The Online Gaming Experiment - Is it a Success?

Online console gaming has finally taken off years after the PC started the network gaming phenomenon. Online gaming had a rocky start: in the beginning, none of the big three companies had a cohesive online strategy, but Sony and Microsoft have come through admirably despite their initial setbacks.

Nintendo seems to be ignoring online and concentrating on the single player and split-screen multiplayer experience, but it needs to expand its online presence if it wants to compete in the next generation. Xbox Live is the best online service, with its universal buddy list, voice communications headset and large lineup of supported titles. Sony’s online service is close in quality and content to Microsoft’s, albeit not as well organized.

The PC is still king of online play, largely thanks to the massive success of the game Counter-Strike, as well as Blizzard Entertainment’s Battle.net. One troubling issue plagues online console gaming, an issue that does not threaten PC online gaming: future legacy game support. Almost every online console game relies on accessing the parent game company’s server to play. What will happen five or ten years from now when you want to play an old game online with a few friends, but the company has long since ceased server support? Online console games need to be mindful of the future and support outside internet connections.