Microsoft says Sony doesn't offer any online "service"

[BrewCityUpstart]

While fanboys on both the Sony and Microsoft sides of the fence may bicker and argue about their consoles' respective online services, the PlayStation Network and Xbox Live, it seems Microsoft themselves have a different take on the whole "which is better" argument.

Robbie Bach went on record to not only say that Xbox Live offers superior service (a notion that even many Sony fans attest to, though the PSN being free is a definite plus), but that there is actually no competition in the online service market for consoles. "It's fair to say that Xbox Live is clearly head and shoulders above anything anyone else has tried to do. We don't have competition." He goes on to say what Sony offers shouldn't even be called a service. Those who play Call of Duty 4 and Warhawk online may beg to differ, but that's neither here nor there. What do you guys think? Is what Sony offers to PS3 owners a service and something that Microsoft should take more seriously or not?
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[D_Litch]

I do believe XBL is better service than PSN. But being free and having dedicated servers helps their cause, they just need to polish it up(and not just throw 2nd life characters in it).

[Lord Geoff]

I thought that publishers handled their own servers for their games on PSN. That being the case, the only service that Sony is providing is their download stuff. I may have misunderstood what I read though.