Support NeoGAF

[Cruzader]

It's simple. Xbox users have to pay for live in order to play online. It's fucked up but it is a compelling reason to pay up. With PSN, online gaming is free. The features mentioned on the OP aren't nearly as compelling as online play. There's very little you gain with PSN Premium (?).

I know, it's fucked up. This is Sony taking advantage over silly people who pay for betas.

No offence but you sound like an idiot.

PSN+ is optional. You DONT need to pay to play online. All PSN members get FREE online. PSN+ is optinal plus it has its benefits like a few pointed out. You get to play games for free each month from a set(must remain subscribed to keep them though which is fair) plus you get Qore sub for free.(Normally $25 by itself)

So how is Sony taking advantage over people if this is optional, not required to play online? Online remains free for all PS3 users.

Edit: sorry, I apologize, read your post wrong. You are right.

 

[3rdman]

Yeah, I'm taking a wait and see approach but the prospect of free games means this might end up paying for itself.

I seriously doubt that Sony would allow you to pick and choose your games...I assumed that they'd give you the choice between crap game "A" or crap game "B"...am I wrong?

 

[gofreak]

It's a 'licensed' content subscription. So it basically boils down to your feelings about ownership of content, and then just how attractive Sony makes the content flow. They're saying, in UK pounds, that you pay £40 for a year, and you'll get £200 worth of content over that year. So the big question is what content that'll be. If Sony's seen to be being 'cheap' about the titles they pick, it'll backfire horribly. If they can build up trust that the flow will be good, then there's definitely value there, for some people at least.

Personally I'm not sure where I stand on it. I think I trust them to provide good content, for the first while anyway, because of the need not to kill appeal. But I'm not totally sure how I feel about being locked into subscribing FOREVA in order to maintain access to the content. A system maybe whereby after x months, a given month's content becomes yours to own might be something for Sony to consider...maybe. It'd mean there's still some incentive to keep subscribing, but without the total loss if you do stop at some point.

I seriously doubt that Sony would allow you to pick and choose your games...I assumed that they'd give you the choice between crap game "A" or crap game "B"...am I wrong?

I got the impression Sony will choose the games. They're guaranteeing one PSN game, one mini and two PSone games. Or was it one PSone game and two minis? Can't recall, but 4 games basically, one of which is a 'full' PSN game. And then a more vague promise of discounts on the store for purchases beyond those games.

 

[Z_Y]

you get free things as part of your subscription, if the subscription ends, you don't have those free things... not sure how this is at ALL like onlive ps3, or what is so hard to comprehend?

$50/year is not free though. In my opinion, this is the only thing that appears to make PSN+ worth anything. 1 hour trials to retail games? Do you know how long it takes for me to download a 150mb system update?




Really...I'm asking you. Do you know how long? I usually fall asleep.

 

[AndyD]

I seriously doubt that Sony would allow you to pick and choose your games...I assumed that they'd give you the choice between crap game "A" or crap game "B"...am I wrong?

No choices. Its preset.

Wipeout HD for July as well as two minis and a PS1 game. Also free full LBP if you subscribe in the first month.

See the OP it has more details.

Games I could see as candidates to become free: Pain, Pinball game, Pool game, Fat Princess and so forth. Games that you get for free but you can still buy DLC for so they make more money that way. Makes sense really.

This is only bad for people who already have bought many PSN games as they will likely be duplicates.

 

[AndyD]

$50/year is not free though. In my opinion, this is the only thing that appears to make PSN+ worth anything. 1 hour trials to retail games? Do you know how long it takes for me to download a 150mb system update?




Really...I'm asking you. Do you know how long? I usually fall asleep.

It also has push downloads so you can set your PS3 to wake up in the middle of the night or during the day while you are at work, download patches, firmware and demos automatically then its all ready when you get home. There are a number of things in the PSN+ not just the games. I also imagine it can push down the free games for the month, that way they are ready to play when you wake up or get home.

 

[Z_Y]

It also has push downloads so you can set your PS3 to wake up in the middle of the night or during the day while you are at work, download patches, firmware and demos automatically then its all ready when you get home. There are a number of things in the PSN+ not just the games. I also imagine it can push down the free games for the month, that way they are ready to play when you wake up or get home.

Hmmm...that would help quite a bit...

The free copy of LBP...is that the game of the year edition? Will it be taken away if I don't renew? I was seriously going to pick it up today for $30...so this carrot intrigues me.

Forgive me if this has been answered elsewhere in this thread. I'm on my phone and not having 3g sucks.

 

[darkwing]

Hmmm...that would help quite a bit...

The free copy of LBP...is that the game of the year edition? Will it be taken away if I don't renew? I was seriously going to pick it up today for $30...so this carrot intrigues me.

Forgive me if this has been answered elsewhere in this thread. I'm on my phone and not having 3g sucks.

where are you getting it for $30??

 

[AndyD]

Hmmm...that would help quite a bit...

The free copy of LBP...is that the game of the year edition? Will it be taken away if I don't renew? I was seriously going to pick it up today for $30...so this carrot intrigues me.

Forgive me if this has been answered elsewhere in this thread. I'm on my phone and not having 3g sucks.

It will not be taken away per the official blog. Its a special initial sign up bonus, so its not like the other free games.

Not only that but its a PSN downloadable version, so no discs, always available to play on your harddrive, much like Burnout.

As to whether its GOTY, I dont know. Try reading the official blog, that may be answered there.

 

[ScrabbleBanshee]

Wipeout HD (already have this) for July as well as two minis (Which all stink and a PS1 game (don't care for most of these any more). Also free full LBP (which I traded in early on after realizing it did nothing for me) if you subscribe in the first month.

I guess I will wait for a month of stuff that I'd actually enjoy or not already own. Or wait, is this for EU that you're talking about?

 

[Yeef]

The important thing is that Sony will never take away free online gaming because of the huge backlash it would cause. I wouldn't be surprised if, a few years down the road, they decided to give PS+ users some enhancements to online play though. Something like exclusive access to dedicated servers for first party games or something along those lines.

DELETE FROM Trophies WHERE FOIdPSNUser = 100039303939393

Your trophies owned in one line.

I'm sure there's a way on their end to permanently disable specific trophies for specific users, but that wouldn't be it. Because of the way trophies are handled now (saved locally and 'synced' to the server) all you'd have to do is re-sync and you'd have all those trophies back.

True but it takes forever.

That has nothing to do with PSN/Live and everything to do with firmware limitations. Whenever PS4 comes around you can bet it'll be just as instantaneous as the competition. You can also check both trophies and achievements online and neither is any slower than the other.

Even if it is $50, It's only $50! For a full year!! The only people I see complaining about this fee are people like you who don't even have the service.

That's a fairly pointless statement. Why would you pay for a service if you don't think it's worth the money? Do you expect people to pay just to have the right to discourse?

 

[AndyD]

I guess I will wait for a month of stuff that I'd actually enjoy or not already own. Or wait, is this for EU that you're talking about?

That's why I said for those who buy games already it may not be a great deal. I also already own Wipeout HD and LBP and dont much care for those minis or PS1 game. But in the long run over a year, if I end up getting even 3-4 free games that I enjoy it makes it worth it.

Then again trading away my LBP and getting a PSN version may be worth the convenience of having it always ready and being able to trade the disc for another oldie I missed out on.

I have over 30 PSN games already though, most of the big hitters, so the odds are most everything offered in the first year may be stuff I already have...

 

[Oni Jazar]

I'm mostly upset that Sony clearly didn't put much thought into the service and it shows. "We'll give you some games each month, whichever games we feel like it. Maybe a demo or beta. Oh and we'll add more stuff later if we feel like it. ENJOY!"

If they would've sat down and actually came up with a full fledged premium service: A netflix/gametap/zune style library of games, movies & music where all this content was available on demand, it would've been a huge success. I'm surprised that Gametap hasn't been bought out by a company like Sony. Imagine if you could have a GAME ROOM like application only instead of ala cart there were tons of arcade games instantly available.

Also I'm frustrated that there hasn't been a big FW upgrade in a very long time. We are due for cross game chat & invites, Netflix on XMB, better sorting options, etc.

 

[Z_Y]

where are you getting it for $30??

Amazon. It's $27.99 iirc.

 

[Klocker]

No offence but you sound like an idiot.

PSN+ is optional. You DONT need to pay to play online. All PSN members get FREE online. PSN+ is optinal plus it has its benefits like a few pointed out. You get to play games for free each month from a set(must remain subscribed to keep them though which is fair) plus you get Qore sub for free.(Normally $25 by itself)

So how is Sony taking advantage over people if this is optional, not required to play online? Online remains free for all PS3 users.

you completely missed his point

all he was saying was there is no real COMPELLING reason to sign up for this unless you want content subscription.

 

[OldJadedGamer]

It also has push downloads so you can set your PS3 to wake up in the middle of the night or during the day while you are at work, download patches, firmware and demos automatically then its all ready when you get home. There are a number of things in the PSN+ not just the games. I also imagine it can push down the free games for the month, that way they are ready to play when you wake up or get home.

But there have been firmware updates in the past that have been broken so this isn't a good thing. When there are PS3 firmware updates I usually wait a day until GAF gives the thumbs up that everything is good.

 

[kinoki]

you completely missed his point

all he was saying was there is no real COMPELLING reason to sign up for this unless you want content subscription.

And the only reason Sony is doing this is to increase their profit a little. So, if they convince 500'000 people to sign up it still nets them a whole lot of dough perhaps putting them into the profit zone. And if they're in the profit zone they'll be more likely to try new things. So, as I see it, regardless of compellingness, we all benefit.

 

[Yeef]

Also I'm frustrated that there hasn't been a big FW upgrade in a very long time. We are due for cross game chat & invites, Netflix on XMB, better sorting options, etc.

Cross game invites have been available for a long, long time. It's just not required for devs to include them in games so most don't bother.

Netflix on XMB is a legal issue, not a technical issue. They mentioned when the Netflix disc was first released that there'd be an XMB app at the end of this year. No one can say for sure, but it's pretty clear that they have a deal with Microsoft that ends some time in the late part of this year. You can likely expect to see Netflix on XMB and WiiWare at that point.

 

[GeekyDad]

Gonna try and talk my wife into trying it out for a year. I download about a game a week from the PSN, so the discounts alone might be worth the subscription. If not, $50 for a year won't set us back much.

 

[lupinko]

Nobody pays $50 for Xbox Live. No matter how many times Tretton or others throw around that figure it just simply isn't true. Ive already weighed in with my opinion about both services but one thing that needs to stop being thrown around is this mythical $50 fee for Live.

Without even looking around you can go to Amazon and pick up a years subscription for $34.54.

The average person pays $50 for Xbox Live, it's only people into sales/cheapassgamer/ and videogame forumgoers pay less than $50.

 

[magicaltrevor]

Concerning Cross-game Voice Chat... James Thorpe replied to a comment on the EU.Blog:

The current features of PlayStation Plus are those listed in my post above – Games & special offers, full game trial and automatic downloads. We understand that many of you are asking for a cross-game chat feature, we said during our presentation that the service will evolve over time but I can’t guarantee anything at this time.

WTF? They're really vague about this, eventhough lots of people confronted them with the fact that it originally got listed on several official EU PlayStation-websites.

It seems we're not getting the feature anytime soon =(

 

[Beowulf28]

If this had game saves on a cloud I would be all over this but as of right now the perks don't seem worth it.

 

[Cruzader]

you completely missed his point

all he was saying was there is no real COMPELLING reason to sign up for this unless you want content subscription.

Yea i think i quoted the wrong post or something.

 

[Oni Jazar]

Cross game invites have been available for a long, long time. It's just not required for devs to include them in games so most don't bother.

Netflix on XMB is a legal issue, not a technical issue. They mentioned when the Netflix disc was first released that there'd be an XMB app at the end of this year. No one can say for sure, but it's pretty clear that they have a deal with Microsoft that ends some time in the late part of this year. You can likely expect to see Netflix on XMB and WiiWare at that point.

I know all of that stuff. Still would be nice to have some announcements that improvements are being made and will be released at a specific date.

 

[otake]

No offence but you sound like an idiot.

PSN+ is optional. You DONT need to pay to play online. All PSN members get FREE online. PSN+ is optinal plus it has its benefits like a few pointed out. You get to play games for free each month from a set(must remain subscribed to keep them though which is fair) plus you get Qore sub for free.(Normally $25 by itself)

So how is Sony taking advantage over people if this is optional, not required to play online? Online remains free for all PS3 users.

Edit: sorry, I apologize, read your post wrong. You are right.

No problem. Really, this takes away nothing, offends no one. There's no reason any existing PS3 owner should be pissed, neither is their a reason you should be pumped. It's just there in case you ever want it.

But xbox live is still pretty silly. :lol

 

[tirminyl]

I was really thinking they will use all the content they have and add to PSN+. What they have thus far is not bad but throw in a free HD movie rental and tv show download. How long does it take to add music to the PS Store? Unless I missed it I want to know the details of letting a membership lapse only to resub later. Do I lose access to certain games over time or will I lose them if I resub on a lapsed membership?

I think this would be great for a buddy of mine. They view it too expensive to keep buying games for him and his son but I don't think it would be too bad to stop paying live (which they don't use), and pay for this. That way, they actually get games, auto-patches, etc. It would make their experience much more hands off and easier.

 

[Spayro]

Will be getting this for LBP and all that jazz. probably.

 

[Carl]

No choices. Its preset.

Wipeout HD for July as well as two minis and a PS1 game. Also free full LBP if you subscribe in the first month.

See the OP it has more details.

Games I could see as candidates to become free: Pain, Pinball game, Pool game, Fat Princess and so forth. Games that you get for free but you can still buy DLC for so they make more money that way. Makes sense really.

This is only bad for people who already have bought many PSN games as they will likely be duplicates.

This is what will probably be the case with me, having spend £1000 upwards. Only reason i am really buying it is for the store discounts.

 

[Averon]

Not all that enthused with PSN+ from what I've heard so far. I need to here more details before I make a final decision on whether I subscribe or not. If what I've heard is all that PSN+ entails, it should be $29.99 a year, not $49.99 a year.

 

[I3rand0]

Concerning Cross-game Voice Chat... James Thorpe replied to a comment on the EU.Blog:



WTF? They're really vague about this, eventhough lots of people confronted them with the fact that it originally got listed on several official EU PlayStation-websites.

It seems we're not getting the feature anytime soon =(

I'd really just wish they would stop cock teasing everyone and come out and say "we can't implement this feature because of x". Where I am assuming x is equal to some type of hardware limitation on the PS3 or some type of network limitation on PSN.

 

[mbmonk]

I'd really just wish they would stop cock teasing everyone and come out and say "we can't implement this feature because of x". Where I am assuming x is equal to some type of hardware limitation on the PS3 or some type of network limitation on PSN.

Agreed. Shit or get off the pot Sony.

The PS3 has been out coming up on 4 years in Nov. Entire Triple A games have been developed in less time than that. I know they may be having to do some ninja tricks but 4 years for voice chat is a bit hard to believe. Stop messing around release it or flush it, but stop with the tease.

 

[Carl]

I'd really just wish they would stop cock teasing everyone and come out and say "we can't implement this feature because of x". Where I am assuming x is equal to some type of hardware limitation on the PS3 or some type of network limitation on PSN.

Pretty much this. Couldn't give a shit about the feature myself but i'm tired of everyone complaining about it

 

[Oni Jazar]

I'd really just wish they would stop cock teasing everyone and come out and say "we can't implement this feature because of x". Where I am assuming x is equal to some type of hardware limitation on the PS3 or some type of network limitation on PSN.

There's no limitation. They've got it working. It was even supposed to come out last year. They're just trying to decide if you need to pay for it or not.

 

[chunk3rvd]

I think I'm definitely biting on this. If I buy 3 £20 cards from Zavvi and apply a voucher code it comes to £48.84 - throw in cashback from quidco and it's below £48

For my £48 I will get 1 year of PSN+ and £20 in PSN store credit. Throw in the free copy of LBP - meaning I can trade in my disc version, which reduces the cost even further!

Just gutted that Zavvi have upped their card prices by £2 - that deal would have been around £40 a week ago

 

[Oni Jazar]

Here is the official announcement on the Sony Blog:

http://blog.us.playstation.com/2010/06/16/playstation-plus-coming-soon/

At launch, PlayStation Plus will offer subscribers the full PlayStation Network game, WipEout HD, full game trial of inFAMOUS, PSP minis and PS One Classics such as Fieldrunners, Age of Zombies and Rally Cross, as well as premium avatars, themes and DLC levels and map packs. Additionally, subscribers will always have access to their virtual library of free games for as long as they keep their PlayStation Plus subscription. In all, subscribers will get an unprecedented amount of value, access and convenience and, in the first month alone, will receive more than $50 worth of content.

This sounds like another PSP Go fiasco where fans of the system get screwed. I love my PSP, too bad buying a Go means I won't be able to take advantage of the huge UMD library I've built up.

I love my PS3. Too bad the PSN+ will offer me games I already own.

 

[Shao Kahn Brewing a Stew]

Additionally, subscribers will always have access to their virtual library of free games for as long as they keep their PlayStation Plus subscription.

Fucking stupid. So fucking stupid. I love the whole discount idea and what not cause I buy alot of PSN games and discount will even up the price and more, but NOT owning it is FUCKING STUPID!

 

[olimpia84]

They should offer a different game apart from LBP. I already own it

 

[spwolf]

Fucking stupid. So fucking stupid. I love the whole discount idea and what not cause I buy alot of PSN games and discount will even up the price and more, but NOT owning it is FUCKING STUPID!

discount is different... this is for "renting" games that you will get for free basically...

 

[Majine]

The idea is good, the question is the execution. Sony does not have the same skills in gathering content easy and quick, as Microsoft. I want them to deliver content throughout the week, not just tuesdays.

Also, even if the value of these items exceeds the amount I'm paying, if I'm not interested in the titles or already bought them, it's a huge fail.

This is a "Wait-and-see" situatution, I guess

 

[chubigans]

The idea is good, the question is the execution. Sony does not have the same skills in gathering content easy and quick, as Microsoft. I want them to deliver content throughout the week, not just tuesdays.

NO. This is a terrible idea. I like all my content in one big package.

 

[valkillmore]

Fucking stupid. So fucking stupid. I love the whole discount idea and what not cause I buy alot of PSN games and discount will even up the price and more, but NOT owning it is FUCKING STUPID!

If you buy a lot of PSN games, then you'll save money over the year anyways to offset your subscription. So I really don't think you should be this angry, at all. And it's not fucking stupid, it's smart, at leasts from Sony's perspective but also the consumer's as the majority of people out there who frequent PSN will see great value in this subscription.

 

[gcubed]

Oh and before I forget Xbox Live subscriptions are region free (I think a few 12+1 codes are locked). So anybody in Australia with access to a computer should be able to purchase a code for a lot cheaper than that EB link.



We are on (GAF) a hardcore gaming discussion website why shouldn't we use the price for Live that we can all get it for?

If I'm personally going to look for the value of each service next to each other I'm not going to pretend to myself that Live is $50 a year so I can justify whatever Sony wants me to pay. I'm giving my own personal opinion and for me personally Live is not $49.99 so therefore if the only way to subscribe to PSN+ is directly through Sony themselves for $50 a year I'm not going to see the value in it.

Who the fuck uses the term - Get over yourself :lol?

apparently i do? something wrong with it?

you are not disconnecting your world from reality. its fine for you to talk about it, but you're being intentionally obtuse (zomg!! Dictionary!!!). Jack Tretton used it because its the MSRP of the service. Should a spokesperson for the company use 56.97 as the price of a new game because thats what amazon sells them for? Amazon may sell the first party move games for 38.57, not 39.99 HOW DARE JACK USE THAT PRICE!

 

[androvsky]

Fucking stupid. So fucking stupid. I love the whole discount idea and what not cause I buy alot of PSN games and discount will even up the price and more, but NOT owning it is FUCKING STUPID!

Stuff you actually buy you own, even with the PSN+ discount. It's only the free stuff that goes away when you quit your subscription.

And even the free stuff you already got is playable again if you renew your subscription later.

edit: Apparently you also get to own any PSN+ exclusive avatars and dynamic themes you get.

 

[JesseZao]

If you buy a lot of PSN games, then you'll save money over the year anyways to offset your subscription. So I really don't think you should be this angry, at all. And it's not fucking stupid, it's smart, at leasts from Sony's perspective but also the consumer's as the majority of people out there who frequent PSN will see great value in this subscription.

That's not what they're betting on. They're expecting people to spend more in the end because of the discounts. If you just got a blanket % discount you could justify it this way, but if it's going to be like XBLA and they just have a game or two on sale that they pick each week, there is no way to know for sure if you'd end up ahead by years end with + vs. if you just bought titles w/o +.

 

[Flek]

question is after like 3 month are you still playing any of your bought psn games? iam not so this "long time renting" might be ok for me

 

[EternalGamer]

I surprised by people's expectations for this service. You are getting a free copy of Little Big Planet and 3 months extra for $49. That means you are paying $3.25 a month.

You expect them to give you PSN games, two minis, and a PS1 game every month to keep forever for $3? Any ONE of those things by themselves is going to cost more than that by itself. Hell, most playstation minis are around $3 a piece by themselves and you get two new ones ever month, a psn game, and a ps one game. And this not counting all the other all the other extras like automated downloads, party chat, betas, demos, Quore subscription, and deals. I imagine if you buy one game from the discounted deals a month that is likely to pay for the $3.25 by itself.

I could understand the expectations if this were a full fledged $20-$30 a month subscription service, but it is nowhere close to that price.

 

[Elios83]

I think PSN Plus definetly offers good value for the money. It's 4 games every month, but more importantly discounts on other contents, free game trials and early access to demos and betas.
The only thing that bothers me is that they should provide a list of contents every month and then each user should choose up to 4 games to download. If they decide the contents every month then there's the risk of people paying for things they don't want which makes the suscription pointless.

 

[thcsquad]

If the automatic updates apply to all games (not just firmware), that might be almost worth the price of admission by itself for me. Free games would just be icing on the cake.

And I can blame LittleBigPlanet for making me so willing to part with $50/yr for such a basic service

The free games by themselves are easily worth $50/yr, too. Yeah, you have to keep subscribing to keep access to them, but that's what I would expect for 4 games per month at the price of $50/yr.

 

[SolidusDave]

I asked some more specific questions about automatic downloading on the eu blog, I don't think it was covered yet in detail:


Q1: Will the patches also install themselves?
A1: yes, patches will also auto install themselves

Q2: How will this work for game demos, will it just automatically download every free demo not yet downloaded?
A2: the demos will be selected new demos so you won’t just be bombarded.

Q3: What about games I bought from a different PSN account/region, will those update, too?
A3: I’m not 100% but it looks at the last 10 games you played, then the 10 before that, etc, and so I don’t see why it wouldn’t.

Bonus Q4: Do you need a subscription for each PSN account on your PS3 if e.g. your brother wants to have PSN+ as well?
A4: It’s the master account that needs to subscribe to Plus but the other accounts on the PS3 will also be able to play the downloaded games [I assume he means the free PSN+ games, so you can share them as well it seems]

 

[AndyD]

I asked some more specific questions about automatic downloading on the eu blog, I don't think it was covered yet in detail:


Q1: Will the patches also install themselves?
A1: yes, patches will also auto install themselves

Q2: How will this work for game demos, will it just automatically download every free demo not yet downloaded?
A2: the demos will be selected new demos so you won’t just be bombarded.

Q3: What about games I bought from a different PSN account/region, will those update, too?
A3: I’m not 100% but it looks at the last 10 games you played, then the 10 before that, etc, and so I don’t see why it wouldn’t.

Bonus Q4: Do you need a subscription for each PSN account on your PS3 if e.g. your brother wants to have PSN+ as well?
A4: It’s the master account that needs to subscribe to Plus but the other accounts on the PS3 will also be able to play the downloaded games [I assume he means the free PSN+ games, so you can share them as well it seems]

Good job on great questions.

Can you ask also how far in advance we know what the free games will be the following months? Because no one wants to buy a game then the next month it goes free in their subscription.