When PSN is a service that is truly comparable to Xbox Live (it still isn't), then I think Microsoft would seriously consider either the pricing scheme for Live, or the services they offer. I don't doubt that they're thinking about a plan already, and I think part of PSN's goal is to make a free 'Playstation Live' that will compete with XBL.

As for 'needing internet hooked up to your next gen system', unfortunately this is more true than we should accept it to be. Not for the features that an online connection presents, but game developers are far more willing than they should be to release a broken game since they know they can patch it later.

If you happen to get one of these 'broken games' and you have no way of updating, you're kind of screwed on that game. If you have the means to hook it up every once in a while to get what you need, that's entirely fine.

Firmware 2.4 yay.