Sony Computer Entertainment Inc., the maker of the popular Sony PlayStation console, may be gearing up to launch an online service that is promised to match and even surpass the capabilities of the well-known Xbox Live service developed by Microsoft Corp., the maker of the Xbox and Xbox 360 consoles. If this happens, the competition between the two leading console makers will go online.

U.S.-based PlayStation Magazine has reported that Sony is working with game developers over compatibility of their titles with yet-to-be-unveiled PlayStation 3 online service. It is reported that game creators have received the “final development hardware” of the PlayStation 3 and have begun “meeting” with Sony’s developer-relations teams. According to the magazine, the work on the powerful online service, such as Xbox Live, was begun about the same time when Sony released the PlayStation 2 network adapter – in 2001. Now Sony is reportedly “committed to match the Xbox Live feature for feature and them some”.

Currently Sony offers a very primitive free of charge online gaming experience with the PlayStation 2 console, whereas Microsoft’s Xbox Live offers both free and subscription-based online services both more advanced than what Sony offers today. However, according to scans from the magazine located at Joystiq web-site, Sony has “declared full-on assault” on the latest flavour of the Xbox Live.

Every purchaser of the Xbox 360 connected to broadband Internet gets instant access to Xbox Live Silver, available for no monthly service charge. Players can express their digital identity through their gamer profile; connect with friends anytime, anywhere through Xbox Live voice chat; send and receive text and voice message; and access Xbox Live Marketplace to download demos and trailers along with new game levels, maps, weapons, vehicles, skins, classic arcade and card and board games, community-created content, and more to the detachable Xbox 360 hard drive – all right out of the box at no extra cost. Composed of user-generated information such as Achievements (rewards players have earned in games), Gamerzone (style of play), and a custom-created Gamertile (a visual icon to represent the gamer online), the Gamer Profile makes it easy to connect with the Xbox Live community.

Gamers who subscribe to the premium service, Xbox Live Gold, can experience multiplayer online gameplay. Gamer profiles provide a foundation for intelligent matchmaking, so players of similar skill levels and interests can quickly and easily connect, and the Xbox Live camera peripheral lets gamers add their faces into games and see their friends while they play. Other Xbox Live Gold features for premium members include video messaging; online tournaments and ladders; and exclusive, original programming such as playing with celebrities online and joining sponsored tournaments to win prizes. All Xbox 360 owners new to Xbox Live can start their experience with a free month of the full subscription service.

In case both Microsoft and Sony offer powerful online subscription-based services, then adorers of both PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 game consoles will be able to get robust online experience, something that will in doubt be available on the Nintendo Revolution game console, considering the current “hands-off approach” of its developer Nintendo.