In the old days of video games, you only worried about crashing and burning on screen. Now, with more players battling opponents across the Internet, gamers are more worried about crashing–online.
At least one game maker is working to get rid of the online glitch. Sony has partnered with IBM and Butterfly.net to put PlayStation 2 systems on a “grid,” a souped-up version of the Internet that helps players bypass the logjam of everyday Web traffic.
The problem with Internet gaming is that too many users can slow down the action–or shut it down completely. The grid, which was being used only by universities and researchers, has much more power and can let as many as a million players blast, zap and zoom simultaneously.
The new P2 systems should be available next year. Visit www.butterfly.net for more on the grid.
