14 DAY TRIAL // The PlayStation 3 hasn't had the success Sony was hoping for when it was launched. The Japanese company was expecting that the loyal fans who propelled the PS2 to the top of the console charts in the last generation would return and take the new product even higher in terms of sales and market share.
But that didn't quite happen, as a Sony representative has admitted, because the company emphasized the non-gaming features, like the Blu-ray drive, and didn't offer quite a lot of games that could attract customers. Such a move failed, and currently the PS3 is still an underdog in terms of sales, as opposed to Nintendo, which dominates with its Wii console, and Microsoft, which has made the Xbox 360 quite attractive with repetitive price cuts and bundles.
But one of the features that attracted users was the PlayStation Network, which promised a completely new online service that would offer game demos, trailers, and, most importantly, DLC (Downloadable Content). As opposed to Xbox Live, this service is completely free and doesn't charge to get content ahead of schedule.
We just received word that, with the PS3's birthday, Sony also offered a very interesting statistic about the online service. The PlayStation Network now boasts an impressive 14 million active users and it is still going strong. It definitely sounds like this is one of the most profitable features of the PS3, which definitely attracts quite a lot of people who are tired of paying for an Xbox Live Gold membership.
"PlayStation Network has truly hit its stride with unique downloadable games and a video delivery service featuring movies, TV shows, and original programming that you can watch in HD with your PS3, or bring with you on your PSP. And with 14 million active accounts and 273 million pieces of content downloaded, we know that you’re thirsting for this digital entertainment."
All in all, some very interesting pieces of news, which are sure to make all of the PS3 fans quite happy that their online service is so popular.