Why is XBLA significantly better than PSN?

[Credge]

Just like to toss out that Trueskill isn't an XBL feature. It's a Microsoft feature. And it's absolute ass. It ruined DoW2 for me. Getting paired up with people both far above and far below my skill level since open beta started up to about a week ago and I'm done with it. In the time I've spent playing the game I've only had, maybe, 10 games that were close.

Anyway, enough of that.

Which is better depends on if you like conferencing with others while you're playing different games or not and if the $5 a month is justification for this feature.

For me, $5 a month is not justification for this, so the PSN is better. I also prefer the exclusives found on the PSN more. In fact, there isn't a single piece of exclusive DLC or a single game on XBLA that interests me, but that's a preference thing. I know many love GTA4, or Braid, or the plenty of exclusive content found on XBLA. They're just not my thing.

However, the one feature that I feel the PSN did right is the ability to simply put your credit card in with your username and pay directly from your card without having to put chunks of money in at a time or use the spacebucks system that XBLA and Nintendo use. Really, it's just inconvenient. "What? I don't have $2.50? Well, let me get out my credit card/run to the store to go and get a $20 card." I'm tossing out arbitrary numbers here because I haven't used XBLA in a few months and I haven't seen anything lower than $20 cards.

But even that is an opinion. Some don't feel secure with the knowledge that their credit card info is tied in with their name.

What it boils down to once you get past opinion:

In game conferencing for $5 a month.

That's it.

Edit: Oh yeah, the XBLA is updated slightly earlier.

 

[Woe Is You]

Some don't feel secure with the knowledge that their credit card info is tied in with their name.

I really don't. That's why I've always bought game cards. For NCSoft games, For WoW, For Xbox Live and I'll be doing that for WiiWare titles.

 

[Credge]

I really don't. That's why I've always bought game cards. For NCSoft games, For WoW, For Xbox Live and I'll be doing that for WiiWare titles.

Yeah, that's understandable. I guess the widespreadedness of XBLA cards (what are they called anyway?) would be a major bonus for you.

Although, and I'm sure you're aware of this, I should have said that PSN has three options compared to the two that XBLA has. Not that either is really a major selling factor for most people I imagine.

 

[D_987]

Way to post a bunch of uninformed fanboy nonesense...

Ding! Undeniable proof that D_987 is a Fanboy! His precious Halo / 360 was insult and he immediately throws out Fanboy as an insult! 100% confirmation, people!

Lol, that makes perfect sense, because using an example from a different console and basing your entire argument off the name of a system isn't completly fanboyish and uninformed is it?[/sarcasm] Besides which I doubt anybody bar yourself (a self-admitted Playstation fanboy) would honestly think that comment was the least bit "fanboyish" - I insulted you because you, and a few other fanboys, are always so quick to denouce something thats not on the Playstation / Xbox without any knowledge of said feature.

Nope, the Xbox scoring system is retarded. Why? It doesn't factor in Skill.

*Irrelevant infomation about Resistance 2*

Anyway, your point is utterly void anyway because Trueskill doesn't appear to be an XBL feature, but rather a HALO 3 feature. Last time I checked, Halo 3 is not XBL.

*sigh* your doing it again, making assumptions based entirely off no evidence. The true-skill system is used in all exclusive Xbox 360 multi-player games, as well as a few big multiplayer titles, so Halo, Gears of War etc... all use that system.

As for your point regarding "skill", just how on earth would you possibly go about setting up those kind of parameters (as in you gain your points depending on how you get the kill)? Its not possible, certainly not with todays technology...I know Gears of War 2 gives points out in that way, but to incorperate that into the trueskill system for every game that uses it would be impossible.

 

[Rii Mitsukai]

I really would like the PSN more, its free, i mean wtf y cant xbox do that?

in my personal opinion i think it was because psn on the ps2 was quite disasterous whereas xbl on the original was quite popular and because of that the xbox players seem to be fine with paying £39.99 a year. now i own a 360, ps3 and a wii n to be honest i dont play online on any of them, the only time i play online is on my pc so im quite happy with just having the silver xbl account.

 

[Breno]

i have PSN and my friend has LIVE. now the only real thing seperating these 2 is the market place is a bit better then the PSN store, and the player chat. but on the PS3 side we have home witch is free but the player chat is just crap!! why? well me and my friend wanted to start a video chat. so we did and we got 2 frames of video then we got signed out of PSN. now when we play any game we can chat to each other no problem. so that must of been psn being a ***** to us. anyway i don't really use that chat feature and if they got that repaired i wouldnt pay 5$/eruo extra a mounth for it

 

[y8c616]

Whether it's "significantly" better or not, I can't say, but here's why I prefer it:

1. Netflix (a relatively new addition, to be fair)
2. I find it far easier to locate content on XBL than PSN. Navigating the PSN is frequently frustrating and annoying.
3. All XBLA games have demos that are downloaded from the same location as the full version of the game. The demos for PSN games -- when they exist -- are in a separate location from the full version.

The content on both is excellent and as I rarely play online, I can't vouch for lag issues.

While your point 2 and 3 are valid, point 1 isn't seeing as the ps3 has a full web browser, so any user can access netflix, just as a PC user could

 

[rockingnic]

I think Xbox live is a stronger network than the PSN but not by alot. They all have the ability to buy and download DLC for almost all their games. You can also buy games off of them too. Xbox Live has a better selection of "original" games (like xbox originals) than the classics on PSN and not because they're much older but most them just sucked for their time. I think MS spent more time polishing XBL more than Sony did with PSN. The PS home was a waste of time since for like 99% (I'm exaggerating, but not by much) of the content you have to buy, It's like $3 for a shirt for an avatar... what a waste of money. PSN nickle and dimes you more than XBL.

 

[jboking]

Whether it's "significantly" better or not, I can't say, but here's why I prefer it:

1. Netflix (a relatively new addition, to be fair)
2. I find it far easier to locate content on XBL than PSN. Navigating the PSN is frequently frustrating and annoying.
3. All XBLA games have demos that are downloaded from the same location as the full version of the game. The demos for PSN games -- when they exist -- are in a separate location from the full version.

The content on both is excellent and as I rarely play online, I can't vouch for lag issues.

Personal opinion begin!
1. I don't actively use the video service, but doesn't the PSN have one? I always see the option to buy hitch when I go into the store.
2. ...It's alphabetical and has a 'whats new' section, what is so hard about that?
3. Once again, its all alphabetical, if you are looking under the all option you should be able to look up the games title and inside of it is the game and it's demo.

Personally, the XBL party system is simply better. I would like some private chat option standard.

 

[Gunn01]

Netflix works a little different then that on the 360. In the United States you can subscribe to netflix and instantly download the movies to your hard drive. You watch them and delete them. we don't have that in Canada though. In canada it's different. We have the option to download movies but they coast a rediculous amount of points. I've seen movies for 800 points. seeing how 1400 point cards run 20 dollars here that a little steep. On topic i like the party system on xbox live although i don't think it's all that essential. It's still really nice to have though. I like how Psn does their dlc and whatnot though. I'd much rather pay only for what i need/want then have to buy a 1400 point card so that i'm able to buy what i want and have the extra points just sit on my account.

 

[gmer412]

Well, you pay for the XBLA, so it must be better. Right? RIGHT? No? Damn.
I prefer the PSN (although I own a 360) because it's free.

Not for long.

Be prepared to pay $10 a month for PSN in the near future.

Seriously? What the heck, Sony?