Sony has finally revealed a pay subscription service for the PlayStation Network. The service, called PlayStation Plus, will run you $49.99 for a one-year subscription and $17.99 for three months; it will launch later this month. For a limited time, you'll get three additional months for free if you buy a one-year subscription. While the regular PSN services will not change at all, PS Plus will give you extra stuff and support on top of what already comes free.
Those who do decide to upgrade will get such things as early demos, exclusive access to betas, "free" content like games, themes and PSP minis, discounts on PlayStation Store games, automatic downloads of upcoming demos you may be interested in, and updates. The first month of service will feature Wipeout HD for free, a trial of inFamous, two PSP minis and the PSOne classic Rally Cross. In the second month, Qore will be added.
Of course, this is Sony, so they've gotta mess it up somehow. All that "free" content you're getting, you only own it if you stay subscribed to the service. I guess that's to keep people from signing up for a month, downloading the free games and then leaving, but man, does it still suck.
Contest:
3:22 PM on 06.15.2010 | 
To be honest I'm underwhelmed, but i'll probably get this for the beta access and all the free games.
They start off giving nice goodies, then it drops off into giving you crappy things like GoW3 demo that was released months before, or themes that can be downloaded a month or two for free after you get it for "free" through Qore.
Yeah, I realize that. But it's usually a turn-off for me when I have to pay money for multiplayer.
"Hey look! Another reason I'm not getting a PS3 anytime soon."
How is an optional premium service a reason to not buy something?
Multiplayer is still free. I'm not sure what part of that you don't understand.
1. See a demo, so that I'll spend money to buy your product
2. Play a beta, so that you can fix your product for me to later buy.
3. Download games, that you pick for me.
4. Watch a commercial, so that I'll buy stuff from your publishers.
5. Need to delete what you downloaded for me, because you thought I may be interested in it.
This is much the same feeling that I have about XBox LIVE. Personally, I'm happy with the features of the free PSN.
Maybe--MAYBE--I'd be interested in paying to be able to "rent" downloads PSOne Classics one or two at a time, a-la Gamefly.
I still whip out Mars Matrix and PSOne discs so it's a fair concern, right?
... and where's our cross game chat????
I call shenanigans !
Meaning once you stop paying, you stop having access to the stuff you already downloaded/played.
STOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOPID!!!!
I don't like the idea of "renting" those PSN games at all.
If I sign up for 3 months and you take away those games I got in those 3 months you can go rape yourself Sony with a spiked club.
The idea of added stuff is cool as for $5 a month your getting a decent deal in free stuff but taking that away is NOT cool. Not getting if I don't own anything from it.
How is Nintendo innovative? They've been doing the same 3 games the last 20 years lol.
Except Nintendo should steal ideas on how online should work because their idea of online is piss poor.
No.
This is just dumb.
"Hey look! Another reason I'm not getting a PS3 anytime soon."
Wow... what?
The only thing worse then the services this seems to provide is your comment about it.
Let me get this straight.. you are not buying a PS3.. because you don't want to buy something you totally do not need to buy? OK then.
But wait, there's more.
"Yeah, I realize that. But it's usually a turn-off for me when I have to pay money for multiplayer."
Now this begs the question... what the fuck are you talking about?
If, on the other hand, you lose games you paid for, even at a discount, that sucks arse.
I think we need clarification about what you can keep, & what you lose before we bitch & moan too much.
On the other hand, I'm still not interested in paying for this, as I'm happy with the standard free PSN. Personal preference.
At least I have the choice, & can still play games online for free if I want.