The launch of Microsoft's Xbox Live on Friday has gamers' fingers twitching in anticipation of fragging competitors from Brazil to Boston.
The online console gaming service launch injects new blood into the battle for console supremacy, as Microsoft and Sony seek an early lead in an online gaming market that IDC estimates will be worth $1.8 billion by 2005.
Sony PlayStation 2 users can already square off online through a network adapter released in August.
Meanwhile, debate is in full swing on gaming forums, where enthusiasts trade heated barbs over which system offers superior online play.
In a typical exchange on Geek.com, "JJ" wrote, "Where are the anti-MS people? Oh yea ... they haven't got a leg to stand on. Xbox Live will rule!"
JJ's gush is immediately followed by this post: "Xbox live … will be Xbox dead."
But Xbox devotees say Microsoft's hardware is better designed for online gaming, with its built-in ethernet port and 8 GB hard drive that allows users to download new characters and worlds. The Xbox camp also says the system's core processor, which is more powerful than PS2's, causes fewer lags during online play.
"The PS2 cannot even come close to the horsepower of the Xbox," wrote a gamer called "Offkilter" in one forum. "There is no debate about this anymore. Everyone pretty much agrees the PS2 has some great games, but the thing is underpowered. It has no memory."
Many gamers also praised Xbox's community features such as a headset for talking to fellow players, a single gamertag (that is, alias) for all games and buddy lists that can be created to locate friends online. To offer these perks, Microsoft maintains centralized servers for all of its Xbox Live games and charges a $50 first-year subscription fee, which includes the headset.
It's that fee that draws the most jeers from PS2 enthusiasts. Although many admit Xbox Live presents a better online setup, they say it's not worth forking over cash for the annual fee that could be spent on more games.
A rumor that Microsoft will charge $10 per month after the first year also has gamers spooked.
"I heard they force you to get a Microsoft account those money grubbing pigs. Otherwise a little finger pops up and flips you off," quipped "Motormouthiam" on Gamers.com.
Xbox defenders counter that Sony's service is not technically free, since it requires the $40 network adapter. They also note that since Sony lets individual game publishers manage their own online communities, PS2 players could end up paying a subscription fee for every title they play online.
While no winner in the online console gaming war has been declared, there is some evidence that Xbox Live is gaining an early edge. In a poll on ConsoleWars.com, almost 36 percent of respondents said Microsoft offered the best online gaming plan. Sony ranked third behind Nintendo, which has only one title available online.
"(Xbox Live) is a better laid-out plan and offers a smoother experience overall," said gamer Ricky Tucker, who also happens to be the software editor for PlayStation Illustrated.
Matt Forys has also sampled both systems. He said that since becoming an Xbox Live beta tester, "I haven't powered my PS2 on in over a month."
