PS3 titles to use single online sign-in

By Rob Fahey Published 8 November, 2006

One sign-in for every game; online features may still differ

Every game on the PlayStation 3 will use the same universal sign-in and the same online ID, Sony has confirmed - even titles which do not use the central buddy list and messaging systems offered by the console.

Speaking to our sister site GamesIndustry.biz this morning, the UK producer on launch title Resistance, Dan Brooke, said that he "wishes to be clear that Resistance uses the PlayStation online ID to sign into the game. There is no separate login for Resistance and the online ID you create will be the same you use for all titles."

The clarification comes after Ted Price, head of Resistance developer Insomniac Games, revealed last week that despite having extensive online functionality, the game will not be using the central buddy list offered by the PS3; instead, players will build an in-game buddy list unique to the game.

Resistance is also set to offer advanced community features such as clan support, party support, match-making and ranking. At present the PlayStation 3 operating system does not offer centralised support for these features.

However, contrary to some reports which have appeared in recent weeks, gamers will not be expected to sign up new accounts for each game they play, as the PS3 will handle a single sign-in ID for this purpose.

This system is similar to how online games worked on the PlayStation 2, where users had a single Central Station ID which identified them in every game on the system - although unlike the PS2, the PS3's network adapter is built in and configures itself automatically in most network environments, and the system boasts persistent internal storage for network and sign-in details, as well as for downloaded content.

However, the PS3's service still falls significantly short of Microsoft's highly regarded Xbox Live system, whose voice chat, messaging, buddy lists and so on are not only a core part of the service, but are utilised by all online titles on the console.

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About Rob Fahey

Rob Fahey is a former editor of GamesIndustry.biz who spent several years living in Japan and probably still has a mint condition Dreamcast Samba de Amigo set.

Read more articles from Rob by visiting the Rob Fahey archive page.

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Comments (47) Latest comment 6 years ago

Comments for this article are now closed, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • Darkedge #1 6 years ago

    good news for the Americans and anybody with more Sony love than money sense in March

  • BLACKSHEEP #2 6 years ago

    I guess PS3 owners can look forward to PSP type updates and whatever Live has can be copied in the long run! Still it would of been nice from the start considering the gestation(sp?) period

  • AcidSnake #3 6 years ago

    Well...That's fresh....
    Sony has released some positive news...
    See if they can keep it up...

  • jack_klugman #4 6 years ago

    What's the Wii equivalent?

  • Eighthours #5 6 years ago

    Good news!

  • OhWiseOne #6 6 years ago

    Sony Online = Rubbish, Pants, Pony, Shizer etc.















    Losers

  • AcidSnake #7 6 years ago

    @disc:
    "We already knew there would be one unique id for the platform that is then used in every game"

    Exactly! That's the positive part! They haven't changed it, or force you to pay for it!
    They've managed to show that they haven't lied...for the first time in a while actually...

    Having said this...the system isn't out yet...so no-one really knows...

  • Ignatius_Cheese #8 6 years ago

    @Jack Klugman - AFAIK, each Wii console has a Friend Code (a la the DS) and it is used across all games. Will try and find a link to confirm universal FC...

  • rudedudejude #9 6 years ago

    360 ftw !!

  • Garulon #10 6 years ago

    It's that naughty Ozymandias, isn't it?

    Never listen to anyone that spells "HD DVD" with a hyphen, that's my motto.

  • Yossarian #11 6 years ago

    so you have a different buddy list for every game or just some games? can I not message people on my Resistance buddy list unless I am playing Resistance?

    Questions answered?? ANSWERS QUESTIONED.

  • Beano #12 6 years ago

    "Oh, alright then, will it work with the Internet2 that will be available when the PS3 hits UK shelves? "

    Who wants the total big-corp monitored, censored and controlled Internet2 anyway?

  • Beano #13 6 years ago

    "so you have a different buddy list for every game or just some games? can I not message people on my Resistance buddy list unless I am playing Resistance? "

    Develoopers decide if they want to use the central friends-list or not.

    I predict that developers will eventually decide on using the central friends-list and messaging when Sony makes better support for it.

  • Yossarian #14 6 years ago

    sure but when I fire up my brand new PS3 is there any way of me seeing who is currently playing Resistance? and regardless of that, if someone is, can they send me an invite? or will I have to load the game up and work through its options to find out? and then can the PS3 interface be called up from the background a la Xbox Live on 360?

    it would be kinda shabby to have two distinct hubs of friends that can't talk to one another, even if it is just the early titles
    Edited by Yossarian at 08/11/06 @ 14:27

  • SlackMaster #15 6 years ago

    What the hell, when did this become news worthy?

  • Yossarian #16 6 years ago

    since Shinji sold his charming West Briton voice to OUR NEW MASTERS THREE SPEECH, I guess

  • Iora #17 6 years ago

    So what of that ridiculously over the top doom ridden article written in eurogamer mere days ago. Lambasting Sony's massive and incredible failures, lol.

    Sony haven't stated anything new here at all, just soothing the nerves of all the people who read such articles and immediately began hurling themselves through windows and under trains.

  • Yossarian #18 6 years ago

    crab joke

    crab joke

    much damage

  • Arwin #19 6 years ago

    Article seems incomplete. There are in fact unified buddy lists, but it was too late for Resistance to use them. They might patch if they can, but it's not something that's going to be the norm for PS3 titles in the future, where all titles should soon enough always support your unified buddy list.

    You might like to read the interview with Ted Price on threespeech (oh, the irony)

  • JediMasterMalik #20 6 years ago

    Don't expect non-unified buddy lists to remain the norm for very long. Not a big deal for me though, the biggest thing for me was the single log-in, and now that it's been confirmed... again, I'm happy.

  • Xerx3s #21 6 years ago

    So they have a centralised decentralised system? /confused.

  • Xerx3s #22 6 years ago

    And I dare to ask; what is the point of a single login name if there is no single buddy (FRIENDS! why rename everything?!) list? Isn't that one of the reasons to have a single account at all?

    Never listen to anyone that spells "HD DVD" with a hyphen, that's my motto.

    SIXAXIS. ¬_¬

    "OhWiseOne": Take your trolling to IGN.

  • gizmo #23 6 years ago

    Whaaaaaaaaaaat?

    No centralised friends list like xbox live?

    PER GAME friends lists?



    This is TAT, Sony.

  • JediMasterMalik #24 6 years ago

    This is Free Gizmo, good enough for no price to me. ;)

  • SeesThroughAll #25 6 years ago

    They're gonna add features over time, welcome to firmware update land.
    A bit shocking that they're so much behind with their online infrastructure, though.

  • Iora #26 6 years ago

    There is and always will be the single buddy list.
    It was just that Sony took its time implimenting the change and a few games didnt quite make it, resistance fall of man being the seemingly only one.

    Resistances Devs just made there own incorporating a few of there own ideas as some games on the PS3 and even X360 may also do even though the code is in place.

    People threw massive hissy fits Sony's screwed up were all gonna die, this is completely unacceptable. Look im actually being sick at this news etc etc. Basically a massive mounting out of a tiny wee dwarfen mole hill.

    Sony seemed to feel that they had to firmly state that 'yes' there will be a singular buddy list to calm the seas of PS3 haters, X360 luvers and any and all in between that screamed incoherant rants about how they suck.

    Seriously that is it in a nutshell mate you r not missing anything. Sony were admittadly slow in the uptake of this obviously superior system. But titles like, Sony's online future looking doubtful etc etc are totally uncalled for.

    Take a deep breath folks these machines arent going anywhere and there BOTH gonna be awesome

  • chupachups #27 6 years ago

    "It sounded to me like you have one identity, but you attach different sub accounts for different games to that, So when go to login, it would use the relevant id for that game. If you wanted to sheen over that, you could say it is a "single login"."

    ...so actually what Sony was talking about was a system like Windows, where you log on as a user but then have individual passwords and usernames for all the websites you visit?

    That's not what I'd call a unified login.

  • Iora #28 6 years ago

    My dear god people are still getting it wrong. :)

    Singular login buddy list is now enabled it is there and ready for use.

    Resistance fall of man however missed out and it and by the looks of it alone will NOT be part of this singular buddy list it uses its own.

    No more complicated than that.

  • the_sas_man #29 6 years ago

    but doesnt that mean all the good names will be taken the time the console is launched in europe?

  • Iora #30 6 years ago

    im pretty sure the_sas_man is safe ;)

  • Rambaldi #31 6 years ago

    Did I hear it right? Are the Sony equivalent of achievements called...presents?

    /pukes

  • Psychotext #32 6 years ago

    "im pretty sure the_sas_man is safe ;)"

    Not any more it aint....
    Edited by Psychotext at 08/11/06 @ 16:41

  • KD #33 6 years ago

    I'm still not sure how it'll work after they get the buddy list to appear in every game, i'm sure i heard a comment saying there wont be a 360 style guide button on the ps3. My concern is over games like oblivion, i got to private chat a mate while playing it on the 360 to help him with a few of the basics of the game but ended up we were breaking into buildings/castles at the same time and comparing our loot or seeing who got caught first as a little competition
    Edited by KD at 08/11/06 @ 16:44

  • JediMasterMalik #34 6 years ago

    Who the hell said anything about presents? There is no centralised acheivement system in the PS3, they don't want Oblivion players to be compared to COD3 players in equivelance, at least that was there excuse.

    I also find it strange that people claim the price of the online service doesn't matetr at all. It has to, the value of something is in relation to it's price, how can you say otherwise?

    And don't give me the "because the system is $600 LOL" argument. You know damn well the systems hardware outstrips that price, so extra services are just that, extra. Just my opinion anyway.

  • urban #35 6 years ago

    it'll come within time, updates people..updates.

  • Dizzy #36 6 years ago

    So the "new" PS3 online system is just like the PS2 after all?

  • bloodflowers #37 6 years ago

    "We just thought we'd issue a press release, to confirm what everyone already suspected - that we don't really have a fucking clue how the online section will work, even at this late stage. Can someone lend us some blue lasers?"

  • foglord #38 6 years ago

    i don't understand anything about online gaming, so this is great news!!!!!

    all i wanna know is, will the PS3 ask for that login even you just turn the console on or is it for online gaming/shoping/porno viewing as well?

  • sanctusmortis #39 6 years ago

    I think this is mainly to do with that MS exec saying that Sony's online is "broken".

    So, one central name, but no central buddies? So, no real way to know who is playing what, or maybe you can but can';t message them. Great...

  • old_skool #40 6 years ago

    Gamasutra had an interesting interview with the Sony PR guy Dave Karraker. He does answer some questions regarding online and what not .

    http://www.gamasutra.com/features/200611...

  • Mordum #41 6 years ago

    Im sure these issues will be fixed in no time. They'll surely be sorted by the time the console finally arrives over here anyway.
    What I was personally hoping for was Sony actually coming up with some 'new' online features... and not just carbon copies of what already exists on its competitors consoles (not attacking Sony, it's just a fact). Although it is seemingly free, so can't expect too much I guess.

  • BartonFink #42 6 years ago

    Good news definitely but still a long way behind Live.
    A lot more to do Sony but nothing they can't fix down the road.
    Edited by BartonFink at 08/11/06 @ 20:12

  • Canadian_Mike #43 6 years ago

    Wonga
    08-Nov-06 13:43:15

    It sounded to me like you have one identity, but you attach different sub accounts for different games to that, So when go to login, it would use the relevant id for that game. If you wanted to sheen over that, you could say it is a "single login".
    ignore poster"

    Ummmm, right. *rolls eyes*

    This is from the article you're commenting on....

    "wishes to be clear that Resistance uses the PlayStation online ID to sign into the game. There is no separate login for Resistance and the online ID you create will be the same you use for all titles."

    ...sounds pretty clear to me.

  • penhalion #44 6 years ago

    Not really. He meant all of their titles. Again a bit of mis-reading to create a news story...tut tut

  • Steroyd #45 6 years ago

    but doesnt that mean all the good names will be taken the time the console is launched in europe?

    <a href=http://www.ps3forums.com/showthread.php?t=36412>Sony have that covered starting tomorrow apparently.</a>

    All this means is that if you really like the turd you made friends with in Resistance you can promote them to you're universal buddy list.

    Not that i care enough to make full use of a buddy list.

    And from the sounds of it they're just extending the Central Station to third parties, without the need to re-enter you're Central Station Handle.

  • SeesThroughAll #46 6 years ago

    but doesnt that mean all the good names will be taken the time the console is launched in europe?

    Sony have that covered starting tomorrow apparently.

    This should have made front page, not rehashed old news. Do your job, EG.

  • BartonFink #47 6 years ago

    So you can't keep your old Central Station id then?