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Microsoft Apologizes for XBL Downtime With Undertow
The extraordinary problems that Microsoft's Xbox Live experienced over the holidays were followed up with swift promises of a free game to compensate for the frustration many users suffered. The company has followed through, and has announced that Undertow will be the free game sacrificed to mollify gamers. The game will be free to download all this week, starting tomorrow (Wednesday) and running through this Sunday. "Two weeks ago, Xbox Live GM Marc Whitten posted a letter to Live subscribers apologizing for poor performance during the holidays and promising a freebie was on the way. There are currently no plans to offer a substitute game for those who already own Undertow." Just the same, Major Nelson sent along word to 360 Fanboy that they'd 'take care of you' if you found yourself in that situation.
This just in: XBL unavailable again due to the massive demand for (the ironically named) Undertow.
Seeing as you don't actually pay anything for the Silver service, vs the Gold, I would consider this a bonus to silver members, assuming they get it. The free game is compensation for lost ability to use the services you paid for, namely multiplayer online gaming.
PS3 Online
Dedicated servers, only if the developer offers them and can be terminated at their whim. You can still play Mechassault for the original Xbox on Live, more than 5 years later.
A system so open that there is no system. Its all up to the developer. Some do it well and some don't, and theres no oversight or requirements.
No universal access to the system from within games. To send or look at messages you have to leave a game and go to the main PS3 screen (whatever they call their dashboard)
Do they have a unified friends list yet? I'm truly not sure.
The problem with PS3 online is its too much like PS2 online: there isn't any strategy really. You may balk at the paltry Live fee, but you get what you pay for.