The value of Xbox Live Gold

[nshady]

...Isn't the friends list you set up in the XMB is accessible to all games? Who hosts the servers doesn't affect the functionality.

[Predator]

I think his point is Sony let the publishers run their own game servers, who can shut them down when they get bored.. With XBL, Microsoft runs all the game servers, and have total control over them bwahahawooo (sorry, thought I was bill gates there)

In reality it's probably not that much different on XBL - outside of only a handful of key titles, multiplayer on older titles, or less obscure titles is practically dead.

[G-Train]

Or you could buy COD4 for PS3 and get those 200 hrs for free.

No, I couldn't - cos PS3 online sucks monkey b@lls. Atleast on 360 I could avoid yank/jap games by only joinin my friends list, PS3 "Ohh noes, theres absolutely no function to join a friends' game....looks liek i have to troll servers for half an hr to find an aussie one".

Would you agree that that preference was only formed because Xbox was first out of the gate with their console? The actual functionality is the same.

Not at all - I originally wanted a PS3, but was begrudged to fork over $1200au for one, so I got a 360. My pref was always PS3 and it disappointed.

[Napoleon Insists]

I didn't get a 360 till long after I had Wii, and it took me a while to get online.

Functionality is somewhat similar but the implementation on 360 is so much better.
I love the fact that I can check my friends straight away and easily, check my messages easily, that it's all stuck together and a major feature.

On PS3 you have this tiny little stub which is stuck on the end of another list, messages and friend requests are just sloppily laid out, and like RJ said, a lot of games don't even use that system.

The reason I've never played Metal Gear Online beyond my first 5 minutes is the fact that it took me an hour to sign up for Konami's unique servers, and then when I choose to go online it takes about another 5 minutes to sign in and then finally I just get dropped anyway.

Also, what's with PS3 taking so long to update? Any 360 game or firmware update usually doesn't take any longer than about 10 seconds for me. On PS3, even if its a tiny update for a tiny game, it seems to take 5-10 minutes, and then after it downloads it, it has to install it which takes equally as long. Sometimes for firmware I have to leave the console on for about an hour. They're in exactly the same place by the way, right next to each other. The Wii takes barely any time to update either.

[CMG]

The RRP for 12 months of XBL gold membership where I am is about $80.

[Master Chief]

Kmart has it for $70 at the moment too, which most places will price match (we did last night)

[nshady]

That's how much I paid for it online anyway.