One of the best features of the PS3 over the past few years is that users can access the PlayStation Network and all its awesomeness without having to pay a subscription fee, unlike Microsoft’s Xbox Live which requires a subscription if you want to play online. Now, say what you like about PSN, but the fact that it allows you to browse the store, and play against your friends without paying a fee is great.
So when rumours began emerging a while back that Sony was planning a “premium subscription based” service, we were naturally apprehensive. Launching a service with a built in subscription fee is one thing (World of Warcraft, Xbox Live Gold). Introducing a subscription fee to a previously free service is completely different, and far more difficult to pull off convincingly.
Sony is obviously aware of this, and has created a pretty sweet value proposition with PlayStation Plus. The beauty is that if you don’t want to pay for PlayStation Plus, you will still be able to access the PlayStation Network as you always have without subscribing.
So is PlayStation Plus worth the monthly fee? Let’s recap on what Sony is offering its users from today onwards.
Firstly, what you get.
If you buy a year’s subscription between today and August 3rd, you get a free license to download Little Big Planet. This is a promotional offer, and the game will be playable forever, regardless of your future PlayStation Plus status.
You will also get Wipeout HD, which is one of the PS3’s hottest properties.
You also get a couple of PS Minis. These include Field Runners, Age of Zombies and Destruction Derby (PSOne Classic).
Everything mentioned so far (excluding LBP) will only be accessible for as long as you keep your PlayStation Plus account active. When your subscription expires, if you decide not to renew it, these games will all be locked.
Subscribers will also get two free game trials per month. This means they can download two full games from PSN, and play them each for 60 minutes. Thereafter, they will be given the choice to pay for the game if they want to continue playing.
This month’s 2 featured free game trials are Shatter and Savage Moon.
This month, subscribers will also get the following discounts: : LBP God of War Pack – 50%, LBP: LocoRoco costume pack – 50%, Gravity Crash – 20%, Fat Princess DLC – 20%.
More free stuff: Killzone 2 Steel & Titanium DLC, Heavy Rain Dynamic Themes, LBP Theme, SCEE produced: PlayStation “Game Is Just The Start” Dynamic Theme, 2 x Fat Princess Premium Avatars.
After month one
Following launch month, users will then get new free games, special offers and free game trials every month.
Sony has promised at least 4 free games per month: 1XPSN game, 2XPS Minis, and one PS One Classic.
They have also promised for free 2 new dynamic themes, 2 premium avatars and “premium game elements/add-ons” every month. These are yours to keep, regardless of your PlayStation Plus status.
On top of this, users will get monthly PlayStation Store discounts, ranging from 20% to 50% off various PSN games. Anything you buy with these discounts is yours to keep forever.
Sony has also promised to try and get PlayStation Plus users exclusive access to early betas and demos.
Finally, Sony has introduced a new feature to the PS3, enabling it to automatically download select content from the PSN when you are away. For example, you can set you PS3 to download all Uncharted 2 DLC automatically. As long as you leave it on standby, it will wake itself up, download and install the content, and go back to sleep. You will then be notified of the download when you turn your PS3 on again.
Common misconceptions
Before it was officially announced, it was rumoured that PlayStation Plus will feature cross-game chat. Despite Sony clearly stating in its blog that this will not be the case, this false rumour continues.
Some users also believe that subscribers will be able to choose whichever free games/avatars/themes they want every month. This is not true. Sony will make select offerings available for free on a monthly basis.
What you pay
Finally, the most important variable: pricing.
For a one year membership, Sony is charging R489 (R40.75 per month)
For a 3 month subscription, Sony is charging R145 (R48.33 per month)
Is it worth it?
So for R40.75/R48.33 per month, you get 4 free PSN games, 2 free 60 minute game trials, 2 themes, 2 avatars, and some add ons, as well as discounts from the PSN store and preferential access to new demos and betas.
It seems like a pretty good deal, but it will depend largely on what free stuff Sony offers subscribers, and how good the discounts are.
The first month is a particularly good time to sign up if you don’t already own Wipeout HD or Little Big Planet. These two games are easily worth a full year’s subscription fee.
Finally, PlayStation Plus is only really worth having for high-bandwidth users, preferably with uncapped ADSL accounts. Alternatively, you can use local bandwidth to download from the PSN store.
Will you be singing up for PlayStation Plus? Share your thoughts in the forums.
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