We've been hearing a lot about it, and it has now been officially unveiled.
As expected, this will not replace the free-to-play model always held by the PlayStation Network; what has been unveiled as "PlayStation Plus" is merely an option. SCEA head man Jack Tretton detailed the new subscription choice: it'll give you access to exclusive content designed specifically for gamers; this includes new digital content of all kinds, from both Sony's worldwide studios and their partners. There will be select demos and other goodies if you wish to ante up; Tretton called it a "full-product offering" that features "hundreds of dollars" worth of content for the willing subscriber. Plus will debut towards the end of this month and you can snag a yearly subscription for $49.99 or a three-month subscription for $17.99. Much like Xbox Live, you can also get three free months if you wish to give it a shot, and you will watch as Plus continues to expand on a monthly and even weekly basis. All sorts of DLC from avatars to whole new levels will be available to you and considering the price, that's not exactly outlandish. Sony calls it an "unprecedented value" and as it most certainly is an option, we have to agree with that assessment.
So if you want to just keep doing stuff for free, go right ahead. If you want more, the Plus option will be there. Nice, no?
where's my cross game chat??
i know i dont "need" it…. but wtf…
$50 isn't bad for all that's included in the package…. it might be a good deal
I agree. Nice package, but what's up with cross game chat? Any word? Coming for free? Part of the Plus package?
They did indicate that new content and new services would come through PlayStation Plus. Perhaps you need to use some patience instead of spamming every thread with the same demand?
if cross game chat finally arrives it should be free, and not limited to subscription holders…
…otherwise it'd be pretty useless.
http://se.playstation.com/playstationplus/
it says on the offial swedish site that ps+ supports cross game chat, yet on the british and american sites theres no mention, you'd of thought they would of bigged this up alil more, or maybe they were gunner keep this a secret until it happend tho it does say if you have the ps+ and your friend dosnt then you can still talk to them
the poeple who complain about cross game chat make me laugh. I guess i cant look at it from there side though because really, i just dont mind not having it.
@BigRailer
Me too. I just don't get why this feature is considered to be a deal breaker by some.
Cross-game chat is one of those features you won't miss if you've never tried it. The convenience of the feature is overwhelmingly understated for those who are very active in the online space. Its obvious that those who do not participate in online multiplayer very often would ever care about having such ability.
This is currently the most desired feature for the PS3 than anything else Sony has brought to the table since in-game XMB access.
I don't think it is wrong to slam someone for wanting a valid feature that many PS3 owners would like to have.
Note: I said "many PS3 owners" not "all". Not "most". And absolutely not "you". Cross-game chat is a very useful enhancement for those who like to take their PS3 online.
Last edited by Nynja on 6/15/2010 8:32:53 PM
Nynja-
First off I wasn't trying to slam anyone, those were hardly my intentions.
Second at least 50% of my gaming is done online, and I still don't have the same urge or passion some people do for it. The way I see it, is the people I need to be chatting with, or wanting to none the less, are in the same game with me anyways!
Hey I know all the perks about cross game chat, trust me. What I'm curious about is despite it being convenient. What good is it to be able to talk to a friend who isn't playing MAG (as an example), with you? I mean unless you wanted to invite him to dinner, or maybe a different game, (which can be done elsewhere by the way), what makes it so amazing?
If people want it thats one thing and its great. I am in no way saying it wouldn't be a welcomed addition. But for me there is no reason to raise a fus about it! Plus it looks like it may be coming with the plus subscription so, there ya go!
Last edited by bigrailer19 on 6/15/2010 11:43:14 PM
bigrailer;
Sorry if I came across harsh, it was not intended at you.
What frustrates me are those PSN friends who refuse to give out their phone number so I can speak with them while playing a game. Why would I ever want to do this? Let me explain;
Ex 1: When I am playing a single player game and PSN friends start spamming me to join them in an online match. Sure I could use PSN messages to communicate, but I much rather have the convenience of opening a chat channel with them to let them know I'm working towards a save point.
Ex 2: Lets use MW2 – I'm in a party that's currently full and in a game. My friend is trying to join me and I wish to let them know what is going on and that I will party up with them shortly. Again, I could just send a PSN message but doing that while playing an online match?
Ex 3: Demon's Souls. If I wish to play this with a friend, currently we must communicate via telephone in order to coordinate joining games. Trying to do this using chat in Demon's Souls is a joke, unless you wait in the Nexus.
Ex 4: Not all my online friends are very bright. When setting up lobbies or online matches (i.e.: RA3, R6V, SOCOM, etc) some need guidance to get the game setup properly.
Having to coordinate with online friends is very complicated on the PS3 when compared to the 360.
plus would look nicer if they put in an improved download for all stuff because i noticed some items download faster than others for whatever reason
@Nynja,
Yes, but that still does not make the presence or absence of Cross game chat a deal breaking feature.
Highlander;
You are right, no it doesn't. I can't honestly think of anything that I would consider a deal breaker. I do know that for online features, cross-game chat is one of the most requested on the PlayStation Blog and Forums.
As for the PLUS service, I'm not convinced yet. If it did include more community features such as cross-game chat I would consider getting the service more so than now.
It actually sounds good. Ben did you see Gabe? 😛
i will try the free version and see what it is like. if i like it i dont know if i will blow 50 bucks on it but i will have to see first. 18 for 3 months isnt that bad.
12 months in a year. 12/3 = 4 pay periods. $18 * 4 pay periods = $72 per year. Worth it to get the full year if you're just going to pay every 3 months. I think the 3 month thing is something for those not interested in using it all year round.
Awesome. Not only does it still giving free play letting us continue what we're already doing, but we can get stuff for more. A lot of that stuff on the list would cost 1-10$ anyways for premium digital media. The 3 free months is a huge bonus too, so if you're skeptical, you can give it a shot to determine if it's worth it for you.
most definitely. just how do i ge those 3 free months
Free games, content, … for as long as you have the subscription, not a bad deal. I'm getting it for sure.
I was gonna ask if you would after that huge melee last time it was mentioned.
I wonder though, if you cancel your subscription do those games you downloaded expire? Thats how it sounded to me.
That's what I would draw form the comments, for now. Subscription expires, games expire. I think I'll be signing up for 3 months and getting the free 3 month bonus. $17.99 for six months, to try it out, doesn't sound bad at all.
Did anyone catch the detail about Qore? Is Qore automatically included with subscription? That sounds great.
Last edited by fluffer nutter on 6/15/2010 4:19:24 PM
I think he did say Qore would be included in the service.
Yeah, he said it would be included. Kinda glad because my subscription runs out this month, and I really didn't care to get it again.
Qore itself costs $24.99 per year by itself. It would be a great deal for existing Qore subscribers.
@Jawknee,
I think it was stated from the platform that you'd have access to the content for the duration of your subscription. So once the subscription is up, you lose it.
Now the interesting thing is this, after a year on the service you'll have all these extras on your PS3 that you are used to. If you stop your subscription, those extras stop working. That's a built in incentive to re-up. I love it, this thing is optional, online play remains free and yet once you are on the hook with the content, you either stay on the hook or feel the pain of losing content. Very smart business.
I wanna see what they're offering first. then…
but kudos sony for keeping the free to play thing. nice guys you are.
Last edited by Zorigo on 6/15/2010 3:42:00 PM
damn whats up does it have crossgame chat?
This is precisely what many of us said it would be. All existing PSN services remain free. So thank you for your scare-mongering folks, now can you start trusting?
I didn't think they were going to make us pay to play, I didn't know what was going to be in the package or the price tag.
I thought everyone KNEW it would stay free to play. That was a huge staple of the PSN. Why would they commit PR suicide by taking that away?
The scare-mongering was never taken seriously. At least not by me, anyways.
Last edited by Underdog15 on 6/15/2010 5:04:24 PM
I would have liked a few PS1 classics thrown in with it, but if I ever have the money I'll consider it.
some ps1 classics are thrown in man
Did he say that? no extra cost? I didn't hear it I had some background distractions.
Yes, he said that. I can't remember what the initial line up was, but it included PS1 classics.
now that canada finally gets the video side of the psn store, they should add in weekly movie rentals into it.
I like the idea of a trial and am extremely happy it's not in the plans to make the currently free part of the network.. well.. no longer free. However, I will still pay for the Pluse membership if the content offered is of a wide enough range and high enough quality
What happens when you download stuff while you have a 3 month subscription, but then decide to cancel it. Does all that content now become unplayable or will it forever be accessible?
My understanding is that anything you get as part of your subscription will only be accessible as long as your are currently subscribed.
I'm still skeptical of the value, particularly if everything disappears from your system if you stop subscribing.
I'd rather keep buying things a la carte, but I'll definitely take the free taste.
Well, it looks like the 3 free months only apply if you buy a year and I already own most of the announced freebies, so I guess I won't be trying it after all. At least not until they make it worth my while.
This is the key word " optional " not forced a lesson some platforms need to learn……. added value is a under statement fee DLC free games includes priority beta testers, free quore no need to dish out 25 bucks again.. these alone are worth the price with free games thrown in to boot. i'm excited and eager to subscribe as soon as available….
Hopefully those outside the US getting something else instead of the free Quore subscription. The UK has FirstPlay but what about all the other countries?
I'm willing to check this out. It definitely sounds like a great deal for the price.
I was really surprised about the 3 free months thing. I'm sure once I get used to it I'll have to keep it 🙂
I think thats the idea 😉
To consider it I would have to upgrade my hd as space is short for downloadable content. Maybe in the future.
Check out pricewatch when you do. I got a great deal on a 500GB from there. I'm thinking it ran me about $70 a year ago. Probably even cheaper by now.
Sorcery! It's all 'bout Sorcery!
Heroes on the Move is looking great as well!
—
PSN+ is a good OPTION. The great thing is that it's only an option and not "mandatory" like on xbox live (I know it's mandatory there either), but without it it's like you're not even part of it.
Last edited by Scarecrow on 6/15/2010 5:04:49 PM