Phew, thanks Sony. If this "extra" content is worth it I may pay. But keeping the free stuff as is (like the all important online gaming) and ADDING premium content is fine by me.

It's when free content becomes premium content that we have a problem.

Chances are it will never make it all the way out here to the UK anyway and we'll stick to the current free content that we get anyway.

inb4 fanboys, trolls, etc...

Meh, it'll probably be something that allows you to download premium and dynamic themes for free among other things. Early access to stuff?

<insert rant 10254.23.14>

I feel I must assert my freedom to comment on an important public issue that SONY has thrust into the vortex of public comment. Here's my side of the story: There is one crucial fact that we must not overlook if we are to perceive our current situation as it is, rather than in the anamorphosis of some "ideology" such as separatism or fogyism. Specifically, there's something I've observed about SONY. Namely, it may not know how to spell "microclimatological", but it unmistakably knows how to bring widespread death and degradation to millions of human beings across the face of the Earth. I've further observed that SONY's eccentricity is surpassed only by its vanity and its vanity is surpassed only by its empty theorizing. (Remember its theory that we should avoid personal responsibility?) Just look at the bill of fare served up in recent movies and television programs and you will hardly be able to deny that some of the facts I'm about to present may seem shocking. This they certainly are. However, SONY's legatees consider its nostrums a breath of fresh air. I, however, find them more like the fetid odor of gnosticism. That's all I have to say about SONY so I guess I'll stop writing now. Oh, and SONY: Before you start formulating a smart reply, don't bother because I'm just not interested.

Whatever prenium stuff there is, Canada always gets half of it, try to justify the same price as the US one.

If they make me pay for Netflix I'm going to be pissed.

As long as they leave the current free model as is (and by that I mean, that they don't take away features and add them to the premium subscription), I think that's fine.

Does it really matter? Knowing how long it takes Sony to do things, by the time this comes out we'll be on Playstation 5 in 2030

Well, if they just leave the tv shows and gaming DLC purchasing alone then I'm fine with that.

But for Qore, you'd definitely want to pay for a subscription as it's a virtual magazine afterall. Perhaps they'll also add online versions of EGM, Game Informer etc...

Part of me really hopes they charge for some real important stuff just so the whiners can get boned.

Yes I am an ass.

They're doing it right, as far as I'm concerned. I will buy collector's editions of games. I subscribed to Qore for extra stuff. I can play online for free but anything I subscribe to will just be icing? I'm good with this, and that's what "premium content, in addition to current free services" sounds like. It's kind of weird, I know, but I'll pay $100 for God of War 3 with a bunch of other fluff crap that doesn't really improve the game while Capcom asking for $5 for the multiplayer portion of RE5 pissed me off.

Optional purchase: Here's my money.
Required purchase: Fuck you.

I like how the story says that online play will still be free, but everyone is worried about it not being free anymore.

I'll pay for a PSN subscription if I get faster downloads and the ability to "rent" movies and the like from the Playstation Store.

Eh I seriously doubt they'll keep their word regarding free online play. PS2 backwards compatibility anyone?

Taking off my cynical hat, really just hoping this is because they're going to add crossgame chat and don't wanna pay for it.

@SexualChocolate:

I play only single player games. Please explain how multiplayer is not optional.

My theory...

Monthly subscriptions for all the videos that you can download in the videostore. Kinda like a netflix, streaming media kinda thing. Instead of buying each episode by itself you pay for a service to be able to watch all you want.

they heavily advertise free online play... I don't think they could remove it at this point - not without a ton of lawsuits anyway...

I agree with everyone else but...

They couldn't possibly charge for cross game chat...right? right?

Here's hoping the use the money to improve PSN, anyway. I'd like things to be as quick as they are on XBL. I'd probably be willing to opt in depending on what they're giving us. I'm actually one of the few who likes Qore, so this would probably be for me as well.

@Gift - PSN is currently a money pit. Sony has been charging Content providers a per data donwloaded amount to put free and premium content on PSN. XBL generates money for it's own upkeep.

How is it so hard to see why PSN os an inferior service to Sony, cp's, and consumers? Hopefully a paid model
for shit like netflix, demos, and Home will at least lighten the load on the Sony servers as well as provide funds for expansion so PSN stops sucking hind tit.

it could be worth it if the fee is small and you get free access to the video catalog- also maybe ps2 titles? remember that leak a while back?

What exactly will this "Premium" service be? I don't see anything significant missing from PSN.

What could they possibly offer that I would want to pay for?

FUCK YEAH. Now sony'll HAVE to do shit like Cross Game Chat if they are actually competing with XBL instead of using the lame "We're free so we'll take our time" excuse. I cannot wait to pay for a PSN the reaches the bar XBL set if they trot out universal music and CGC.

It's pathetic the console with the computing power of a can of Tab can has Parties and universal music and the console helping cure cancer pulls of Facebook and photo albums

@sqlrob - You clearly don't play online much my friend, or at least haven't since the early 90's.

cheaters - PC is where that's at. Save a few old COD map issues, (and they were seriously irritating) it's not a problem. At all.

Racists and Homophobes - This is about PSN, not LIVE. You'll find a higher caliber of people on PSN, possibly down to the kiddies and uneducated scumbags not being able to afford the console. Plus, there is that ever useful MUTE button.

Scheduling? - uh, what? There are always people online, always people to play with, millions in fact. Now and then it pop's up that one of your friends are online and in MW2 at least, you can drop straight into their game.

I've never had to schedule to play online. Any time of the day there are plenty enough people to play with. You get invites, and the OPTION to join / ignore them.

You seem scared of playing online? It doesn't bite! Some mean words can be removed in the blink of an eye with the mute button and you can even get your own back by capping the racist / homophobe and knowing that they're on the other end, going "Oh for fuck's sake!" - Causing real people the annoyance of killing them is what it's all about. Everytime you die, it makes the sweetness of that next kill grow.

Try it, you might like it. It certainly beats the living shit out of going through a developers story, not interacting with anyone real, listening to scripted events and that little bit of satisfaction from doing what they intended you to do all along.

I'd prefer to be given a set of rules and boundaries and to do it MY way, and to know that everyone I shoot is thinking "fuck! He shot me!"

@ midget - dlc? Since when does this have anything to do with dlc?

I prefer online gaming, how does that have anything to do with dlc?

I'm not a big dlc er i play games till i'm bored of them and tend to trade them in by the time dlc arrives.

I don't see your point....