Sony Computer Entertainment Incorporated (SCEI) has released user numbers for its free-to-join PlayStation Network.
"...the cumulative number of registered accounts on PlayStation Network worldwide has exceeded 20 million as of February 20, 2009", it says.
This compares to the 17 million declared by Microsoft for its Xbox Live service. Apparently 56% of Xbox Live users - as of February last year - paid for the service .
As SCEI points out, its service is, "Directly accessible from PS3, PSP or PC... (with)... entertainment content available for both PS3 and PSP systems in addition to its free to use basic features and services."
We are also provided with some figures regarding content. This includes the user figures for Home - not in this case called Home Beta, we note. "PlayStation Home launched its service in December 2008 and in less than 2 months, the number of users has exceeded 4 million", is the detail.
Other figures break down as follows:
- "PlayStation Store offers more than 14,500 diverse digital content, ranging from exclusive on-line games, downloadable version of UMD titles, game demos and items, and titles from “Game Archive,” through which legendary and popular titles from the original PlayStation are made playable on PS3 and PSP, to more than 5,900 movies and TV episodes that are available through Video Delivery Service *3 that started in the United States in July 2008.
"To date, more than 380 million pieces of content*4 have been downloaded, with total sales exceeding 180 million US dollars*5, and the business scale is rapidly expanding."
In terms of those notes:
3 "As of February 2009, over 1,400 movies and 4,400 TV episodes are available for download."
4 "Includes free of charge content (downloadable demos and promotion videos).
5"As of February 2009.
This kind of reasonably detailed break down - we'd like to see geographical data as well, but we're nosey - is unusual but refreshing.
"...the cumulative number of registered accounts on PlayStation Network worldwide has exceeded 20 million as of February 20, 2009", it says.
This compares to the 17 million declared by Microsoft for its Xbox Live service. Apparently 56% of Xbox Live users - as of February last year - paid for the service .
As SCEI points out, its service is, "Directly accessible from PS3, PSP or PC... (with)... entertainment content available for both PS3 and PSP systems in addition to its free to use basic features and services."
We are also provided with some figures regarding content. This includes the user figures for Home - not in this case called Home Beta, we note. "PlayStation Home launched its service in December 2008 and in less than 2 months, the number of users has exceeded 4 million", is the detail.
Other figures break down as follows:
- "PlayStation Store offers more than 14,500 diverse digital content, ranging from exclusive on-line games, downloadable version of UMD titles, game demos and items, and titles from “Game Archive,” through which legendary and popular titles from the original PlayStation are made playable on PS3 and PSP, to more than 5,900 movies and TV episodes that are available through Video Delivery Service *3 that started in the United States in July 2008.
"To date, more than 380 million pieces of content*4 have been downloaded, with total sales exceeding 180 million US dollars*5, and the business scale is rapidly expanding."
In terms of those notes:
3 "As of February 2009, over 1,400 movies and 4,400 TV episodes are available for download."
4 "Includes free of charge content (downloadable demos and promotion videos).
5"As of February 2009.
This kind of reasonably detailed break down - we'd like to see geographical data as well, but we're nosey - is unusual but refreshing.
Companies:
Sony
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Comments
SuperSaiyan4 25 Feb 2009 12:53
1/14
Wait so USA can download movies off the PSN?? What about Europe??
I have to say still to this day the PSN has really nothing worth downloading, its had a nice facelift but nothing more.
Of course if the PSN is free users are going to create an account because it costs nothing.
Same goes for Xbox Live I am sure if you include every account including ones made by users that consist of dummy accounts or multiple accounts and even ones for USA, Japan and UK like most people have then yeah I am sure the 360 Live userbase would be immensely higher in number than PSN.
I am sure the PSN also includes users that have created several accounts for different regions.
PSN is still nowhere as great as the Xbox Live network look at the interface and what you can do on the 360 being able to access your friends and chat etc whilst playing or watching a movie or listening to music.
I have to say still to this day the PSN has really nothing worth downloading, its had a nice facelift but nothing more.
Of course if the PSN is free users are going to create an account because it costs nothing.
Same goes for Xbox Live I am sure if you include every account including ones made by users that consist of dummy accounts or multiple accounts and even ones for USA, Japan and UK like most people have then yeah I am sure the 360 Live userbase would be immensely higher in number than PSN.
I am sure the PSN also includes users that have created several accounts for different regions.
PSN is still nowhere as great as the Xbox Live network look at the interface and what you can do on the 360 being able to access your friends and chat etc whilst playing or watching a movie or listening to music.
tyrion 25 Feb 2009 14:58
2/14
SuperSaiyan4 wrote:
being able to access your friends and chat etc whilst playing or watching a movie or listening to music.
You've got a PS3 again now, try pressing the PS button when listening to music, you can access your friends list. You can't voice chat as far as I know, but I think you can message them.
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SuperSaiyan4 25 Feb 2009 15:42
3/14
Yes but its very restricted, look at the party chat function on the Xbox 360 you can have upto 8 in the party chat. Also whilst watching any movie even hd-dvd it lets me stay signed into Xbox live allowing me to still do everything Xbox Live allows.
Daz 25 Feb 2009 16:08
4/14
SuperSaiyan4 wrote:
Yes but its very restricted, look at the party chat function on the Xbox 360 you can have upto 8 in the party chat. Also whilst watching any movie even hd-dvd it lets me stay signed into Xbox live allowing me to still do everything Xbox Live allows.
very good, but why the hell would you want to? call me crazy but when watching a film I prefer to actually watch the film not chat my mate(s)
SuperSaiyan4 25 Feb 2009 16:54
5/14
I am saying that all functionality is available and I know many that use it regardless of what they are doing its all about being connected.
Oh and I have re-read this article and the heading is wrong, there are not 20million PSN users but 20million accounts. Nice try Spong.
Oh and I have re-read this article and the heading is wrong, there are not 20million PSN users but 20million accounts. Nice try Spong.
Daz 25 Feb 2009 17:05
6/14
well I for one am glad PSN disconnects when watching a film
Rutabaga 25 Feb 2009 17:09
7/14
Watching Blu-Ray Movies >>>>>> Watching 1 of 10 HD-DVD's whilst simultaneously "chatting" with 7 people.
TimSpong 25 Feb 2009 22:10
8/14
Rutabaga wrote:
Watching Blu-Ray Movies >>>>>> Watching 1 of 10 HD-DVD's whilst simultaneously "chatting" with 7 people.
As an accused Xbot, even I don't have the vaguest idea what you just said.
Pip pip
Tim
Rutabaga 26 Feb 2009 00:06
9/14
Tim Smith wrote:
As an accused Xbot, even I don't have the vaguest idea what you just said.
Pip pip
Tim
Pip pip
Tim
I was stating that watching a Blu-Ray movie on a PS3 was a superior experience to watching a HD-DVD on a Xbox360 (with it's small library of titles due to being a defunct format) and simultaneously being distracted whilst chatting with 7 other people, sorry for the confusion. It was a little piss take of SS4, it appears to of fallen flat. I'll get me coat.
SuperSaiyan4 26 Feb 2009 08:50
10/14
Rutabaga wrote:
Tim Smith wrote:
As an accused Xbot, even I don't have the vaguest idea what you just said.
Pip pip
Tim
Pip pip
Tim
I was stating that watching a Blu-Ray movie on a PS3 was a superior experience to watching a HD-DVD on a Xbox360 (with it's small library of titles due to being a defunct format) and simultaneously being distracted whilst chatting with 7 other people, sorry for the confusion. It was a little piss take of SS4, it appears to of fallen flat. I'll get me coat.
I know PS fanboys all too well, if it was the other way around with the PS3 having the online features and capbilities Xbox Live has then you would be knocking the 360 for not being able to do it.
Also HD-DVD library is very extensive
http://www.dvdworldusa.com/hddvdlist.asp
Obviously whats left of course also whats on ebay.
Rutabaga 26 Feb 2009 10:19
11/14
SuperSaiyan4 wrote:
I know PS fanboys all too well, if it was the other way around with the PS3 having the online features and capbilities Xbox Live has then you would be knocking the 360 for not being able to do it.
Also HD-DVD library is very extensive
http://www.dvdworldusa.com/hddvdlist.asp
Obviously whats left of course also whats on ebay.
Also HD-DVD library is very extensive
http://www.dvdworldusa.com/hddvdlist.asp
Obviously whats left of course also whats on ebay.
As another poster stated, why would you want to be able to chat with 7 people WHILST WATCHING A FILM? If a future PS3 update allows you to overlay a munching popcorn sound over the audio track of a film, I wouldn't be bleating that Xbox360 doesn't do it, because I would look like an idiot.
OptimusP 26 Feb 2009 12:32
12/14
SuperSaiyan4 wrote:
Also HD-DVD library is very extensive
http://www.dvdworldusa.com/hddvdlist.asp
Obviously whats left of course also whats on ebay.
You know when people hit a new low when they defend something like this in this kind of manner, it's like defending the CD-i for it's great library of games...or the N64 for it's constant stream of high-quaity games.
Devon 16 Mar 2009 14:02
13/14
20 million unique users??? I highly doubt it. More press to outshine Xbox Live - except that the Xbox live numbers are accurate - the PSN numbers are grossly inflated.
tyrion 16 Mar 2009 18:36
14/14
Devon wrote:
20 million unique users??? I highly doubt it. More press to outshine Xbox Live - except that the Xbox live numbers are accurate - the PSN numbers are grossly inflated.
You can, of course, prove that claim with independently verified statistics, can't you?