14 DAY TRIAL // The PlayStation Network has been, for quite some time, Sony's answer to Microsoft's Xbox Live service. While sharing a lot of things with the online service of the Xbox 360, the PSN has also brought innovation in a few areas, including the online social network PlayStation Home.
We've recently heard Sony that, at least in the view of the Japanese company, the PSN isn't playing catch up with Xbox Live anymore and that, at least in a few areas, it is better than it. Now, Sony's Eric Lampel reveals a few things about the online service and what is, in his view, the next big thing for it.
“I think the biggest story is actually PSP Go because this really speaks to PlayStation Network; the Go and the delivery mechanism to the device is completely powered by PSN,” Lampel said. “So we're saying to that consumer, 'This unit is just for you, it speaks to your lifestyle and what you've been asking for.' It also helps us push a lot more content through the network for PSP. PSN of course still exists on the other PSP units, but I think this reminds people that there's a lot you can do with those units as well. So that's the big news, that we've got a network-powered device.”
But while the digital download part of the PSN will be strengthened for the future launch of the PSP Go, this doesn't mean that the company will neglect its UMD business and the old PSP-3000 model, which will be marketed alongside the new device. He emphasizes that, until every region in the world can have reasonable Internet adoption, there will still be a lot of clients who will prefer traditional means of getting games.
“I think it really depends on the consumer and what they want. There's a good amount of the audience that still wants a tangible product; they're more comfortable with it, they like it better or they may not have the means to buy online. In our region we're doing pretty well with online penetration but it might not be the case worldwide. So I think there'll be a shift and the shift will be greater over time, I still think the tangible goods business is a viable business for us. It's still important to a segment of the market that we still want to sell to.”