 accounts. Does it mean, the other 3 can't use it ? So, we got two cases here. a) some people (kids) just can't use home, so no point downloading it. b) Even if you have multiple accounts, you would download it once (!) not for each account.

And, actually, there is a 3rd case, I have 2 machines, downloaded it twice, but it accounts for one download (because I used the same account).

So, to make it short, # Home downloads say sh!t about how many people use PSN.

[likedamaster]

“The PSN numbers (17M and 2.1M) include people who have created accounts on PS3, the Web site and PSP. Note that since the implementation of single sign-on, PSN ID and PlayStation Underground IDs (which were often created at the same time when first making a PSN ID) were automatically merged and rolled over. Additionally, since PSN is a free online gaming service, some households create multiple IDs so that a father can keep a separate list of friends, trophies and stats from that of his daughter for example.”

Exact quote from Sony via blog.

[N4360G]

Impressive numbers,good job SONY!!

[edgeofblade]

@GWAVE:

That is why this question had to be asked. Sony wasn't exactly forthcoming with that data initially. It was misleading, and someone called them on it.

Now, on the other hand, I'd like both MS and Sony to clarify their numbers further, as in how many PS3 users and how many XBL Gold users.

[Thugbot187]

Perfect reason why I have issues with so many people on this site. Low IQ or maybe they been drink too much of the dirty water in FallOut3?

You got to factor not all people will play there games online and this is true for XBL. So if you have and account for every console sold that seems a bit unbelievable.

With PSN its kind of Sad that's all they have when you factor they included PS3, and PSP (Because the combined total of the two are well above the number of consoles the 360 has sold.)

[badboy808]

the ps3 has already passed the 20million mark. so the PS3 is about 7million behind the 360. Which is very good considering they have a higher price point and came out year later.

[Foxgod]

You must be giggling while saying that to yourself.

[PimpDaddy]

Last time I checked The PS1 and PS2 both sold over 100 million consoles during thier lifespan. In fact in 8 years the PS2 has sold over 140 million and counting since July of last year. Which is an average of 17.5 million a year

So how the f*ck do you explain 18 million PS3's sold in 2 years. Which averages out to 9 million PS3's a year.

The PS3 is selling at half of the rate of either the PS2 or PS1 ever did. Stop making excuses and accept reality. PS3 is doomed to last place this generation. They wont catch up to either the 360 or Wii before the next generation starts.

Would you like a tissue now?

[NickIni]

So what.

Sales = insignificant numbers fanboys pretend to understand to gain a "one up" over the other side of fanboys.

[WeaseL]

So if you got 1 PS3 and 2 kids everyone gets to play online free unlike the 360 when you need multiple gold accounts.

[littletad]

Hard to argue that point, though my cousins never had a problem signing in as Live Guest when playing a game or so.

[ambientFLIER]

No. Most games will let you sign in guests, or they can just use the one account.

[ultimolu]

*sigh* Wrong reply. >.>

[baodeus]

I guess you create multiple gold accounts. Never heard of signing in as guess? You only need one person with the gold account, the rest can sign in as guess like Halo3. However, guess can not participate in rank matches.

Why did littletad & ambientFLIER get disagree when what they said is true unless people here have never use xboxlive?

[tda-danny]

It's spelt guest. If your going to sass the guy, atleast use the right word...

[Ju]

"Guest". This would be hilarious to see my two kids fight over their "achievements", then. Or save data, for what it's worth.

[7h3ultim8p00]

tda-danny you should take your own advice. If you are going to call somebody out on their spelling errors, don't make any grammatical errors either.

[Helghast]

He said if you got 2 KIDS! If he has 2 kids, what is he gonna do? Let 1 kid have achievements and save-data, and make the other kid always play as a guest and not get any achievements and not be able to save games?!

You people need to work on reading comprehension! He said 2 kids, as in 2 people that live in your household. He did NOT say "my kid and his friend".

[ambientFLIER]

Xbox live has nothing to do with saving games and getting achievements. Those are profiles. You can have more than one.

[Helghast]

My mistake, I meant online-saves like multiplayer rank. XBL stats are linked to profiles and so are some achievements like the Gears 2 ones.

[Foxgod]

Hum, not suprising, its Sony, they have done their share of spinning in the past.
Like the target renders.

[Kyur4ThePain]

you broken record.

@Below

I have a PS1, PS2, PS3, Wii, 2 PSPs, a PC (media server), another PC (HTPC), an iMac, 2 MacBooks and busy building a Linux box. So don't tell me I need to get a PC.
You, my friend, need to look past your 360 and Windows world and realize what you're missing.
Trust me, there is no spot for you to hit.
Your target render argument is just sad, old and about to be shattered come February.

[Foxgod]

Did i hit a sensitive spot ?
That means you have complications somewhere, i would suggest a change.
Like a change of console, or a nice PC.
That should ease your mind.

[Mr_Zkaar]

Your getting desperate now, your running out of things to dis about the PS3.

[Foxgod]

I am not dissing the ps3, i am stating that sony spins reality.
Seriously, you behave like an ethnic minority who constantly jumps in defense.

@edit at below.
Lol reported for what ?
@ edit at even lower.

If you would have a decent pc, you would actually notice vista runs better then xp on high ends.
They just released vista too early.
Xp reacts slow as hell compared to vista and cant handle SSD's properly, logically cause its older.

People should just stop installing vista on their dodgy 1.5ghz pc's with 1gb of ram.
Thats like playing your next gen system on a black and white tv.

[DeZimatoR]

You mean that one from 2005 that they surpassed?

:)

[jcgamer]

Reported.

[Darkseider]

And Microsoft doesn't spin reality?! Have you seen what they have been calling an operating system?! Now that there is truly spinning reality!

[Bathyj]

How is this a spin?

They reported PSN users. Playstation Network. I naturally assummed that included PSP's, why wouldn't it.

And as for the trailer that you just wont let go of nearly 4 years later (Geeze, people get over divorses and deaths in the family quicker), maybe you should do some reading.

"The E3 2005 trailer was not false. One confused Sony rep claimed it was a movie from the game engine - one guy blitzed out of his mind on fatigue, jet-lag and the madness that is E3. One guy not at all affiliated with Guerrilla Games - probably with a head full of 30 different titles," said "EON", a member of Guerrilla Games.

"Everyone else named the E3 2005 video for what it was - a target render of what we thought would be possible on the PS3. Something we would be aiming for. Then, during E3 2007, in front of the majority of the gaming journalist press, we released a trailer of Pre-Alpha code running and demonstrated a playable Killzone 2 that stunned the industry."

Just google Killzone 2 and jetlag if you dont believe me, and let go of the lies.

[Sarcasm]

"Did i hit a sensitive spot ? "

Killzone 2 has been hitting sensitive Xbox fans mighty hard since it's been announced.

but but but teh 2005 trailerrrrrrrrrRRRrRrRRRRRrrR

[littletad]

@Foxgood

To be fair, all companies have their fair share of spinning. Remember iwantapspsforxmas campaign? Gate's "360 is most reliable system" mark? Like I said all of them pull crazy spins.

@Kyur

Sensitive much? You know I'd advise you to do the same, getting out of the Sony land and maybe experiencing a 360 as well. Maybe even a Ds since you have 2 psp's too. I don't know, I mean fanboyism is so much denser when your loyal to one brand.

[Ryudo]

Its funny how complete and utter Sony nerds think that kill zone 2 somehow hurts 360 fans. Seriously change the record there all looking forward to it and its pushing FPS standards higher which means better games. Nothing more nothing less Kill Zone 2 looks amazing if you think 360 fans are worried do the world a favour and pull the trigger.

[Kyur4ThePain]

The moment MS prove that the 360 is reliable, one will find a place in my entertainment unit.
It's called being a clever consumer, not a fanboy.

[ultimolu]

Then why o' why do I find 360 fans in Killzone 2 threads if they're not worried about this game?

Foxgod: Yes, because Microsoft and Nintendo don't breakdance with the numbers as well.

[7h3ultim8p00]

Ooooh, looks like you hit a weak point...and caused massive damage!

[likedamaster]

"" ...i am stating that sony spins reality. ""

Sony's been doing it for a really long time. Funny thing is, people still buy their lies.

[Sasanova]

its more mind boggling that 360 has 28 million consoles and claims only 17 million are online...so where is the other 11 million? playing offline? yes some do, but 11 million? definetly no. out of 11 million, i guarantee about 5 million are consoles that are delivered and not sold yet...but microsoft claiming shipped are sold is definetly not true.

[Mr_Zkaar]

so where is the other 11 million?

Faulty, don't forget the Xbox has a massive failure rate. Not saying 11 million are in the bin but i bet it's a fair few.

[vegnadragon]

There is a world outside of america. There internet is expensive.

[I_am_rushin]

I can provide my own personal experience if that is of any value to you.

I have 6 friends/relatives with Xbox 360s. 0 of them have HDTVs, and only 1 has LIVE.

Take that as you want.

edit: wow! I got a disagree just for stating a fact about MY LIFE.

[mrdxpr2]

MS counts consoles that are sitting in bestbuy,gamestop,walmart etc,.. as sold consoles ... and they count consoles that where taken for repair and when they send new ones they count as sold...r

[ambientFLIER]

Please provide proof of that, or else you're talking out of your ass, which isn't surprising for someone with a ps3 avatar.

[Guardian Hope]

“The PSN numbers (17M and 2.1M) include people who have created accounts on PS3, the Web site and PSP. Note that since the implementation of single sign-on, PSN ID and PlayStation Underground IDs (which were often created at the same time when first making a PSN ID) were automatically merged and rolled over...”

Well that explains it, so 17 million isn't an actual Playstation 3 PSN user base but an overall Playstation.Com + Playstation 3 + Playstation Portable number. To be accurate, they should only count Playstation 3 and Playstation Portable, not Playstation.Com. Otherwise, that would be a very impressive figure for a service so young.

@Comment 1 - Are you stupid? I don't get it with you (and fanboys), they buy a 400-500 dollar system and then they beat everyone over the head by saying PSN is "Free." Did they break the bank when they bought the Playstation 3. *sighs* The irony...

[surfer]

I rather put that $50 that goes towards Xbox live every year towards one extra video game. I think Xbox Live is a excellent service and all but I still can't believe they charge for DLC, its like you already paid for it.

[RememberThe357]

That was way more straight foreword then I expected.

[likedamaster]

Hey, you'll get some every now and then. LOL Oh the irony

[Cajun Chicken]

The same could also be said about XBL, I'm a Silver user myself and refuse to pay to play online I'm sure there are millions or others, so this equalises everything. I use PSN pretty much when ever my PS3 is on due to it being free.
People may have an XBL account, but may not pay for the XBL Gold service.
People may have an PSN account, but use it for PS webistes and use their PSN account on other peoples consoles.
Everyone with a PS3 is using at least one PSN account to play online, not everyone with a XBL is playing online due to the limitations of Silver, Microsoft impose upon the public.
Both the 'negatives' and catches of being signed and registered online on both services basically equalises everything.

So this is an easily cancelled arguement.

[Foxgod]

Not really, theres loads of silver users who grab demo's, buy dlc, buy xna games, stream movies, etch etch.

That cant be said of psn users who registered trough the psn website.

[Cajun Chicken]

It's the same difference. They may not have an account on a PS3, but may have a account in order to buy goods off the online PC PSP Store which is exactly the same as you mentioned.

I have all bases covered, y'know.

[Foxgod]

Since psn is free, if people wanted to grab demo's and stuff off psn, they would not just register online and do nothing with the account.
Cause thats what this article states.

[GarandShooter]

Or of XBL accounts registered through the website. You can set up either without a console.

[Mitch_Cumstein]

First of all not everyone that has a PS3 has it connected to the internet. Just like everyone that owns a 360 doesn't have it connected to the internet.

[scottmichael]

this was microsoft confirming 10mill PAID subscribers...

over a year ago

http://kotaku.com/341399/xb...

so microsofts numbers are defintly not misleading

[JHUX]

Lol foxgod, you can do the same thing with XBOX LIVE, yet Sony is gettting the heat for their numbers. Every company will do it, I love how butt hurt the 360 fanboys got over this. It will be okay, daddy's gotcha.

I guess people see "PSN NUMBERS", and obviously assume Sony is talking about just the PS3. Keep amusing me people with stupidity I do enjoy reading the comments in these type of articles.

[BrianC6234]

I don't see why anyone should question this number. Sure some of the accounts will be for people without a PS3 but it's most likely the number is correct. All you need is a PS3 and a broadband connection. Setting up an account is free. Why shouldn't every PS3 gamer have an account?

[scottmichael]

same reason 14million ps3 owners didnt download home..

its free, all u need is a broadband connection, a ps3
yet only 3mill downloaded it

[Death]

The 17 million accounts is a combination of PS3, PSP and the Playstation forums. It also counts multiple accounts within a household.

Microsofts numbers are not clear either since Live accounts can be a combination of Gold, Silver, Xbox and Xbox 360, along with forum accounts. I believe last January they posted there were over 10 million Gold subscribers on the service with 17.7 million console sales.

-Death

[Mitch_Cumstein]

This is pretty damn pathetic you have to admit. The skeptics were calling it BS at first only because of how easy it is to create multiple accounts on the PSN. Many have a Japanese account, UK account and American Account. Many PSN users, like myself, have 3 or 4 or more PSN accounts just on one console, because we wanted to change our PSN name.

If Sony had done that then I would have though sketchy, but understandable. But going to the point of counting PSN members as those that just register on the website as users is absolutely pathetic. Embarrassing is an understatement.

One can only wonder what Sony would have included in their count if they needed an even higher number than 17 million.

[Foxgod]

Maybe next up they will start counting everybody that bought a ps3 or psp :)

Then i would be considered a psn user too, even though i never went on psn with my psp.

[CaseyRyback_CPO]

MTV has already admitted they don't have the clarification for XBLA #'s as they received from Sony.

As usual though, Sony must be the only one counting all accounts right?

[PirateThom]

I don't see the big deal.

You can sign up for a Live account without a 360, you can sign up for PSN without a PS3.

[GarandShooter]

You're a real killjoy, Thom. Dousing fanboy flames with the water of logic...bet you're a real hit at parties...

[PirateThom]

Hey, come on, people love me to come to their parties! I'm a fun guy! I'm usually the guy who brings Scrabble. ;)

[Cajun Chicken]

Nah, I already did that above.

Laters.
Let's see what else I can prove pointless/wrong around N4G now.

Cajun Chicken, awaaaayyyy!

[Guitarded]

Can you guys read? Do you comprehend? 360: 14 Million Gold members to play against or with. PS3: ? PSN gamers to play with or against. Wake up and start spinning boys.

[GarandShooter]

Maybe you can't read little girl. Nowhere in the article does it state the number of gold XBL accounts. Go back to crying now. Mommy will be along with the Kleenex shortly.

[wwedx]

sony is bluffing

[DJ]

But you have to remember that some people with XBL and PSN accounts don't actually have hardware exclusively to themselves. For instance, my girlfriend shares a PS3 with her brother and sister.

So the number of hardware units connected online is a completely different figure. But probably not too far off. Maybe 75% of the total figure published.

[DJ]

Microsoft does the same thing by including both Xbox 1 and Xbox 360 owners in their stats. Unified online networks, regardless of hardware platform, were definitely the right way to go.

Xbox 720 and PS4 owners will still log into the same online networks as Xbox 360 and PS3 owners, which makes things a lot easier for both consumers and the companies involved.

[YeOldeGamer]

...there MIGHT be 100 people who still use an XBOX to play anything online....hardly the same thing. :o

[Bloodwar]

all 70 million or so of them are included in the numbers?

At Figboy, below. This isn't their first foray into the online space. The PS2 is able to connect online.

[Anon1974]

The PS2 didn't connect to the PSN. Those aren't included in there. The original Xbox does connect to XBL though, and Microsoft includes those accounts. We also know that in the US the original Xbox is still played about half as much as the 360 is from the latest Nielson ratings. Logically we can assume that a fair sized chunk of those gamers are still playing over XBL. I'm sure that it's a tad more than "100 Xbox owners".

[ps34ever]

Don't lesson to pp he is only 11 he does not know anything.

[Guitarded]

They are so cute at this age.

[floppyfeet]

Believing that that many people are signed onto the Playstation network is funnay

The fact that only 3.1 million people tried out home of "17 million supposed users" is very cute and pretty much proves that the real PSN user estimate is around 6-7 million psn users

[DJ]

Same number as Sony.

[Martini]

hahahahahaha riiiight ! Better take a day off tomorow from the intrawebs - NPD numbers are due LOL.

[Anon1974]

So your logic is that because 3 million people downloaded home, Sony is lying about how many active accounts they have. First off, I personally know 12 PS3 owners, including myself, family and friends. Of those 12 people, I'm the only one who has downloaded Home and tried it out. The other 11 all game online and I see them on there quite often, but most just haven't tried Home yet, opting to instead just focus on their games until Home is out of the Beta stage although most are curious and ask me questions about it. Life with Playstation is much the same way. Myself and one other friend have actually downloaded it.

The most downloaded thing on XBL is the demo of "The Force Unleashed" which was downloaded just over 2 million times. Using your logic, Microsoft must be lying about their numbers if only 2 million out of the 17 million accounts downloaded this free software.

[Figboy]

believe me, if Microsoft had a handheld device, it would use the same LIVE account as the Xbox 360.

a PSN account is still a PSN account, regardless of if it's on the PS3 or PSP, or even forums (for example, when i log into the Playstation.com forums, i do so using my PSN account).

i think the real point Sony was trying to make, is that for their first foray into the online community/gaming space, they are doing rather well. keeping pace with their very seasoned, knowledgable competition, Microsoft.

[freeblue]

I use Zune, and when you connect zune marketplace, it asks you for an email and s/n (or zune player name).if you have a xbox and use the same email to register LIVE.. wanna guess what your gamertag will be?

[tatotiburon]

wow sony that was really sad.

Confirmed XBL>PSN

[DJ]

PSN and XBL have the same number of users. Both count users from multiple platforms. What's so sad?

[Stereojet]

Sony is the best system in my opinion, so who cares what anyone on here says?

Play your games.

[Bathyj]

What can you get from the PSN store just through a PC?

You cant play demos or anything right?

I'm just wondering why anyone would bother to go there if they didnt have a PS3 or PSP.

[firetaw]

i dont know if active acounts means acounts who have been activated or are constantly being used. in any case why does everyone assume all ps3 owners have an internet connection? also not everyone are the same as you are and creates 7 different acounts for your self. and you only need to download home once on the machine to get it right? plus the numerous people who has had the closed beta for so long. i own a xbox silver acount and have never ever owned a xbox and probably millions more who go on PC to have some fun with window's game.

not to be mean or anything but, regardless how you got your acount. does it make your pusy hurt or something that xbox or ps have just as many acounts on either side.

[BGDad]

Wonder how much they paid for this to be turned up... i wonder how many of their numbers are actual fluff? I have 4 xbox live accounts myself so their numbers are inaccurate as well..

Not to mention Xbox live has no games, and its community is filled with weird people...

[PimpDaddy]

More excuses from a Playstation Polesmoking Puppet.

Another conspiracy by the SDF. Only this time he added to the FUD with his supposed 4 XBL accounts.

I wonder which N4G member is using this account as a multiple account seeing as how it was started 14 days ago. Is that you again Nasim? Eagle21?

Edit: Speaking of getting a life. How f*cking pathetic is it to make multiple accounts on N4G? Like anything you or I say matters to these corporations...

[Sibs]

Wuh oh, conspiracy!

[Martini]

Sony has been caught again twisting facts in their desperate attempt to not-look-bad with their free service compared to a superior paid service from it's main rival.

Nothing has changed since '05 same old sh!t. Sony fans are just as gullible as ever.

[DJ]

Sony hasn't twisted any facts, just as Microsoft hasn't twisted their facts either with their press release stating there's 17 million XBL users.

[Lord Vader]

I'll dispute your comment with the Sony reps own words via a direct quote from the article:

"The PSN numbers (17M and 2.1M) include people who have created accounts on PS3, the Web site and PSP. Note that since the implementation of single sign-on, PSN ID and PlayStation Underground IDs (which were often created at the same time when first making a PSN ID) were automatically merged and rolled over. Additionally, since PSN is a free online gaming service, some households create multiple IDs....."

[Arknight]

It's unfortunate that you misunderstand, but Sony never called it the "Playstation 3 Network".....its called the "Playstation Network". That means any user with a Playstation branded device can be a potential user if it has online access. Last time I checked there are some other Sony Playstation products which can access the network (like the PSP). This is one of the advantages of not just being limited to 1 console, but having a family of devices that compliment each other and communicate on the same medium. All they have pointed out is the total number of accounts on their network...nothing more...nothing less.

[Martini]

Thank you ! :)

[Knightofelemia]

I am glad there is that many on PSN makes gaming even more fun

[lost2]

Who fckin cares?
Go play a game or something

[Sangria]

If you ever had come to the Official Playstation Forums, you would know that there is clearly not millions users on it. The real factor that have a deep impact on those numbers is people that have a US, Euro and Japanese account in the same time. Those one are maybe millions.

[ambientFLIER]

So let me get this straight: 17 million, and that's INCLUDING web registers, 41 million PSP users, and multiple accounts? So what's the actual PS3 number, 200,000?

[ps34ever]

I'm 25 years old and I have two kids one is 2 and the other is 2 weeks old. Plus I'm a gamer4life

[PnUt1ne]

add me to ur friends. =)

PSN iD: pnutloco

let's play resistance 2 =) add me.

[ReBurn]

I think that anyone would be a fool to argue against the notion that Sony has a larger overall customer base for console gaming than Microsoft does. PSP owners are given access to PSN via their handhelds, and there are a heck of a lot more PSP's in people's hands than there are PS3's or 360's right now.

There is no "PSN is better than Live" or other "my service is better than your service" subtext here. Based on the number of Sony users out there the 17 million users is likely very realistic.

[hugoboss]

why MS is so obsessed with ps3 business, they need hurry about they issues not sonny.does really matter 4 MS how many ps3 user existed,how many xbox users did more than 1 account just 2 get a free month 2 play online

[Karum]

I never considered Sony's numbers to be 17m separate users or even anywhere close to it. I have 2 PSN accounts, one for Euro and one for the US. The only reason for that is because of the differing content in the PS store and I know others will have one for each different territory like Japan and stuff.

Then, like the Sony guy said, parents will have different accounts from their kids or other users for their own trophy list etc.

Nice to see it clarified but I think it's only confirming what those of us with a basic degree of common sense already knew.

[SleekDeF]

i thought thats great that psn now have 17million users after starting the psn in 2006

[Joey Greco RULES]

Nothing is ever as it seems. I'm not sure why this comes to a surprise to some.

[Lex Luthor]

Pretty obvious this counts as multiple Ids for ps3,psp and website.
Anyone who thought otherwise is pretty stupid.

[Arkham]

Seeing as how the XBL LTD numbers also include original Xbox accounts, this really shouldn't hinder further comparisons.

[Lord Xire]

I said this last year.....

If only I made wagers...

[SprayandPreycom]

sony counts you as being a member of its online service if youve at least once in your life played a ps game rofl.... this is sad for sony real sad ...

[JHUX]

yeah so sad for sony so so sad... I mean I'm sure they also counted everyone who played my ps1 way back then to. They are obviously doomed and are just spreading more lies around now to save face. Bet they wish they would of just not put a ps3 out at all and just stopped with the ps2 while they were ahead.

[JHUX]

I really think people just want to be able to say "PS3 has no online users, trying to play online takes hours!", when in reality not once have I had trouble playing online with my ps3 no matter what game I played. It's like watching elementary kids get jealous that someone has something they don't so they start trying to put down the person who has something else. Although a lot of times it is very amusing to watch the fight, at some points it gets so ridiculous that you have to step in and defend whatever console it may be. Some good ones are

"Sony has lied to everyone I cant believe fanboys believe them, on the other hand though Microsoft has never told a lie and have stayed true to us since day one, and are just perfect perfect perfect". -360fanboy1112314412

"At least I can play my PS3 for over an hour without worrying about it over heating or RROD on me, I can leave it on and not worry about my house burning down"-ps3fanboy1213121

Then I think this is from super fanboy POG, I believe... "With my new Compaq touchscreen super awesome computerx5, I can tell huge differences between these games, and can confirm for all of you people who obviously will never have a better computer than a COMPAQ that the 360 version of the game is the best version". -POG? or whatever 360fanboy it was.

Sad thing is people who say stuff like that I do believe they have convinced themselves to believe in it. For a while I wondered if they read what they typed out before hitting "Add Comment", but then I realized that this is what they have made themselves believe.

[Bullseye]

of those reported seventeen million would sign on and play wipeout HD. Sometimes, i swear i hear the tumbleweeds blowing down the line when i log on for a quick tournament! Still, tumbleweeds is preferable to those annoying,whiny,silly song singing,pre- pubescent American kids you get on xbox live playing COD twenty four seven!Or that just me? God help us.

[deividpaulo]

TRASHBOX LIVE (OR DEAD)

[Port_Station3]

Anyone who thinks that the silver live accounts count in the total "registered" online users are complete morons. Since every xbox 360 sold comes with a free silver membership then what is stopping MS from saying that they have 28 million active users?

Only gold accounts count since they are the only ones that actually pay and register their account.

You Sony droids never cease to amaze me.

[ps34ever]

I love the ps3 After 10 360s died on me I just said fu.