Skip to main content

Gaming Moves to a Network-Based Business

Red Herring reports that fending off an aggressive challenge from Microsoft�s Xbox 360, Sony is building a game network to support the launch of its PlayStation 3 in November, a company executive said.

The plan is in response to a fundamental industry shift from a disc-based to a network-based business, said Phil Harrison, president of worldwide studios for the Tokyo-based consumer electronics giant. �The industry has demanded this from us,� he said. The move could help Sony maintain its lead over Microsoft in the battle of next-generation game consoles. Microsoft has been moving aggressively to challenge Sony, which last week announced a six-month delay for the PS3.

Sony already offers a limited online service, but the company has been discussing a �PlayStation Network Platform,� that is similar to Microsoft�s Xbox Live. Microsoft is using Xbox Live�s paid subscription service as a core feature of its business. It already boasts 2 million members and 50 percent of Xbox 360 owners as subscribers.

Popular posts from this blog

Global Rise of Domestic Payment Ecosystems

Alternative Payment Methods (APMs) – comprising digital wallets, instant payments, and QR payment systems – are experiencing explosive growth that's reshaping the global financial services marketplace. According to the latest worldwide market study by ABI Research , the combined global transaction value for APMs is projected to reach $142 trillion by 2030. What's particularly fascinating is the underlying driver behind this trend: a growing desire for financial sovereignty, with nations developing domestic payment ecosystems rather than remaining dependent on international financial networks. Payment Ecosystem Market Development In 2024, approximately 45 percent of the global population used digital wallets – a remarkable adoption rate for a technology that barely existed a decade ago. China leads this transition, with 95 percent of its population using WeChat's payment functionality. WeChat exemplifies the "super app" phenomenon, where payment capabilities are in...