200°

Xbox Live vs PSN: Accessibility and Content

There's a wealth of form and function in both Xbox Live and the PlayStation Network, but you have to wonder what's missing for both sides. With this article, let's take a look at both interfaces and their respective content marketplaces, taking note of what's there, what's missing, and what features and refinements each should offer to make the services better.
BIoodmask - contributor
Published: 518 days 21 hours ago | Article | PlayStation 3 | Xbox 360
 
 

Showing: 1 - 44 of 44 Comments
Shut this user up Let user speak
rroded - 518 days 22 hours ago
1 -
say what now?
Shut this user up Let user speak
Lifendz - 518 days 19 hours ago
1.1 - Anyone ever hear of this site before?
I think I could create a site, write whatever I want, and someone would post it on N4G.

No mention of Home, PS3 themes are free,....wow....good post.

How did this get past the usual people that report a story as lame?
Shut this user up Let user speak
whoelse - 518 days 21 hours ago
2 -
"The closest equivalent to downloadable themes for the PlayStation happens to be PSP themes, but those can be done through the PC PlayStation Store."

What about the PS3 themes?
Shut this user up Let user speak
Captain_ahab - 518 days 21 hours ago
2.1 -
Yeah I was thinking the same exact thing. Being uninformed is AWESOME!
Shut this user up Let user speak
zo6_lover27 - 518 days 21 hours ago
2.2 -
I know, and another thing he didn't mention is that 360 gamer pics and themes aren't free, like ps3 wallpapers and themes.
Shut this user up Let user speak
jmiscavish - 518 days 8 hours ago
2.3 -
@2.2

Except every theme and gamerpic I've ever used has been free. I don't think this article was that off base...
Shut this user up Let user speak
juuken - 518 days 21 hours ago
3 -
...Not this sh*t again.
Shut this user up Let user speak
kewlkat007 - 518 days 20 hours ago
3.1 - juuken get Braid for the 360 Now!!
You'll be surprised, you actually have to think in this game, I though tit was simple.

On topic: XBL is more uniformed and PSN is more, well devs sometimes do what they want, so no consistency at times amongst devs but PSN is more open while MS set limitations, though can be lineant if the content is right.
Shut this user up Let user speak
juuken - 518 days 20 hours ago
3.2 -
I'll be sure to look into it. :)
Shut this user up Let user speak
kewlkat007 - 518 days 20 hours ago
3.3 - I bet you'll get stumped with the First Puzzle...
....
Shut this user up Let user speak
bleachrulez - 518 days 20 hours ago
4 - funny ha?
how Home wasnt even mention
Shut this user up Let user speak
Peekay - 518 days 20 hours ago
5 - PSN is better - and i'll tell you why
all of Sony's big games have dedicated servers and quite frankly this was the deal breaker for me. I don't give a crap how I communicate with a person when i cant even play them cos i'm lagging all over the place or I shoot someone else a million times and they don't die cos they have slow internet connection. Having dedicated servers makes everything run as smooth as butter.

All of live's games are old school - this means that I have already played them or there's nothing there i cant get on roms. I love echochrome, Elefunk, and the pixeljunk games. All really original and addictive that make by brain tick. I guess this is just a matter of preference. You cant get whole games like Siren and Warhawk on live.

Movies & Music - I don't need to pay for movies when i can stream all the movies that I have on my PC to my Ps3. The 360 doesn't even have wireless, or a hard drive that i can store anything on thats not downloaded from the store.

Monies - yes - hate to beat a dead horse, but on top of all this, PSN is free
Shut this user up Let user speak
Monchichi025 - 518 days 20 hours ago
5.1 - Dog???
I'm just wondering if you wrote that with a straight face???? LOL SERIOUSLY???!!! Are people really this delusional???
Shut this user up Let user speak
Boldy - 518 days 20 hours ago
5.2 -
You can stream any media content from Windows Media Center, Zune, TVersity, or Windows Media Player 11 onto an Xbox 360, and you can rip music and store it on your Xbox 360 hard drive, so most of your Movies & Music argument I don't quite get how you came up with.
Shut this user up Let user speak
Peekay - 518 days 20 hours ago
5.3 - hmmmm
Monchichi - that was a well thought out reply that just oozes with argumentative balance and intelligence....
Shut this user up Let user speak
Peekay - 518 days 20 hours ago
5.4 - Boldy
really? how can i do this without wireless?
Shut this user up Let user speak
darkride66 - 518 days 20 hours ago
5.5 - I couldn't agree more.
I made the switch from XBL gold to PSN last fall and haven't looked back. I've had almost zero lag playing on PSN, I love that themes are free, the games are fantastic (plus full games!), I love that the PSN is free and with over 10 million subscribers I haven't had any problem finding enough people to game with. The only thing I can think that's missing is cross game chat and I didn't use that once on the 360. If I ever needed to I could use my phone, and that right there just saved me $300-350 dollars over the life of my 360. My only regret is I didn't start gaming on the PSN right from the start. I could have saved myself $50 unnecessarily muting racist, homophobic 12 years olds on XBL. Seriously, they should have to take some sort of IQ test before they're allowed to buy headsets. I have no idea why this doesn't seem as much an issue on PSN.
Shut this user up Let user speak
Cherchez La Ghost - 518 days 20 hours ago
5.6 - LOL?!!
Are you serious?!!

Sorry, the 360 do the same thing. You can still acess content of your PC even if you use a "Wired" connection from your 360 to your Router. A "Wireless" connection from my Laptop with a external HDD streams to the "Wired" 360 works good. So there is no need to for me to have media on my 360 HDD.
Shut this user up Let user speak
zo6_lover27 - 518 days 20 hours ago
5.7 - @ Boldy
Can you stream content from your 360 to a zune from anywhere in the world with wifi? No. I can watch/rent/buy movies, play ps1 and some psn and ps3 games using my psp from anywhere in the world that has a wifi connection.

EDIT

@ CherzecLaGhost

However, the ps3 is not limited to only streaming, you actually save data from your ps3 to an external device, using it as a hard drive
Shut this user up Let user speak
Peekay - 518 days 20 hours ago
5.8 - Cherchez
thats lame - my computer is on the other side of my house and I dont have a laptop
Shut this user up Let user speak
kewlkat007 - 518 days 20 hours ago
5.9 - Peekay You need to learn about xbox 360 features
That whole wireless and Lag argument goes back n fourth I know plenty that complain about LAG on the PS3.

Wireless is not mandatory and not always the best type of connection for online multi-player. especially if you gonna complain about LAG. What about gamers network types and speeds? It's different for everyone.

Yes the 360 can stream as well and do other things with custom music and more in-game stuff.

That's a weak argument, though I'm sure it's your honest opinion and your gripes having your router on the 3rd floor while being in the basement but that's hardly every one and that's over 10 million subscribers of XBL that choose to pay

. Free is a dead horse but refer to this article

http://www.n4g.com/NewsCom-...
Shut this user up Let user speak
Boldy - 518 days 19 hours ago
5.10 - @zo6_lover27
I was replying to Peekay and pointing out some flaws in his statement I was in no way making my own statement so you can ask those questions to someone that cares. I do not have a MP3 player so I would not be able to answer that question, but word on the street says that Google has some good advice on stuff like that.
Shut this user up Let user speak
solidjun5 - 518 days 20 hours ago
6 - you know, I don't even have to read the article and I can tell where this is heading.
Don't get me wrong, I read the article. However, I look at the contributor and I look at my calender. It's not the end of the month and it's Bloodmask, so it's probably skewered heavily towards XBL, since his life is predicated towards every negative sony article. It's his lifeforce. I like XBL. I look XMB's interface better, but I would give XBL and PSN a push since XBL have cross-game chat. While cross-game chat makes things a bit easier, I think it's irrelevant since I can send a quick message and tell my friend if they want to play a game.

EDIT: Anyway, regardless, they are both fine and do a great job at what they did. Sony came a long way and at the beginning the online interface sucked. Both should get better with HOME and the new interface XBL is implementing.
Shut this user up Let user speak
Peekay - 518 days 20 hours ago
7 -
dp
8 Man_of_the_year | 518 days 20 hours ago - User only got 1 bubble - Show
Shut this user up Let user speak
Peekay - 518 days 19 hours ago
8.1 - Man of the year
I have both - all I was saying was why one was better than the other. For the 360 to be better than the Ps3 I would have to by a wireless adaptor. Is this what you're saying? - why would I do this when I have a PS3 that can do this at no cost? Notice how I didn't insult your intelligence either.
Shut this user up Let user speak
Peekay - 518 days 19 hours ago
9 -
dp
Shut this user up Let user speak
Bazookajoe_83 - 518 days 19 hours ago
9.1 - As you mentioned
You have to buy a wireless adaptor and pay for the onlinre service if you want to play those live games online. For me i also feel like i have to add that the battery pack for the 360 controller is also a must...

I do own all 3 nextgen console´s, but the ps3 and 360 is about at the same price cost if you ad the free things you get with the ps3. The wii is kind of a joke since there is no game i play on it, but my girlfriend really like it... :-)
Shut this user up Let user speak
Boldy - 518 days 19 hours ago
10 - @Peekay
Yes you can stream with a wired network. Just take a look at this walkthrough for TVersity for example: "It can be used over a normal wired network or a wireless network (this article uses a wireless network)."

http://www.afterdawn.com/gu...
Shut this user up Let user speak
Peekay - 518 days 19 hours ago
10.1 - hey bro
thanks for that, but I think you need a 360 wireless adoptor to do it. Anyways - I'm running outa bubbles. I'm out.
Shut this user up Let user speak
SL1M DADDY - 518 days 9 hours ago
10.2 -
It is a known fact that you can stream your media to your 360 using wired or wireless connetions. That is not the issue here. Peekay is trying to say that he does not have to wire up his PS3 to do what the 360 does wired. In other words, there is no need to run wire through your house to stream and if per chance your cable that comes with the Xbox 360 is not long enough, you don't have to buy another cable like you would if you had decided to stream using your 360. The PS3 can do it wireless out of the box.
Shut this user up Let user speak
SpaZaA - 518 days 19 hours ago
11 - This article....
Is severely lacking in facts and at times completely erroneous.

When the author arrives at a topic such as movies/video that he feels is to large a subject to tackle and compare he calls it a draw, even though this would be a very critical issue.

He also doesn't go into any detail on the different types of games offered on either console. While PS1 and XBOX originals are mentioned it goes no further, omitting multiplat games on both consoles, game limitations on each respective console or lack thereof (size limits, # of discs, price) And he doesn't approach original game content such as PSN original titles and full downloadable games and Live's XNA aspirations, etc.

Pricing was not detailed for each respective console in regards to DLC/Games/themes/online services and the likes.

The list of problems go on. This is a very poor and mis-informed comparison, if comparing consoles interests you, seek a better source.
Shut this user up Let user speak
Bazookajoe_83 - 518 days 19 hours ago
12 - Okey
I dont know if he´s leaving it out on purpose or just because he doesnt know it exist. But im gonna make it a little easier for me..

1. He doesnt mention that themes are free on ps3...
2. He doesnt mention you can make youre own themes on ps3...
3. He doesnt mention Home on ps3...
4. He doesnt mention the webbrowser on ps3...
5. He doesnt mention the free online on ps3... (for those dlc games)
6. He doesnt mention the capability of changing ps3 hdd...
7. He doesnt mention the free wifi...
8. He doesnt mention the capability to connect keyboard and mouse...

Whatever, even if psn would surpass live it would never get the recognition...
Shut this user up Let user speak
CurlUpAndDie - 518 days 19 hours ago
13 - why do people do this to me
IMO......you get what you pay for.
Shut this user up Let user speak
SpaZaA - 518 days 19 hours ago
13.1 - XBL has cross-game chat over PSN....
...and that's about it. Is it really worth 50$/annum? (btw i'd almost say yes, but maybe if it was only $20)
Shut this user up Let user speak
thehitman - 518 days 18 hours ago
14 - LOL
He completely evaded Home and when he talked about themes 4got to mention the endless amount of themes over the internet that you can access via ps3 browser for FREE. It looked like he tried to make a non-bias article and failed by not stating all the facts.
Shut this user up Let user speak
DJ - 518 days 18 hours ago
14.1 - Looking at the quality of the writing.
I'd say the author just didn't know any better, and failed to do any extensive research, let alone get hands-on experience with either system.
Shut this user up Let user speak
Mo-Dilla - 518 days 18 hours ago
15 - What A Terrible Article
I stopped reading when they said " The closest equivalent to downloadable themes for the PlayStation happens to be PSP themes, but those can be done through the PC PlayStation Store."
16 Man_of_the_year | 518 days 17 hours ago - User only got 1 bubble - Show
Shut this user up Let user speak
thehitman - 518 days 16 hours ago
16.1 - Lol
your arguement is a stupid 1. First of let me say you are just 1 person. Majority of people who live in households with more than 1 person need wifi. I could not play my ps3 online if I didnt have wifi and I wouldnt pay 100 dollars for it either. Then your last paragraph contradicted your first paragraph. You say you started getting BR and it looks nice but then you say you dont want it. Also no one is telling you to throw away your dvds and not every1 has an upscaler so the ps3 is a nice all-in-one.

Also xbl becomes more than 60 dollars a year when you have kids who want their own accounts.
Shut this user up Let user speak
Cenobia - 518 days 4 hours ago
16.2 -
Actually, you pay for the bluray player because all PS3 games are written to bluray discs. If you didn't have the bluray reader, you couldn't play any PS3 games at all. I can see your argument with WiFi, but the 20gb at launch didn't have it, so technically it was originally an option.

Some XBL themes/gamerpics may be free, but Microsoft does charge for them. I personally think that's BS since you already pay the monthly fee. They're just pictures, so why aren't they free? This isn't a major issue, and wouldn't sway anyone one way or the other, but it is a bit ridiculous. I'm sure many people wish they could just pick whatever gamerpic they wanted without paying.

I also don't get the "premium online service" argument. You get the same experience on the PS3 with a few less features. It isn't like you're lagging all over the place on the PS3, you just don't get cross game chat. Games like Warhawk even have dedicated servers, so there is basically no lag at all, and all for no cost. If the PS3 isn't a good comparison, then just look at the PC. You can do everything for free with PC games, and programs (cross game chat for example).

Really, Xbox Live is only marginally better than PSN, but Microsoft has been working with it's online component much longer. Sony is closing the gap at a pretty fast pace.
Shut this user up Let user speak
Hellraizer - 518 days 12 hours ago
17 -
Playing on PSN makes me always feel some kind of justification for paying for live. Its just that better. And I got my PS3 after the ingame xmb patch so I dont even want to know how bad it was before...

Getting into games, ingame private chats, messaging, its all easier and faster on xbox live so far.
Shut this user up Let user speak
SL1M DADDY - 518 days 9 hours ago
18 - I was a proud supporter of Xbox Live once...
And still have a current subscription. However, once that runs out, I will not be paying the money for Live again. I have a few issues with Live that have lead me to this decision. One, it costs money and with the PC and PS3 being free to play online, I see no reason to pay for Live. Also, as far as downloads go, I pay for the DLC on the PS3 gladly and for one main reason. Reliability. I can't guarantee that my 360 is going to run and if it dies again, I do not plan to replace it, especially when the three year RROD warranty runs out. With the content I have on the PS3, regardless if I am online or not, it works and as long as the console works, the DLC is accessible by me, and we all know how much more reliable the PS3 is to the 360.

When I pay 60 bucks for a game on the PS3, the online is enabled at no extra cost. That alone makes the PSN a win for me. Reliability is just icing on the cake.
19 Man_of_the_year | 518 days 1 hour ago - User only got 1 bubble - Show
Add Comment (Gamer Zone)
Gamer Zone Posting Guidelines
The Gamer Zone is for members who want a more friendly and civilized discussion. This section is heavily moderated by the N4G staff, so leave your fanboyism at the door please. Members who are unable to behave in a mature and respectful manner will be temporarily or permanently restricted from posting in the Gamer Zone. Using words such as Xbots and Sony droids, or other words from the console war vocabulary, is strictly prohibited in this Zone.
Read More...
 
 
You must log in to post comments.
Username:  
Password:  
 
 
About N4G
N4G is a social game news site that covers the game industry 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
More Info... | Submit News