Last night, Sony released some impressively large numbers regarding PS3 and PSP-related activity on the PlayStation Network. We can’t let press releases speak for themselves, so we’ve annotated this with notes about what Sony is and isn’t saying.

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Press release by Sony, annotations by MTV Multiplayer:

PlayStation Network Momentum

PlayStation Network is starting its third year with momentum on its side – having registered more than 17 million worldwide members [This might be Sony's new favorite stats, as it matches nicely with Microsoft's recent claim to have 17 million users of Xbox Live], serviced more than 330 million downloads and launched numerous cutting edge services that enhance the entire PlayStation experience. [Two more notes about that 17 million -- it exceeds the number of PlayStation 3 systems that Sony reported that it sold through September of 2008, which was 16.84 million. Also, did you know that PSN and Xbox Live accounts can be registered without using a console, and that PSN accounts were required for registering on PlayStation's official message boards, as of this past fall? ]In 2008, PlayStation Network broke new ground with the PlayStation Store redesign [Certainly worth touting and indisputably leapfrogging its usability ahead of the Wii's store. It's debatable whether Xbox still has a better one], the launch of the video delivery service, PlayStation Trophies, the Media Manager for PSP (PlayStation Portable), PlayStation Home and released some of the industry’s most innovative downloadable games. It is a combination of these updates and service offerings that position PlayStation Network as the preferred online solution for gaming, entertainment and social networking. The launch of PlayStation Home on December 11, 2008 fueled additional momentum and consumer enthusiasm for PlayStation Network, as we processed more than 2.1 million registrations in the month of December alone, a monthly increase of 90 percent. [Definitely something to tout. That's impressive.]

In addition to PlayStation Home’s unique community and networking features, PlayStation Network is gaining popularity through its online gaming services, evident through award winning titles like LittleBigPlanet. Developers are showcasing the power of PlayStation Network’s online capabilities by experimenting with downloadable and user-generated content. When LittleBigPlanet launched, it came with 50 pre-built levels from Media Molecule. In less than 3 months after launch, PlayStation Network’s creative and passionate community has grown the game to nearly 300,000 playable levels that have been enjoyed 68 million times. [Sony doesn't want to do the math for you, so I will: those numbers, when averaged, suggest that each level could have been played 226 times.]

PlayStation Network’s video delivery service is the home to nearly 1,200 movies and 3,000 TV episodes, experiencing prominent momentum of its own. PLAYSTATION 3 (PS3) owners realize the advantage of a built-in hard drive, as more than 70 percent of the transactions made through the video delivery service are purchase to own opposed to rental [That's a stealth shot at Microsoft, which only allows TV shows to be purchased. Movies must be rented on the 360, but can be purchased on PS3.], allowing owners to view their content in their living rooms through PS3 or on the go with their PSP’s.

Additional PlayStation Network Stats:

Percentage of exclusive games on PlayStation Store in North America - 50 percent
Total number of PlayStation Home users – More than 3.4 million (approximately 25 percent increase in the last two weeks)
Number of downloads made in PlayStation Home (clothes, furniture, etc)– More than 900,000
Number of Games Available for Download in North America – 153 (75 of which were made available during the last quarter of 2008) [This one has me stumped. 153? 75? Really? I check out the PSN store at least once a week and just can't recall seeing an avalanche of 75 titles in the last quarter of 2008. I'm not saying "Crash Commandos" is bad or anything. It just doesn't count for 70 games or so by itself.]
Number of Games that have Downloadable Content in North America (levels, weapons, etc) – 70 [You have got to love the gaming industry. Imagine you're an outsider and someone tells you that people are downloading stuff for games. You ask: like what, you mean, like new levels? And you say: Yeah, and ... guns.]

Top 3 Most Popular Downloaded Games Last Week

• PAIN [Not surprising. Sony reps have told me that this game and the next, along with "Mortal Kombat" have been great sellers on PSN. Plus, "PAIN" vouchers are bundled with new PS3s.]
• High Velocity Bowling
• Super Street Fighter II: Turbo HD Remix

Top 3 Most Popular Downloaded Movies Last Week

• The Dark Knight
• Iron Man
• The Happening [Interesting, given that this movie didn't have quite the appeal of the two above it.]

Top 3 Most Popular Downloaded TV Shows Last Week

• Family Guy
• Xam’d: Lost Memories
• Afro Samurai

That’s the Sony run-down. It certainly looks like the company has something to brag about here. When historians write about this console generation, they will likely credit the reach of Xbox Live for making Microsoft’s system so successful; the relevance of an online network can not be over for game consoles targeted at the hardcore crowd. It’s worth watching to see if the PSN can belatedly achieve the stats and reputation of Live. If so, that’s a, pun intended, game-changer for PS3.

Related Posts:
Microsoft Boasts 17 Million Xbox Live Users, We Annotate