Post by kevinfelixlee on Apr 28, 2011 22:04:52 GMT -5
I never knew Playstation had an online community, I really didn¡¯t. Call me ignorant, but I thought the only rabid and active online world was located on the Xbox 360. I never saw myself writing this kind of article. So what if the PSN is down for a few days? Aren¡¯t the only games worth playing on that console single-player games?
Well, it was only when I saw the hundreds of comments online and the complaints from all those PSN users that my view on this changed. My allegiance, as you all know, is with Microsoft, but this past month I have enjoyed the extra media features PSN has to offer. Features that the 360 runescape items doesn¡¯t have. So yes, I have also been hurling expletives at my PS3.
¡°Error code 8002A203¡± was the dreaded message that PS3 users saw over the Easter weekend. No matter how many times we tried to sign in, we were faced with this error code. At first, it was thought this was a temporary maintenance issue that would last a day. Then that day turned into days, and those days turned into uncertainty. Sony released their statement blaming the Anonymous group, they denied it, and the hours with no PSN continued to flow. Apart from the obvious frustration runescape money of the service going down, I want to look at the real effects this problem will have. These come two-fold, one being security, and the other, competition.
There has been talk of credit-card information being compromised by this external intrusion, which could be a major problem with a capital M. Let¡¯s take the worst case scenario: millions of users lose money to an unknown person(s), as well as having other personal details compromised. The result would be lawsuits the size of Kilimanjaro, and Sony¡¯s image being crucified. Not a good look.
There is also the trust issue. Those who forked out the cash to buy their PS3 runescape accounts and took full part in their online service will feel betrayed. After all, they chose Playstation instead of that other money-hungry machine. At the very least, they expected a high level of security from a large and respected company such as Sony.
The second issue is competition. Secretly, Microsoft are jumping up and down with joy with two fists raised. They acted quickly when this happened. After spewing their ¡°sadness¡± for what happened to Sony, they offered their free Gold membership weekend. A chance for PSN users to try Live and see what their money buys. Xbox Live costs money. It is not free. That¡¯s the reason Playstation users keep hurling at me as to why PSN is superior. Well, the age-old view is, you get what you pay for. If Xbox Live was a security risk, then people would get angry and ask for their money back. With Playstation, because it¡¯s free, all users can do is get frustrated. They can¡¯t ask for their money back or expect Sony to provide a flawless online service. Again, it is free.
That trump card of the service being free gets nullified when personal details are no longer safe and the server proves to be fragile. PSN users have to wonder if this might happen again, and how many times. It did happen to Xbox, way back in 2007 when the machine was still finding its feet. No such problem has occurred recently. Security is very important, and I already know people have taken their details off the PSN and are considering getting an Xbox.
To end this little analysis, I want to talk about the real future of gaming. I, like most gamers, love my GTA, Mass Effect and other single-player adventures. They are great and will always have their place. But when you put on your headset and compete against your friends or others in the online world, it¡¯s a whole other level of gaming. It¡¯s a gaming experience that promotes communication, teamwork runescape power leveling and lots of fun. Unlike a single-player game, it has no end. That, my friends, is an argument for Xbox Live and why PSN users should really think about switching. Don¡¯t fool me, fellow Playstationers. I know you love your online gaming, and that error code is killing you. Hackers have their eye on Sony¡¯s server, and I won¡¯t be surprised if this becomes a regular occurrence.
Xbox Live is one payment a year for a service that has proven to be secure and functional. I say it¡¯s time to put petty rivalry aside, jump ship, and join good old Microsoft.