QUOTE(yourM0M @ Mar 17 2006, 08:20 PM)
http://www.ps3scene....-1142528999.php...also the MMOG issue, the publishers are just wanting to make money thats why they have a problem with m$'s "business model" i love how they word that......i think things will get out of hand over time if the console makers let the publishers take over the online industry like PC gaming.....it wont be one giant happy place like live imo......
Exactly. MMO publishers will be able to milk more money from the system this time- especially since the profits will be going DIRECTLY to them, and they can charge whatever they want. Live comes out to around $4 (and change) per month. Does anyone think the MMOs are going to charge less than $5/mo for service? Paying the $50/year for Live sounds like a bundle- but it's really an impressive investment.
If the online service is free, and most downloads will still be free (we hope), what incentive will PS3 developers have to fix bugs and develop free content? They won't be paid. Heck, they'd basically be charging themselves to make it happen, unless Sony gives them a direct kickback of some sort. I don't see much support at all coming from that. Too many console gamers already ***** when patches come out ("Well why wasnt' it fixed before it shipped?"). I know I wouldn't add any but the most necessary support (fixing game save deletes and the like). And heck, they'd virutally be taking money away from Sony too. A best-selling game with free online would cost money on the server side, reducing that title's total profit for the company.
Doesn't sound like a good situation at all for developers. "You sold a million copies, but your online cost us, so find a way to make things cheaper next time. We can't afford a profit margin like that again!"
And yes, Live is one big happy family because there's one shared community of gameplay. You pay your membership, and you're in! The PS3 network is trying to give developers room to drive a wedge into the experience, and break it back up into a per-game feature, just like PS2 already had. Not a good idea, IMHO.