Sony Considering Premium PSN Subscriptions
Although Sony plans to add cool features to the PlayStation Network, consumers may have to shell out big bucks.
Sony conducted a recent survey, indicating that the company is considering premium subscriptions for its PlayStation Network service. According to PDFs supplied to Kotaku, the four possible options offered by Sony may cost $69.99 and $29.99 per year, depending on the desired features; $9.99 and $4.99 monthly.
Naturally, Sony isn't commenting on anything outside the official PR belt, however it's not the first time we've heard of possible PSN subscriptions. Sony has already made it clear that it's expanding the network beyond the PlayStation 3 console so that all Sony devices will have access. But what is troublesome is the evidence provided by the PDF schematic of all four possible subscriptions: several options that gamers use now for free will either be part of a paid subscription, or not available at all.
Facebook connectivity, for example, is only offered in Option 2 ($69.99). However, the same plan offers cloud storage space for games, discounts on store content, and free access to PSOne classics, PSP Minis, and premium PS3/PSP themes. Option 2 doesn't offer trophy alerts, the online music service, catch-up TV, or grant access to beta games.
To get an idea what Sony is considering, check out Kotaku's full-blown JPG right here. Sony certainly has quite a load of tricks up its sleeve, however it will be interesting to see what gamers will ultimately accept. Many have waited for cross-game voice chat, and the payment requirements may not have a positive affect.
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Extended warranty sounds interesting...
Netflix access without disc!?? you mean you want us to pay for you to make the netflix app PROPERLY!??
cross game voice chat access should be p2p and free.
free access to ps1 minis ect sounds interesting, I wonder how they would reimburse mini makers tho.
Updates should be free...
actually, the game should be made PROPERLY THE FIRST TIME! if not, updates should at least be free...
lol @ paying for facebook access.
at any rate, I won't pay for any of those features listed there.
I guess Sony should have done this long ago, since now they are STILL losing money for each console sold. Ouch. Hey $10/mo isn't so bad but it's not free anymore. Can't boast that any longer.
sony can suck it, i wont pay for anything, i'll get a 360 and play on live if i'm gunna have to pay
i believe that they are going to keep all that is available at the time associated with the free one and everything else is going to be a price. so whatever ps3 users have now will probably continue to be free.
First Bad Idea. Because one that would make more PC gamers. You dont have to pay to update a game on PC. Next don't have to pay to get on facebook on PC. Third Music services on PC, you can download that music to your PS3. Beta Games on PC are almost all free, a few you have to be a member of like FileFront to get in. I don't know why they charge for Themes you can make your own or download them off the net. Catch Up-TV? what is that? Like if you missed something on TV go on the net and watch it, on youtube or other service. One thing is that if they do charge for PSN Subscriptions wont brother me much because I'll just use my PC more than my PS3. Because if the game is on PC and PS3 I play it on my PC. Automatic Updates and downloads would ruin the PSN because if your playing a game and BLAM it exits because of an update. I think that Sony Customer Service Priority is a JOKE! almost any company now doesn't call you to follow up with you to see if what ever problem you had is fixed or your happy about your exp with the service. Last in final thing if Sony wanted to charge for the PSN service they should have done that from the get go. I think its alittle to late to start charging now. If they do start charging I will at best NOT pay for PSN Services, and at least NOT pay for PSN Services. I understand if you have to pay for an MMORPG on PS3 each month. That won't bother me either.
@RahBoT: wall of text
2 up: stream of consciousness writing of the day
This is why I game on the PC, games are cheaper.. Updates are free and so is DLC at least for now. I have a PS3 and its been a fun ride for free but if this happens even more of a reason not to play on it. Its become my Blu Ray player only anyway and not much else other than looking cool upright next to my Samsung 46" LED HDTV.
funny guys, i didn't see the part in the article where it said that everything PSN offers will be under a subscription
Go PC GO...
$10 per month is too much. People complain about Xbox Live which is miles ahead of the PSN.
This simply isn't practical. The JPEG is stating that a $69.99 option will not have the features of a $29.99 option. Sony needs to have a system with different membership levels with added features for the more expensive options or just have a two option system like XBL. I really hope they don't do this, but on the other hand it doesn't include buying stuff off the store or playing online so I could care less.
Sony messes it up again, I was considering a PS3 until I realised there are almost no PS3 games I want to play. Might aswell stick with my dusty old PS2 which has games I want to play, or just play the PC version.
Best use of a PS3 is computing power per dollar, the USAF knows this.
The downloading and updates on PSN are ridiculous. I spend 90% of the time my ps3 is on updating stuff.
If then start charging for PSN I'm going to be ticked off. I just bought a PS3 and now I'm going to hawk it on CL if I can't game online for free. XBL is worlds ahead of PSN.
I won't pay a dime for PSN. It's garbage.
I stopped using my Xbox when I got sick of paying for the online services. If I have to pay for PSN I will ditch that, too. I guess I'm too old-school and assume online features should be built in for FREE.
If they do this, they instantly loose their competitve edge against the 360. I know more than a couple guys who sprung for the PS3 over Xbox because of the free PSN over the expensive XBL.
XBL cards can be had for $30 all the time on ebay, which comes out to about $2.50 per month. All you need to do is be on the lookout for them. At the MSRP though, I myself would let my gold membership lapse before paying that.
If Sony wants to start charging for their network use, that's fine, but I would hope they don't have plans to do so with the network in its current form. They really need to invest some money into it first to at least give users a better reason why they should start forking over some money, especially at that $70 price tag.
A note to MS and Sony though: I'd be okay with pricing tiers as long as they give an option to game for free online with absolutely no extra features, I could care lees about them anyway (thinking in the sense of how PC multiplayers are).
I have no problem with a premium service if it's worth the money, but I hope that they simplify the options some. That jpg is a mess, and very confusing. Also the PSN is no condition to be a paid service. Now if they give a premium service with the premium price, I'm cool with it.
I feel I get more than my monies worth out of Live, and if you're smart you can pick up a years membership on a card for like 35-40 depending on the sale.
Everything you get now is still free and you can still have a good PSN experience without adding the premium subscription (unlike Live, where you need to pay to play online).
They are not asking you to pay for updates, the update thing is auto update, ie. system will scan for updates to games you own and install them automatically in the background. That way when you start up a game, all of the game and/or system updates will have already been downloaded and installed. No more waiting.
What you pay for seems great to me. If you don't want to pay, you can continue to get what you always had for free. The benefit to everyone is that the revenue from the premium services will in part be reinvested in the PSN, resulting in an overall better experience for everyone.
If they do this, they instantly loose their competitve edge against the 360. I know more than a couple guys who sprung for the PS3 over Xbox because of the free PSN over the expensive XBL.
Actually if you think about it XBL is somethign everyone can afford. paying 3$ a month for premium and great services is expensive? Even my 4year old nephew can afford it. PSN compared to XBL is way back even if Sony has been busting their asses of to compete with it and copy everything thats included in it this whole genof consoles. From Achievements to Facebook.
Till a few days ago I even said in my post that Sony is only trying to compete with XBL so badlyt cause they wanna impliment subs and there you have it. It was just way too obvious. With such low connection speeds and slow data downloads, poor ping for gaming and lacking of even crossgame chatting which only PSN cant do and I cant get why... PSN will just be the worst thing that ever happened to gamers sine PSPGo. Those kind of things only come from Sony. I just dont know how much they will have to fail till they put some new ppl responsible for their strategic moves instead of ruining themselves.