PS3: Explained

Is Sony switched on to online?

From the look of it, Sony understands the appeal of an overarching online system. The PS3's online service, currently named Hub, will offer shopping, downloading, messaging and ranking features. At the moment, it's being billed as a 'basic' system, and would be totally free of charge - much like Xbox Live's Silver service. We're expecting to hear more about it from Phil Harrison at next week's Game Developer's Conference.

Ben Richardson is a former Staff Writer for Official PlayStation 2 magazine and a former Content Editor of GamesRadar+. In the years since Ben left GR, he has worked as a columnist, communications officer, charity coach, and podcast host – but we still look back to his news stories from time to time, they are a window into a different era of video games.