With the addition of NBC Universal to the PlayStation Store, Sony now has content from all the major studios, with nearly 6000 TV episodes and movies available. But that number pales in comparison with Xbox Live’s 30,000 titles and the much wider selection of content on the iTunes Store. Sony has been trying to play catch-up in the premium content arena, and while its library may not be as wide as other retailers, it may only be a matter of time now that contracts are in place with all the major providers.
Sony’s PSN may also have an advantage over its closest competitor, Microsoft’s Xbox Live, because the PSN is free to access by any account holder, while Xbox Live requires an annual membership fee. Sony boasts 20 million registered members, compared to Xbox’s 17 million users who have accessed their system in the last six months. Sony calls the PS3 “the ultimate entertainment platform,” and claims it now has “the largest selection of movies on any gaming platform.”
Sony and Microsoft are in a struggle to provide the best all-in-one entertainment device for the home as entertainment moves online. Sony relaunched the PlayStation Network Store last summer, shortly after Microsoft announced a deal to bring Netflix streaming to the Xbox. Neither side can really claim supremacy at the moment, but if Sony can increase its content, the advantage of having a portable device (the PSP) that works with, and separately from, the PS3 may just put it on top.