Fatal Flaw in Sony's plans for the Playstation 3

Joystiq has resounding coverage of the Sony PS3 conference going on in Japan. Check it out for some up to the minute updates!

Something caught my eye as I read through the updates. Update 11 to be exact.

Update 11: Beginning this November at launch, the PS3 "will feature community tools including lobby matching and voice chat," as well as "commerce features that includes bootable software via the hard drive." This is basically the PS3's online service, which was created with Sony Online Entertainment's assistance and will be provided free of charge--well, the "basic" service will be at any rate. "Premium" Live features, anyone? Thanks, bv, RobR, and untitled!

Now I bolded "Sony Online Entertainment's assistance" for a reason. I've been a critic of SOE for a long time standing. From the destruction of Star Wars Galaxies to the constant change of any and all of their titles I have rarely agreed with their "vision".

Sony is making a huge mistake letting the industrial machine at SOE handle their online application. While this is not a "game" per se there is definate qualities within SOE that detract from a "fun experience".

Really the only console networks we can compare it to at the moment are Xbox Live and Nintendo WiFi. Both of those are excellent products developed in house. Sony is following suit, but if you ask me they lack any sort of creative support at SOE to make this online app worthwhile.

It is well known SOE pushes hard on their projects and sacrifices both in community communication and product quality have made it out the door in "final" products. Final my ass.

There is no doubt that SOE has the server technology and qualified personal to run a network, but it sure the hell doesn't have any creative minds to make this service anything but the day old stale bread of the Console Online Services. Any creativity will be shot down by suits pushing for a product that is "just like the other guys".

Let me spell it out. Sony's Online service for the Playstation 3 will be nothing but a dumbed down rip off of Xbox Live and Nintendo Wifi.