[Slaggg]

[url:e821a]http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-ea16sep16,1,1888807.story?coll=la-headlines-business[/url:e821a]

[Tystnad]

Only fer registered members..

[Zoner]

"The story you requested is available only to registered members. Registration is FREE and offers great benefits."

Meh. What's the gist?

[Tystnad]

Well, i aint signin me up on that just to read sumthing fer PS2:ers. biggrin:

[Slaggg]

Damn, figures


Here's the Gist:

EA began it's Online service for the PS2 yesterday, emulating Microsoft's service for the Xbox.

[Tystnad]

Cool, i just might get myself a PS2 then. biggrin:

[Miscguy]

Tys its run by EA... I may have to burn my PS2 now, and its not even set up for on-line play.

[geRV]

ROFL run by ea. So the basic jist is you get it and it won;t work so then you have to buy a harddrive for your ps2 and download 2 patches. EA will then screw over their server people (much the same as they did to 2015) and then not be able to release any more patches even though the servers are bug riddled because a clause in their original contract prohibits them tampering with it.


oOo:

[Slaggg]

LOL, that's pretty much what I thought most of the MOHAA community would think, one reason why I tried linking it here, to spark some discussion.

One thing I was wondering, after reading this article, if this new 'division' of EA has much to do with the lack of 'after release' support that EA is now infamous for? Think they're spreading their troops a bit too thin?

[Slaggg]

Electronic Arts Launches Online Service for PS2
The move reflects expectations that online games will be an integral part of its business.


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INTERNET COMPUTER NETWORK

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By Alex Pham, Times Staff Writer


After losing hundreds of millions of dollars in the online games business, Electronic Arts Inc. is hitting the reset button.

The world's biggest video game publisher on Monday introduced a service that makes more than a dozen of its PlayStation 2 titles interactive online. The move reflects the Redwood City, Calif., company's belief that online games eventually will be an integral part of its business.

"There's no question this is a strategic imperative of the company," said Frank Gibeau, executive vice president of marketing for EA. "Online gaming on the console is here to stay. We want to be the leader in the online gaming sectors."

The service — free for now — lets players find online opponents, compete in tournaments, chat with other players and post high scores for such games as "Madden NFL 2004" and "The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King."

Most online games are played on personal computers. Playing them on consoles, such as Sony Corp.'s PlayStation 2, is in the relatively early stages, said Schelley Olhava, senior analyst at research firm IDC.

"It's not mass market now," Olhava said, "and it will be some time before it does become mass market."

EA has tried the online games business before, with most of its efforts aimed at PC users. It lost more than $200 million building EA.com, a subscription-based service, and it lost tens of millions developing "Majestic" in 2001 and "The Sims Online" in 2002, two online games that flopped.

EA's latest online endeavor comes as the industry faces a quandary: Many executives predict online games have huge potential, but no one knows how to make them profitable.

This year, IDC expects revenue from online consoles to reach $42 million in the U.S. Next year, the figure is projected to grow to $116.7 million, Olhava said. Globally, video games are a $25-billion annual business.

"You've got to credit EA for trying, despite the fact that they've had some bumps in the road," said Stewart Halpern, analyst with RBC Capital Markets in New York. "If you're a significant player and you have the resources that EA has, it makes sense to be experimenting."

EA's efforts mirror Microsoft Corp.'s Xbox Live service, launched last November. The service, with 500,000 subscribers, lets Xbox owners connect to other players, chat and compete online via Microsoft server computers. The Redmond, Wash., company will charge about $6 a month for the service.

Although EA publishes games for the Xbox, it has refrained from adding online features to titles for the console. Its announcement Monday sends a clear signal that EA intends to compete with Microsoft in online games, analysts said.

"Right now, it's just hard to predict which model or models will be successful," Halpern said.

[Pyro]

I only use PS2 for single player games anyways.

[Slaggg]

Agreed, Pyro. Only reason for a console is for SP. I can't see consoles competing with PCs for online play for the next 5 yrs, at least. Too much bickering between the companies. And now EA tries throwing it's hat into the Console Online arena. Hehehe, yeah right.

[JC-Sharp]

ive been playing my ps2 online since THPS3 came out.. not that difficult to use nor set up. That was before they even had the net adapter

[Short Hand]

consoles online = gay