Its insane how many people still play online

[Punisher5.0]

Youtube recommended me this video today:

 

 

One game had over 700,000 players! Its crazy to me that we are in the same year that PS5 is coming out and there is still that many people playing online. Truly a remarkable system.

[Video]

Well, each generation has less and less advantage over previous generations. No more massive steps forward. Worse, more modern systems are less and less user friendly, even fewer reasons to move forward. Though most of the user unfriendly aspect imo comes from the needed online connectivity, and it their playing an online game, that's likely not a factor (for those people) also, having a potentially massive library of great games could be part of it. PS5 is certainly missing a LOT of Sony IP's and the replacements certainly aren't "doing it" for me. (Kind of like Xbox vs 360) want to play twisted metal? It's only on ps4 through digital ps3 files. Only the newest little big planet is on ps4, just a couple examples, but little reason for a ps4 if you like those games, we a whole bunch of others.

[Mord]

On 1/30/2020 at 5:46 PM, Punisher5.0 said:

One game had over 700,000 players! Its crazy to me that we are in the same year that PS5 is coming out and there is still that many people playing online. Truly a remarkable system.

IIRC the PS3 doesn't lock online multiplayer behind the PS+ subscription. I remember that being my gripe with the xbox live on the 360 (For me) and further annoyance when the PS4 followed suit and locked online multiplayer behind PS+.  Which resulted in me never playing multiplayer on the PS4.

 

[Gamemoose]

5 hours ago, Mord said:

IIRC the PS3 doesn't lock online multiplayer behind the PS+ subscription. I remember that being my gripe with the xbox live on the 360 (For me) and further annoyance when the PS4 followed suit and locked online multiplayer behind PS+.  Which resulted in me never playing multiplayer on the PS4.

 

Yup, that's correct.  The online experience isn't as smooth as it was on the Xbox 360 but it worked.  I for some reason got Battlefield: 1942 for both consoles (when I had both consoles-I got the PS3 in the divorce as my then four year old daughter still played Kinect stuff) to see which was better.  I liked the look of the PS3 version but felt a little isolated as no one seemed to have headsets.  I played a beta of Warhawk (?) and I ran into that issue to: no one talked so there was no strategizing.  

 

I am tempted to fire up B:1942 and do a split screen with my boys to see how they'd fare against online folk.  They cut their FPS teeth on Star Wars: Battlefront so the concept isn't new to them.

[Video]

I'd hazard, also not a lot of 12 year olds swearing constantly

 

online is nice, but "trash talking" certainly isn't a desirable part of the experience imo.

[BawesomeBurf]

I don't play games online too often, so paying for a PS+ or XBox Live subscription really doesn't make sense for me. If I do get the urge to play other people, it's great that I can do it for free on PS3.

[juansolo]

PS3 was the last time I played online really. Killzone 3 was my jam and I sunk something like 300 hours into it (which for me is a LOT for one game). The 360 was a PITA, a forum I was on would go through fits and starts of playing Forza and COD2. Everytime I'd have to buy a month's subscription and everytime real life would get in everyone's way and we'd end up not playing. It was easier with the PS3 because you didn't have to pay for what might be only one online game before it all ended up going to arse again.

 

The subscription model doesn't work with the casual online player. I haven't paid for a single subscription since because it's simply not the way I game. They'll never fish me in because I simply have no exposure to online games anymore. Something after looking at what they're like now, I'm fairly glad about.

[Punisher5.0]

This guy did another video for 2021. Still a solid amount of players.

 

 

[Tavi]

I can't say I am that surprised.

There was a huge jump in CPU/GPU and memory between the PS1 and PS2. Even between the PS2 and PS3 there was another sizable and noticeable jump in system specifications and graphics.

Between PS3 and PS4 though I think you are now getting into diminishing returns, where system specs are still increasing but the effect is less evident then in previous generations. Which I think then makes it more difficult to convince a happy PS3 owner who can already also watch DVD's/Blu-rays and stream Netflix, to drop 300-400$ for a console upgrade. An upgrade where they also have to rebuild or replace their existing game library.

The PS5 is even worse, with shortages and scalpers driving the price for a PS5 console alone to over a grand. A hefty chunk of change to spend on a console with no real library yet.

[Lord Innit]

I still play my PS3 online because it costs nothing.  Battfield 1942 is still fun after all these years. 

[Gamemoose]

On 2/3/2021 at 12:19 PM, Lord Innit said:

I still play my PS3 online because it costs nothing.  Battfield 1942 is still fun after all these years. 

I popped on there not too long ago and was surprised to see the number of people online.

 

A couple of my stepsons are Star Wars: Battlefront nuts so I might unleash them on virtual WWII Earth.

[Rick Dangerous]

On 7/4/2020 at 1:31 PM, BawesomeBurf said:

I don't play games online too often, so paying for a PS+ or XBox Live subscription really doesn't make sense for me. If I do get the urge to play other people, it's great that I can do it for free on PS3.

Yup; exactly this for me.  The PS3 is a great system; i still to this day play mine more than my PS4.  Not even going to bother getting a PS5. 

 

I think i also like it so much because I always have a BC model setup with a big HDD and can play all my PS1/2 games on it as well, so for me it's a really versatile machine. 

 

The graphics still look fantastic to me.  I have an Xbox One X and to me it really doesn't look any better than PS3; guess i'm just not sensitive to improvements past a certain point. 

[SiberianSpForces]

Sometimes I still fire mine up for Tron and Tekken 6. A few months ago I had it at a friend's and we played some good 'ol Black Ops.

[Punisher5.0]

Another year and another test. Still a pretty decent amount of players

 

 

[neogeo1982]

8 hours ago, Punisher5.0 said:

Still a pretty decent amount of players

That's really cool to know. 

[Cynicaster]

I've recently dusted off my PS3 and have been playing it here and there as time permits.  Playing Daytona USA with my steering wheel has been a blast, Gran Turismo 6 as well.  Bought these games digitally 5-6 years ago and am finally getting my money's worth. 

 

Regarding the online topic, just out of curiosity the other night to see if it was still active I loaded up Battlefield: 1943 - which I downloaded and installed 12 years ago - and there were still full online games in progress!  Couldn't believe it.  So I hopped in, got my ass obliterated for 15 minutes without making a single kill, and logged out. 
 

I'm defintely a "get off my lawn" type of gamer who strongly prefers to keep it retro (for various reasons) so my perspective is very outdated, but in playing the PS3 it blows my mind that it is a full 2 generations ago.  I haven't played a single game on either PS4 or PS5, so to me the PS3 still feels like the future, ha.  

 

 

  

[Punisher5.0]

This guy did another for 2023. Not sure how much longer he can make these considering the PS3 is turning 17 this year.

 

https://youtu.be/gYyjl3TmaME

[neogeo1982]

On 3/22/2023 at 6:09 PM, Punisher5.0 said:

This guy did another for 2023

It had 196k hits on it. I imagine he'll keep on it with viewership that high. His talk of trying to use expired codes my interest though. I have unused codes for weapons and gear in some of my old cases I never thought of trying.

[Austin]

As long as the servers are still up, people will still keep playing. I didn't think about this until recently, but the big draw with PS3 online play is that it's free.

[Prosystemsearch]

Yup, it sure it impressive that there is still online multiplayer on the PS3 still working. Not just the Call of Duty games, but also DOOM 3: BFG edition, some of the Battlefield titles including Battlefield 3, and Minecraft. I'm betting that it will be shut down by Sony official at earliest q4 2023 and at latest, q3 2024. Time will tell...