How Online Services Will Shape the Console War

Next Generation has a piece looking at the role online services will play in this round in the console Wars. With Microsoft's Xbox Live already in the field and both Nintendo and Sony working on plans for their own online environments, there would seem to be quite a bit to talk about. Despite that, the article offers up a pessimistic view of the competition. From the article: "The short glib answer is that online games will probably be a more important feature for console systems over the next several years, but once again the traditional retail model is likely to be the dominant driving factor when it comes to how the new game systems build an installed base."

Comments

Missing comparison

[odourpreventer]

online games will probably be a more important feature for console systems

More important than what? Previous online games? Non-online games?

Re:Missing comparison

[MBraynard]

The low % may be because of the PS2's domination of the marketshare and the loathsome PS2 online experience.

Xbox's original Live didn't have it perfect, but it was still worlds ahead of the PS2 experience.

IIRC, the online connectivity of original Xboxes in the US was around 25%.

A plea to developers

[Anonymous Coward]

This is a plea to all the developers out there. I understand that online play is the next big thing. I understand that more and more (if not all) games will incorporate it.

But please don't underestimate the value single player games offer. I can't imagine how games like Resident Evil 4, Zelda: Ocarina of Time or King's Quest could be made better by offering an online component. These games often set a mood, and adding some uncontrolled element (such as a 13 year old kid yelling "I 0wnz j00 petite Biatch!") will just take away from it.

Re:A plea to developers

[Kent Simon]

[joke]
what having 300 Links in the killing fields of Hyrule grinding for heart pieces and rupees doesn't appeal to you? or trading for the small subset of items zelda games had ( or ever really needed )
[/joke]

I agree.. Multiplayer is something that must be done for a purpose, and I'd like to think that Game Devs know better. This is coming from a person who spends much of his free time learning and developing a multiplayer backend for a single player game :P

Though... playing Morrowind as an MMO would be pretty cool, one of the few games (including GTA) that I think would benefit from a multiplayer component.