The PSN network is Free? Maybe not for much longer.

[PKerr]

I have read in 2-3 places now that the PSN network will be going through some changes pretty soon and might not be free anymore…sort of.

They also have made mention of the same thing in this month’s Game Informer mag.


http://zombiegamer.co.za/?p=3892


Looks like the hardcore PS3-ers can’t use the argument that XBL is a whole $40.00 - $50.00 a year anymore.

 

[crouteru]

Seeing as online gaming isn't all that important to me, this doesn't bother me in the slightest. I would still enjoy my PS3 offline.

 

[firehawk12]

Yeah, this came up at one of their financials a while ago. I figure they might offer a subscription that wraps in Netflix and Qore and all that other junk. Charging for online play itself though? It's been three years. It's too late to start doing that now.

 

[RoJoHen]

I don't really use the internet on my PS3 except to play things on Netflix. Hmm...I think I'd rather just pay Netflix a little more than have to subscribe to the PSN.

 

[The Fatman]

The rumors now say that existing functionality would be unchanged, and you would pay for a premium service which has things like cross game chat, free access to playstation classics, etc...

 

[Haggis and tatties]

^^^Yeah the access to free games sounds good, that would be a nice feature, free online play and your subscription gets you free games/themes/DLC every year, i wonder if Sony will have a plethora of arcade/PS1 classics ready to push this if indeed its true.

 

[firehawk12]

That was supposed to be Qore though, where you got free games and beta access to big releases.

 

[Haggis and tatties]

Well maybe Qore was a success and they decided to rebrand it and make it available on a worldwide level as a subscription service, i would certainly be interested in subscribing if it meant free access to arcade games or stuff of that nature.

Assuming this is all true though, as far as I'm aware this all comes from a leaked picture and a quote from Kaz Hirai stating

"“SCE will further increase sales by offering users new entertainment through the combination of hardware, software, peripheral and PlayStation Network, especially in the online area, we are studying the possibility of introducing a subscription model, offering premium content and services, in addition to the current free services.”,

And that's it, nothing really, but as long as online gaming if free on the PS3 i will continue to game mostly on a console.

 

[Jim Steele]

Cross game chat and the party system is what MAKES Xbox Live worth the £40 a year. Voice chat support on the PS3 pretty shoddy at the moment, in fact *generally* the whole online gaming experience is just slapdash and ramshackle compared to Live which, while far from faultless, is a pretty decent platform that I'm happy to cough up for.

So if they have to start charging to bring it on a par with Microsoft's offering then I've got no problem with that. Also, PS3 devs, please stop forcing me to click a stick/press a button when I want to talk to people. Especially not on a twitchy, 300mph, one-nanometre-off-and-you're-fucked RACER like WIPEOUT HD! For the love of god Sony, why! WHY!!!

 

[Hermiod]

They'd have to bring PSN up to the same level as Xbox Live in terms of features (easy voice chat, proper invites, easy system for jumping in to the same game as friends etc) for me to consider paying. Otherwise, I would just stick to a free account.

I barely use my Xbox Live account as it is.

I thought the point of Qore, though, was to see more of the lovely Veronica Belmont ?

 

[BigFoot]

^ And Audrey Cleo.

 

[dragunzng]

Fairly certain Dille is referring to the added bonuses they've been polling PlayStation owners about for a few months now.

The basic service will always be free, Sony wants PSN to be ubiquitous across its different platforms, asking people to pay for it would be counter productive.

That was supposed to be Qore though, where you got free games and beta access to big releases.

Isn't Qore published by Future though? They don't have any more affiliation with Sony than OPM did. I'm pretty sure Pulse is more closely affiliated with Sony's game division than Qore.

 

[FordSVT]

I've been saying it to people since PSN launched, as soon as it's worth paying for, they'll charge people. One way or another, shareholders weren't going to be happy with Sony giving away something that Microsoft can sell forever and their user base isn't satisfied with current features. Even if there is still a free PSN service that includes PvP, they'll make it enticing enough for those who play a lot of games online to consider it indispensable.

 

[firehawk12]

There's nothing worth it though, unless they start charging for demos/betas. And since I already pay MS for that privilege (and don't download demos that much anyway), I wouldn't subscribe to any PSN service.

 

[Haggis and tatties]

Fairly certain Dille is referring to the added bonuses they've been polling PlayStation owners about for a few months now.

The basic service will always be free, Sony wants PSN to be ubiquitous across its different platforms, asking people to pay for it would be counter productive.

Yeah the free online play is here to stay, that's a big positive for the PS3 and its not going to change any time soon thankfully.

 

[dragunzng]

^ Seriously, I think Sony has the right idea, make the basic service free (which includes online gaming) and then you can charge for extras like cloud storage, limited access to PS1/PS2 games etc.

 

[Haggis and tatties]

But its all Internet rumor, Sony have not officially announced anything, the only thing that's fact in any of this is that the PSN is free to play online.

But if Sony ever do decided to offer another optional service with added benefits along side the present service i would certainly not begrudge them, it would have to be something really special because at present i get all i need from the PSN in its present form, free online play, free messaging, i can chat in game and see when my friends are online, i don't really need it to do anything else.

 

[Rii]

I'm waiting for the next iteration of GFWL wherein Microsoft actually pays gamers to use it.

 

[Hermiod]

^They'd need to make me want to use it.

 

[Trubinator]

Sony recently clarified their comments. The PSN and all its current features will remain free. The possibility of paying would only be attached to some uber premium service. Now, they may jump the shark and start retroactively 'removing' features to encourage people to pay, but hopefully that won't happen.