Sony CEO, Kaz Hirai, has finally announced a few details about PlayStation 3’s online services (I’m surprised they’ve done such a good job of keeping the lid closed this long). Hirai stated that Sony has taken a different philosophy on the PS3’s online services, in which there will be no differentiating between PS3’s online and offline services:
What we don’t do however is have a brand name for the network service, you know, like PlayStation Online or PlayStation Live, and this is because we don’t we don’t see a “PlayStation offline”.
Hirai noted that multiplayer for Resistance: Fall of Man will feature video chat, voice chat, text chat, rankings and game expansions. What we do know so far about Sony’s online services, is that users will be able to download music, videos, interviews and trailers all out of the box. Hirai also stated that there will be a little under 20 games launched with the PS3. The titles aren’t announced yet, and probably won’t be until a few weeks before the console launches.
Even with the current shortages Sony is facing, it is still maintaining 1 million units will be out on the U.S. market before the end of the calendar year. That will make it at least a little bit easier for people who didn’t grab a preorder to get a console after launch.
Sony Talks About Playstation 3’s Online Services [business week]