Microsoft responds to Sony's Home

by Dustin Burg { Mar 9th 2007 at 2:30PM }

Microsoft has been quite mum about what they think about Sony's announcement of the PS3 Home service. Does Microsoft think it's a ripoff of their achievement system or is it just Mii clone? Today, CVG is reporting that Microsoft's Chris Satchell finally broke the silence calling the Home service "not a very game-centric approach". He goes on to say that "it's a cool world but it's like a little game by itself. Our approach is the other way around; it's that games are the center and that's the star of the show, that's what people buy the console for". And as the service compares to the 360's achievement system, Satchell says that "they've definitely taken some concepts that we originated like achievements, but I think they're pushing in a different direction and we've sort of fundamentally got two different approaches going on here". So, Microsoft is playing it cool and tainting Sony's announcement by saying it isn't as integrated as the 360's system and it seems to be more of a stand alone game. What's your opinion of the PS3's Home service? Would you like to see this functionality built into the Xbox 360 or does it feel like an added game that's aimed more at the real-life sim fans?

Tags: home, microsoft, playstation 3, Playstation3, ps3, sony, xbox 360, xbox live, Xbox360, XboxLive

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)

Matthew @ Mar 9th 2007 2:34PM

I wouldn't want it in the 360 I love the interface and I think that this "little world" they have created for Sony Home just makes the interface BLOATED and confusing

jsn @ Mar 9th 2007 2:36PM

The system is a copy of achievements (as well as mii's), albeit a much more cumbersome version. I have my doubts that anyone will use it much and I suspect it will be used more for virtual masterbation sessions than anything else.

Toph @ Mar 9th 2007 2:43PM

I promise not to flood Fanboy with my 13 posts like I did at majornelson.com about this, but I definetely have stuff to say that I feel is worth saying.

'Home' seems to suck. I LOVE that Microsoft agrees with my views that it's not 'game centric'... I mean, how are you supposed to simply turn your system on, find a friend, check a quick message then plunk yourself down for a quick game? There's way too much to wade through in Home to really get gamers to the, well, game.

I fear this is the first sign that Sony is pulling another 'PSP'..where they didn't release near as many games as they did UMDs, dispite the general consumer dislike of them, the price, and the substance. As a portable Playstation, was I wrong to want..games??

Sony LOVES to market products the way they want to, for no apparent target audience, and to the ground. I can see this free 'Home' service innundating the hell out of all gamers with banners and ads everywhere. Sony's 'Home' will just be confusing, convoluted company controlled Barbie doll Sim world that's populated with marketing the way Sony wants it, and it'll turn REAL gamers, hardcore or not, away from the system.

In time, the PS3 will be marketed for everything but games.

drunkenshaolin @ Mar 9th 2007 2:43PM

all i want is a bigger group chat...thats all. if they could do it on old xbox they can do it on this....

Daryl @ Mar 9th 2007 2:40PM

I agree with "not a very game-centric approach" completely.

I'm not interested in a service like this, and wouldn't use it at all. Why would I invite people into my private area? Look at my trophies and listen to my music. LAME!

Clinton @ Mar 9th 2007 3:04PM

Leave it to PR folk to deliver a respectful, backhanded slap to the competition. Satchell brings up salient points about Home... is it an interface, a community or a game? Focusing on the games angle was smart, referring to Home as "a little game by itself", again emphasizing that the 360 is all about the games and the PS3 is..well, sort of?

Joe @ Mar 9th 2007 2:42PM

I wouldnt mind seeing something like this integrated as a Live Arcade game, but only if it used webcams. The only way to meet new friends with webcams is to play Uno and that's getting way old.

Geoff Gibson @ Mar 9th 2007 2:50PM

I agree.

Sony's home system is almost an exact ripoff of Second Life, which I don't like as it is. I find the entire "game" to be dismally boring. If I was to create my own custom avatar, I'll create a Mii. If I want to interact with other people online I'll play Xbox Live.

I have no use for, and no desire to use Playstation Home, however, that being said if I were a PS3 owner (like I have $600 floating around) I'd probably LOVE the idea simply because they have nothing else going for em right now. The system is seriously lacking in any sort of "fun factor".

DjDATZ @ Mar 9th 2007 2:51PM

"all i want is a bigger group chat...thats all. if they could do it on old xbox they can do it on this...."

i would not complain. i want this too...

"In time, the PS3 will be marketed for everything but games."

it already is...blu-ray anyone?

im not familiar with sony's home system but if thats a screenshot then i dont want any part of it. i LOVE my xbox live. :D

Modeps @ Mar 9th 2007 2:51PM

Honestly, it is the first thing I saw from Sony that made me interested in the PS3. Does that mean I'll rush out and buy? No, but it's a neat concept even if it is not game centric. Social networking is huge and Home will be its own social network.

AL7AIR @ Mar 9th 2007 2:55PM

@ Toph
"I mean, how are you supposed to simply turn your system on, find a friend, check a quick message then plunk yourself down for a quick game?"

You do realize that Home is only an alternate way to do things? The XMB is still there to do all the stuff within a few steps.

Virtua Fanboy @ Mar 9th 2007 3:00PM

I think MS should follow suit w/making Live a little, JUST a little bit more MySpaceyish. Give us a few more character spaces for our motto's, maybe a few of our interests, ect...

I agree, the Sony Home concept is pretty lame. Lets wait for the $ony hypocrites to say "trophies" are cool when they bashed achievments in the past.

zenprism @ Mar 9th 2007 3:01PM

If I wanted to play Second Life, I'd buy a computer that could run Second Life. The world Sony created doesn't even look distinctive. It's boring. At least Mii's have personality.

Plus, I don't like the idea of having to trek across a virtual town just to play some multiplayer against a friend in his "apartment."

This is just another reason why I don't need or want a PS3.

CHINESE BABON @ Mar 9th 2007 8:54PM

I own a 360 to play awesome games, not to "socialize", even though I do enjoy talking to players online. Sony needs to realize that games, not "SPECIAL FEATURES", such as blu ray and HOME sell games.

Toph @ Mar 9th 2007 3:12PM

Sonething else worth asking; the trophies. So okay, let's say I have 3100 Gamerscore points and the next guy has 7000; it's easy to see which of us has 'accomplished' more.

How will the trophies work? Let's say one guy has 5, the other player has 3. What if those 3 are worth more? I can see it being a little confusing compared to XBL Achievements.

Hoffer @ Mar 9th 2007 3:17PM

I have played The Sims once and hated it. I also have no interest in Second Life. This is really all this Home thing is. A Second Life interface slapped on to Xbox Live. Personally, I love to compare achievements with friends or just look at my achievements. I don't want to have to do that with a slow, 3D interface. Hopefully, they also provide a quicker, text based system.

To be honest though, it's good to see Sony trying something different. If they had copied Xbox Live and achievements exactly, they would have got crap for that. At least this is different. I've got a PS3 and will try and get into the beta next month.

Assbestos @ Mar 9th 2007 3:24PM

Over at PA, TB was saying that he was relieved to see they had a direction.

Wha?

This seems like a throw together of a bunch of everybody else's good ideas. No original thought here. Wish MS had just outright called them on it SecondLiveMii? MiiLiveLife? Something like that.

Not to mention it won't be out for another year. Sounds like they just sold you on ANOTHER piece of vapor-ware. Does an idea and some screen-shots make someone feel better about getting fleeced for a system without games? A system that you're about to buy rumble enabled controllers for to replace the ones you bought 3 months ago?

dutchb0y @ Mar 9th 2007 3:29PM

I think that lots of people will like it, but as a launching point for games at large, I think it won't be such a useful space.

I think that the "hardcore" or even more than casual gamer won't spend much time in the space compared to people that like but are intimidated by SecondLife or love the Sims.

I would hate all that space wasted when all I want to do is game with people. It's not really neccessary or all that useful to have animated 3d trophies anyway.. considering you get the achievement.. and well, that's the point... I don't lovingly look at the icons that are associated. I don't think a 3D trophy would change that...

Josh @ Mar 9th 2007 3:38PM

I about fell out of my chair laughing when I read about this yesterday. Who would rather sit in a "virtual apartment" showing off your virtual furniture instead of owning your friends in a game of GoW? Not me. Sony, you're competing in a gaming market...not a social club. Just when I thought Sony couldn't screw up any worse they pull this...what a waste of development time and money.

x silence x @ Mar 11th 2007 6:20PM

Ok, as an original XBL member I must bring up the golden point here. I think MS is now using the smoke and mirrors. Home is an option folks. I will be anything that if you want to use matchmaking in game that will be supported as well. I played PS3 online and I have to admit that there was no lag at all. The question I am now raising is XBL worth paying for when other consoles are now showing it could be done for free. This is a valid question as a CONSUMER and not a fanboy. We won't know until this holiday but if everything works for Sony then I will question the amount of premium services that are being offered as a Gold member. Once again, it is your responsibility as a consumer to question even the company that has brought the best Online to date! I love my 360 but I ain't a fool!

x silence x @ Mar 9th 2007 4:02PM

Pinhead @ Mar 9th 2007 4:13PM

Sounds like a really tedious system. I can't say I envy PS3-owners at all. I'm more than happy with a fast and simple GUI.

Mister2zx3 @ Mar 9th 2007 4:16PM

FREE! and innovative. It looks really nice. Can't wait to show off a bunch of trophies from Gran Turismo 5 in my "Home"! Maybe some of my pimped out rides, so even folks who don't have Gran Turismo can see my cars in my living room. It has a lot of potential. Invite friends over to see your weapons collection from some game laid out next to your super exotic race cars and some cool paintings on the wall of screeenshots from other games.

ezwaffles @ Mar 20th 2007 2:12PM

#19. Let's wait and see. I fully expect Sony to charge for their "premium" service. Sony is notorious for telling untruths "our service will be free". If they can do all this for free while losing money on every PS3, I will be shocked.

hoos30 @ Mar 9th 2007 4:21PM

First of all, kudos to Sony for finally coming up with...something.

Now I know that I don't want any part of a virtual world like this, but some people might. The PSU Demo was enough for me. I am grateful though for the competitive spark this could light under MS.

MS needs to do two things: 1) Make Halo2 matchmaking "manadatory" middleware for all online games. Gears would rock that much harder with that system. And 2) MS should start intergrating functionality from the universe of community sites that have sprung up around the 360. Gamertagpics, 360voice, achivement360points, etc, should all start finding their way back "home", so to speak (Of course, the owners need to be compensated). Use these tools to stay focused on the GAMES. Community driven podcasts, voice message boards, tournaments, ladders, contests, etc. built right into the dash. Even if you'd need to "create" via some interface on Vista, it could still be fantastic.

Anyway, viva la competition!

hoos30 @ Mar 9th 2007 4:24PM

"manadatory" = "mandatory" lol.

Josh @ Mar 9th 2007 4:24PM

@19 There's quite a bit more traffic on the XBL servers than on the PSN servers but I can agree with you. We're paying $50 a year (which IMO in extremely cheap for what you get) but if Sony can do it for free then you have to wonder. The question is how much money is Sony loosing by offering this for free. If Sony underestimated their costs of running an online network for free it could really hurt them once they get more online games. I for one am glad to pay $50 for XBL if it's going to make it better.

Jon @ Mar 9th 2007 4:32PM

@Josh
I was thinking the exact same thing about Sony servers having fewer people, meaning less lag. Wondering how sony's servers would do if they had as many people as Xbox live.

Number 01 @ Mar 9th 2007 4:36PM

Things from PS3 Home the 360 should copy:

Ability to play videos/music (maybe photos too) from your 360 hdd and have others see them while chatting. How about also being able to create playlists that stream while you host games or the host can pick a DJ that does the streaming (wah wah wah, peoples connections wont be good enough, personally I think this is an excuse).

The customizable Home, this is much deeper than the cheeseball gamercard we get on the 360 with the motto and the ability to pick our zone and gamerpic. This is a world which is a gamercard, achievements on the 360 are not implemented as well, the Home allows other people to SEE YOUR ACHIEVEMENTS like in their face. On the 360 they have to choose to see your achievements and basically usually just see a score. Things I have suggested on Xbox.com are more people in a voice chat, dashboard chat rooms to meetup with people for games, Myspace features such as flickr/web photo linking, CSS for gamercards/myspace like page with best achievements.

Is it a game within a game? my answer is no. It is a visual representation of you, your gamercard/profile, and also networks in a visual way, it isn't a game becuase when you load Home your not trying to win or compete. It basically is what on the internet is a 3d avatar chat, filled with a matchmaking system which is pure genius and all the 360 fanboys reading this are too jelous to point out the idea of a FREE SECONDLIFE-CLONE is actually cool. I actually played secondlife when it was a beta and the thing that sucked about it was the future monthly fees upon release.

More people in a private voice chat and video chat. I swear wasn't it 4 people we saw in the video camera demos (maybe the Xbox 1 camera) and all we got was 2 in private video chat.

If all the 360 does for E3 is change the marketplace look and add a new hdd / 360 model, I am going to be very disappointed. They need that major update which only came once for the xbox 1 which seems like the PS3 gets regularly.

Fanboys SUCK @ Mar 9th 2007 4:39PM

"it's a cool world but it's like a little game by itself. Our approach is the other way around; it's that games are the center and that's the star of the show, that's what people buy the console for"

Exactly. This was my initial reaction the first time I heard about the PLAYSTATION HOME. Try posting your opinion or tell that to a PS3 fanboy. XBL is a straight forward set up. It's a nice addition to the games, not something that detracts attention from them. But fanboys will always argue that their's has more features, is more fun, takes just as much time...blah blah blah.

I've stated this before and I'll say it again... K.I.S.S. (keep it simple stupid). That's one of the most effect rules when designing something. More is not always better or practical. Haven't Sony figured this out by now. The Playstation 3 is an entertainment hub and is in the wrong market for someone who just wants to play games. It's trying to be to much and cram in every feature Sony can think of. They should be competing with PC's not "game consoles".

And again, who is the target market here? You think action fans or casual gamers will want any part in this? There are games that sim fans can purchase for this. Turning your interface into a game instead of a service that is practical is only going to turn off potential consumers.

DarkTravesty @ Mar 9th 2007 4:45PM

/agree with fanboys suck

Fanboys SUCK @ Mar 9th 2007 4:55PM

@ Number 01

"Things I have suggested on Xbox.com are more people in a voice chat, dashboard chat rooms to meetup with people for games, Myspace features such as flickr/web photo linking, CSS for gamercards/myspace like page with best achievements."

Oh, God.. are you kidding. I agree with you on more people in voice chat... but this isn't MYSPACE. The FOCUS should always be on the games, not a virtual avatar.

I can log onto XBL in it's current state, see who's one, what they are playing, join their game, chat, look at their achievements, etc... all while easily navigating a straight forward set up. The PS HOME is not practical. XBL is for "gamers".. it's not suppose to be the new social community like MYSPACE. It's a Video Game console people, not a computer. The focus is on playing videogames and making friends with gamers... not having a social on your xbox.

gigadigit @ Mar 9th 2007 5:25PM

Remember guys. This is all FREE.

How many people paying $15/month for WOW. What about 2nd life. How many people are there?

Also, if you just want to play games and stuff, you can still use XMB. You don't need to go to HOME at all. I think it's a great idea.

Toph @ Mar 9th 2007 5:37PM

This is still an attempt to distract PS3ers (and others, like us) that there really isn't any GAMES to talk about on thier system.

You'd think by now in the development cycle and the media there would be a lot more 'stirring in the weeds' talk about..well, ANY games! Lair is the only one I can name off the top of my head, and that's it.

Go to gamevideos.com and check the GDC video with Phil Harrison to really get a feel on all of this Home and 'LittleBigPlanet' stuff.
I admit I commented on Majornelson.com a few times yesterday before seeing the vids, and after seeing them, I just wondered if Sony felt as much like a cheap prostitute as they're coming across as.

...Notice the 'Virtual PSP' that's brought up to control the 'virtual' Home world..hahaha

JJ @ Mar 9th 2007 5:50PM

Well Toph there's quite a few games coming out between all 3 systems in the coming months that i'm looking forward too, its just that a majority of em are Multiconsole.

But there's plenty of games coming out on either system and i dont see how announcing a new interface/virtual world on the dashboard detracts from any games or future game playing. I think it'd be a neat idea for an in system virtual world with custom avatars on each system. It'd be a nice change of pace sometimes.

heck sometimes i get on my 360 just to chat with people or on my Wii just to vote on something, or look at the news for kicks.

You forget though all these systems now are trying to do more, Even the 360 isn't just a game machine as much as they'd like to spin it that way. Dont forget we can rent movies, download TV shows, burn CD's, etc etc. So both systems do roughly the same amount of things and i dont see how you can chat up one and denounce the other.

BowserUSC @ Mar 9th 2007 5:53PM

@Virtua Fanboy

You're an idiot. If microsoft makese live anything like myspace I will be throwing my 360 out of the window and never playing a video game again. Myspace is an awful awful thing. You disgust me if you like it.

BowserUSC @ Mar 9th 2007 6:02PM

People talking about adding more myspace functionality really are idiots. Come on, live is for playing 360 online with people. It's sort of an online community, but I definately don't think it should be a place where people are going to make new friends and socialize. Get out in the real world. If live ever becomes like myspace or any of those websites, I will be immediately asking for a refund for all my years of service as well as cancelling my subscription. When I want to play video games, I'll hop on live, but if I want to socialize with people and make friends and hang out, I dont want to do it alone in my room with a controller in my hands. I get out into the actual world and hang out with friends and do stuff. If I want to meet new people I do that, but resorting to Live to become a play where you 'live and hangout,' I mean thats ridiculous. For all you people who want more myspace abilities in Live, i say get a real life.

Deano @ Mar 9th 2007 6:08PM

After the initial novelty has worn off I wonder what the point is. Virtual worlds always sound exciting but if it's not a game then what is it's value?
As someone else has said you'll probably just use the XMB and play a game. I know if I had a PS3 I would want to spend more time on LittleBigPlanet than this slice of artifice.

Virtua Fanboy @ Mar 9th 2007 6:23PM

@ BowserUSC

Hey Bowser your my bitch and don't forget it cunt.

Anyway, I don't want a MySpace. I don't even have a MySpace page. I understand your point but your still a little cunt. I was just saying I wouldn't mind having a few more features if MS just decided they HAD to counter this.

P.S. I know your mad because I pulled my coc outchya mouth but I have a real life to tend to so see ya. LoL

P.S. Don't flatter yourself I don't take your comments personally but your a fuckin idiot, and your still my bitch. lol

Scott @ Mar 9th 2007 6:26PM

You can't simply just make friends online without interacting with them first.

Take a look at Xbox live, i have some good friends on there that i have never met in real life; but we didn't get to be friends by just talking or showing or stats in games, we got there by playing with each other.
Theres the fault i see in this HOME, its made for people to become friends, but nobody will become a good friend to you by just walking up to you and saying "hi", it doesn't work like that.
Ya gotta pwn noobs with them, survive the entire game with them on the hardest difficulty, find glitches with them, thats what makes good friends online, NOT by simply showing them your music or whatever.

drtysouf21 @ Mar 9th 2007 6:31PM

I figured i'd get on here and see what all you 360 fanboys were saying and of course you all are hating on sony as usual rather then having an openmind to this new product. I own all 3 consoles (Wii, PS3, X360) and therefore have an open mind to all that is offered. First of all there isn't alot of info on Home to give it a fair review. And as for Sony copying xbox or Mii's go to kotaku.com they have an article there talking about how Sony was working on this way back in early 2005. To clarify a few things about home. Its an alternate way to interact with friends and other online users you can choose not to download home and do some of the same things in game and through the sony xmb crossbar. Now if xbox 360 would have had this first and then sony would have come out with achievements you'd all be on here saying just the opposite. I like the xbox 360 and the way it handles online but sometimes i do wish there could be more to it. For example when i beat a game i get some points and my friends can see i beat it by what achievements i unlocked.With the PS3 I'll be able so show a clip of when i beat it and a trophy in my hall of fame which i think is a lot better representation of me beating a game. I think sony has something good going here and i can't wait to try it out. If it sucks then i'll come on here and say it sucks but i for one am interested in it and i'm glad sony is taking a much different approach at online. I dare anyone on here to give it shot when its released and then come back on here and be honest about if they hate it or not. And as for the wii........I'm bored with it right now and my 360 is back in texas getting fixed again damn microsoft! Well back to my game of Resistance!

Anubis @ Mar 9th 2007 6:42PM

Josh, x silence x (to some extent)

Sony's not loosing any money on its online network in regards to online multiplayer because that burden's been put squarely on the shoulders of the publisher. Now, in the short term, it's relatively nice; it's free, etc. In the long term, however, the publisher will pull the plug if A) a sequel's been announced, B) the community for that game is dying, or C) it can no longer afford or find the justification necessary to maintain said servers (R:FOM 40 player matches aren't going to last forever); any one or a combination of those is an eventual given. Or, if you want to see what "free" online going awry, look no further than the GT: HD debacle where the game launches with one track and a handful of cars. Want more tracks and cars? You'll have to bust out that credit card of yours. This is an example of a publisher trying to make you pay for the use and maintenance of their servers; if many publishers start doing this, that $50 you spend on Live's gonna be a drop in the bucket. Granted, GT: HD has been scrapped and is essentially a free "demo" of GT: 5, but the point remains.

As to why Xbox Live's concerned, you're paying $50 a year for a unified service where nearly every Live capable title that's been released since its inception (barring EA games, because they use EA servers) can still be played and is still guaranteed to work. Things like achievements, the store, and all the other crap (voice messages, etc) are nice bonuses, but what you're really paying for is the long term viability of your Live capable titles. Let's say you want to play a game of Halo: CE in the year 2009 or 2010 as the next Xbox's just been announced; you'll still be able to do so. I think that's essentially what it all boils down to. With the "free" network you can play your game as much as you like until the publisher puts the server down like a dying dog (which may happen as regularly as every year or two years), or you can play your games indefinitely on the paid network. Either system has its pro or cons, it's just up to the person's preferences to see which one outweighs the other in the free vs. paid network debate.

As far as Home's concerned, many posters (and MS for that matter) have already beaten me to the punch. Sony's making something that should be relatively straightforward and simple needlessly complex with visual fluff. It may be optional, but the amount of effort put into PS Home could've been applied elsewhere.

Ciaran Gallagher @ Mar 9th 2007 6:51PM

Home is a fantastic idea, and I think it will perform well against Xbox Live. Unless Microsoft has something else up their sleeves then I think the Xbox 360 will not perform just as well as it should.

I tried Second Life, There and WOW and I thought they were very inaccessible to newbies, and in general they aren't even good. For example, WOW's visuals don't look good and the whole fairy tale fantasy dragon stuff is boring. Home looks like it would fit my needs perfectly and I think this will be the one MMO that will be picked up by the mainstream. I would love Microsoft to take this idea and try one themselves. Combined with the already excellent value of the Xbox 360, then it would be brilliant. For now, I'm jealous that I don't have the money (or time) to buy a PS3 to get Home. At the minute, I'm happy enough with my 360.
As for MMO's, there are none that are good enough for me. All of the PC MMO's I've tried are rubbish and Final fantasy for 360 isn't great plus it costs an extra fee. The best thing available to me at the minute for MMO is probably Test drive Unlimited. Everything else is rubbish.

john @ Mar 9th 2007 7:11PM

Once again microsoft will not shut their mouth about the competition.

Om @ Mar 9th 2007 7:36PM

Got to agree with Number One a few posts back. PS3 Home has delivered on specs anyway. It's a true evolutionary step taken by Sony, sure it never would have happened with Microsoft blazing the trail but slaps on the back are due. As said before Sony will have to resist the temptation of making the place look lie times square with ads everywhere. Like it or not consoles will go true VR within a generation or two and a foyer area/ virtual world like Home is just plain commonsense. For the record I own an Xbox 360 and a PSP.

Om

Fanboys SUCK @ Mar 9th 2007 7:38PM

Hahahaha!! Again, PS3 fans are not getting the point. It's exactly like talking to a wall. Achievements, friends lists, chat, all that stuff are bonuses to being a gamer. I can't imagine buying a game anymore without the added value of achievements and playing online with a friend. Paying $60 for a title to beat it in under a day (like the old days) would be boring. No one is disputing that SONY would be adding value to their games with added features. And the gamers deserve longevity in they purchase.

Us 360 owners are disputing the methods. People that want to turn XBL into MYSPACE really really need a life!!! XBL stucture is exactly how it should be.. and if you're reading this Microsoft...don't change a thing.

Yes consoles have more features (ie downloads, music, movies, tv, etc.) but those are SERVICES. You understand the difference fanboys?!?! Making a regular group of friends that you play online once in a while is cool. But if you have to interact in a Virtual World to make friends (buy clothes, build a house, furnish your house, chat while virtual you is on the toilet, bake some cookies, etc) then you have to ask yourself "Do I need a life??"

If you want a game like Second Life or WOW or Sims....go buy it. We don't need a culture of social lives online. I for one do not want a unified service that is pushing me (as a gamer) to participate. The features are not the issue Fanboys... it's the methods. Is that clear to you or are you still going to argue how "cool it looks" and how "Wii and 360" need this?? No we don't. If anyone is to follow the other company.. you think it should be Sony with all their award winning decisions lately?? Bottom tine, they don't have an identity or know what their machine is suppose to be.

Mythor @ Mar 9th 2007 7:38PM

I'd love something like this for the 360, but not as a replacement for the current Dash. The current Dash needs fixing up, but not in a way to make it more cumbersome.

Of course, the best solution would be to have something like this on Wii as well and have all three be interoperable......