Ben-DutkaWe already know about Sony's consideration of a Premium Subscription Service for the PlayStation Network, but have we thought about a possible influx of MMOs or other games that require a fee to play?
Up to this point, the only examples of these are MMOs and episodic experiences that require you to purchase and download new gameplay portions over a certain span of time. Might we start seeing more of these games in the near future, in an effort to generate more revenue for the ever-expanding PSN? According to another survey Sony has issued to journalists and gamers alike, there is the possibility that you will have to pay to play at some point in the near future; however, bear in mind that we're not talking about paying to play a standard game online. That will remain free, of course; we're dealing with games – possibly like MAG – that would require a monthly fee to play online, like World of Warcraft , for instance. As the article points out, the PS3 could certainly handle the likes of WoW but without a paid subscription service in place, Activision Blizzard probably wouldn't think too highly of the idea. But what do you think of it? "Pay to play" is hardly a new concept, but it might be new for non-MMO-ers who aren't used to the idea.
For those who only casually use the PSN to download a few demos and trailers here and there, you might not be interested in any premium service for either PSN access or playing games. But hey, that's your option. What you're doing now should certainly remain free.
Good for Sony maybe they'll bring us cool free prezzies' and goodies once they raise Xbox Live type money from the subscribers.
😉
But I'm not doing it.
So you're saying you're hoping for free gifts, yet you won't be contributing towards earning those gifts. But you still expect to get some?
It would be on a per game basis so there won't be any "Xbox Live type money."
Yes, maybe they will cozzz' Sony rocks. I got the GOWIII demo code for no specific reason.
Since they'll be making more money wouldn't we get some very little prezzies' anyway? Just occasionally.
I'll let you know right now, if you have to pay to play, I'm not playing.
I'm down with the subscription for premium content. I'd pay to beef up my PS3. However, I will never pay $70 for a game and then go and pay $10-$15 a month to play it after that. I'm semi-interested in MAG right now (even though I might not touch it because there's too many single-player adventures coming out this Spring), but if they're thinking about charging you to play it, I'll be zero interested. And what the hell? The economy looks a little better for a month or so and suddenly Sony is thinking about charging for a load of stuff? Good way to put the low-income gamers back out of commission!
I'm a single player, offline guy, who just downloads some demo's and maybe picks up a tiny bit of DLC if I really love a game. So this isn't for me. But I guess some of those MMORPG games have always been like this, so if Sony wants to make something like that available, it's cool with me.
Just don't start charging me for what's free right now.
I don't play much online so this doesn't really interest me BUT I do remember paying for Motor City Online, that was fun. WOW and similar games do nothing for me but if something like motor city were to come out it might get my attention for a bit.
part of the reason i bought a playstation was so i didnt have to pay to play. i wont be playing these new psn games unless theyre really worth it, i havent subscribed to a game since Runescape in 8th grade.
Runescape is free to play now lol
LightShow: Considering the price gap between the PC games VS the PS3 games, your decision to go PS3 to save cash was "quite illogical", as mr Spock would have put it. You don't pay to play on the PC, except for a genre that does not exist for the PS3… So far. Hopefully this will change that.
@ Beamboom – Your statement to LightShow is bizarre. You think it is somehow cheaper to game on a PC over a PS3? Not everyone buys all games on day one at full retail price. Besides, even if someone did, they don't have to swing by the hardware counter to pick up a new graphics card to play said new release.
Have you seen the prices on PC games lately?
Some random price comparisons, source play.com:
COD MW2 PS3: £44.99 PC: £34.99
AssCreed PS3: £39.99 PC: £26.99
GTA IV PS3: £14.99 (platinum) PC: £9.99
dragon age origins: PS3: £39.99 PC: £26.99
Not to mention the hundreds of top rated PC-releases from a few years back that you get for a mere £5. I've not to this day found a PS3 game that low priced, ever. Not even the flops. There simply is no rational way of arguing that the PS3 is a cheaper gaming platform than the PC. But there are other, good arguments for the PS3!
@beamboom,
today i bought fifa 08 for ps3 in game for 98p, so yeah, ps3 games can be quite cheap if you know where to look.
I've bought at least 2 PS3 games for under $5 (and I'm not counting PSN titles).
Of course you can find good buys amongst the ps3-games too. There are always exceptions to every rule. But if you don't believe me just go compare prices yourself. The difference is simply too apparent to be ignored. And just for the record, I'm a former PC gamer that has converted to PS3 and has no regrets about that.
Pay to play Activision games er… no but I like the idea of discounts.
I just don't see myself paying for any MMO
I'm not liking where this is going….
They're talking about MMO games like World of Warcraft and other games of that type. They are NOT talking about pay to play for regular retail games that have a multi-player component such as Uncharted 2 or Killzone 2.
Naturally it had to happen, it's not like sony hasn't charged for online pay of certain games before, they just never did it on the PS3 because the PS3 hasn't had any games that truely need it so far. But like Beamboom said MMORPGs are a different story and if I can finally play them on my PS3 (seeing as my PC is a huge piece of crap that would never be able to handle them) I don't mind paying. I won't be getting any premium service because I'm quite happy with what I have now, but if I don't mind paying for some games.
P.S. Some people here REALLY need to learn to read through the entire article before commenting
fuk that
All depends really.
Free online is what separates us from the whiny xbot babies, I refuse to be sent into the dark ages, I will not have it, rise up!
Hmm. Heres what I think.
1st that is a lie MAG will not be a fee based MMO.
2nd Stop taking damn rumours so seriously
3rd I got proof. http://boardsus.playstation.com/playstation/board/message?board.id=mag&thread.id=88
But MAG is not a mmorpg either… No consistent world, from what I read at your linked page it's just a large multiplayer fps with rpg elements.
Last edited by Beamboom on 12/31/2009 8:53:29 AM
BeamBoom is right… they have a FPS MMO already and plan to make a sequal… I use to play the crap out of it
I'm into single mode only, so I'm not sure if there will be other content besides MMO's to even interest me one bit at all.
Pay to play ! LOL ! Well I sure hope they find a way to prevent cheating !
Before Sony starts trying to build an online subscription service they should first fix the crappiness of the Playstation 3 !
Lets invest in figuring out why the PS3 overheats, freezes, skips. doesn't read discs, and anything else it does that Sony doesn't explain too well !
No. I prefer the days of buying something once and playing it any time for as long as I want.
The only game I would pay monthly for would be Blade and Soul, and that would have to be really really cheap monthly, lol. I just can't put myself up to paying monthly for a game that I would most likely enjoy way less than a game I can play for free after I buy it.
I'm all for it if the extras are worthy… but I'm not an RPG/MMORPG player so I would have no use for that. Besides, I have no online friends despite having a launch 60Gb (500Gb now).
Trying to get my Brother-in-law to step into the next gen so I will have a buddy.
Add me to friends… I have none… PSN: THE-NTMIDTR
@phade2blaq
It's funny you mention that… my PS3 sometimes starts a game or demo with no sound. When I exit out and go back it fixes it.