Sony thinkng of charging for PSN...

[Malacite]

Re: Sony thinkng of charging for PSN...

Eh, Xbox Live is just a lot flashier IMO. The only real major advantage it has that I find is the profiles. It's annoying as shit not being able to transport profiles or use multiple log-ins during hotseat games. I think Resistance 2 and LBP are about the only ones that support it so far, but it still doesn't work the way it ought too.

They need to give HOME a lot more support too, there is so much potential with that app.

[Ziero]

Re: Sony thinkng of charging for PSN...

It is a sad sad day when Malacite is the voice of reason in a topic.

No Sony will not charge you for PSN functions you can already use now. What they are doing is expanding PSN to work as a backbone to a new universal network across all Sony products. From the PS3 and PSP, to DVD/Blue Ray players and a future new mobile smart phones and eReaders, you would be able to dl movies, music and games across all their products under a single user account. Meaning the more Sony products you buy, the more access you have to this new system to download just about anything and everything you want. PSN as a gaming network will remain completely and 100% free.

PSN to be basis of Sony iTunes rival, accounts top 33 million - News at GameSpot

Xbox Gold far outshines PSN and rightfully so since you pay for it. Seeing how long it took PSN to get to the point where it is now, I just can't see Sony adding enough content in the near future to warrant a premium pay service. Sony needs to get their shit together. I've been playing my PS3 quite a bit more the past year and I'm really glad but I would love to have more features/options/game variety/etc on PSN to hold my interest.

Howso? I mean, what does XBL offer that PSN doesn't? Netflix? Cross game chat? Both of those are coming to PSN, and they're going to be usable without any additional fees. PSN is just as stable as XBL and just as useful with loads of content and demos, and you never have to pay a dime to play online. So how is XBL so much better then PSN?

And I'm genuinely serious about this question because no one has ever been able to fully explain why XBL is so much better.

[Clever Ninja]

Re: Sony thinkng of charging for PSN...

Netflix: Rent as many movies as you want for only $8.99 a month! Free Trial

Google turned that up immediately, Netflix will have an additional fee on the PSN, dunno why you said it wouldn't as Netflix for free would be a big deal for alot of people.

I don't have a PS3 so excuse me if I'm incorrect on a few points regarding the PSN, I've only seen it maybe 4 times from a friends PS3, but to me I believe it came down to what the XBL is capable of, and the fact that it's got alot of features out for awhile while PSN either doesn't have it, doesn't have it at XBL's degree, or its slowly integrating it into the PSN. Which isn't necessarily a bad thing, as you're not paying for PSN.

There are alot of things that XBL started with that PSN put in eventually, but MS still currently has alot of XBL unique things to it, like custom game soundtrack. MS has a patent on the program they use for this on XBL, dunno if PSN added a similar program that achieves the same purpose, but pretty much you can actively change certain game music to songs on your 360, and it'll switch it. Not just playing over the game with music, completely switch it so it's as if the game was designed to queue that song up at X event, allowing you to customize your game music if you so desire since alot of games get repetitive with it after a certain point(looking at you DMC4). Doesn't seem like a big deal, but it's just an example of one of the unique things XBL has.

Regardless, being a PSP owner, I did enjoy what the PSN has to offer for my PSP in regards to Adhoc gameplay online, I tossed in a couple of games while I was over at my friends place and being able to do a 4 person party in Monster Hunter without having to mess with Xlink Kai was beyond amazing, as getting that setup and going can take long. Haven't checked to see if it works with imports, might go back there after Gundam vs Gundam Next PLUS arrives. But currently XBL really only benefits the 360, for anyone who owns a PSP the PSN gives them alot more features, and it seems they are extending this support to other Sony products in the future so that's definitely a plus.

[Tickmeoff]

Re: Sony thinkng of charging for PSN...

PS3 does support custom soundtracks in-game, but it's not available in every game.

There is not much difference between XBL and PSN anymore aside from the placebo effect of thinking XBL is better because you have to pay for it.

[Pai Pai Master]

Re: Sony thinkng of charging for PSN...

Another shitty news blog with a translation error.

Just so you know, Sony doesn't plan on charging users for what PSN currently is. They obviously plan on charging for "premium" content beyond what's currently offered for free: gaming, PlayStation Store, current methods of communication, and Home.

Current PSN members aren't suddenly going to be asked to fork over a credit card number to continue playing their games online or anything like that.

[TheGrandMom]

Re: Sony thinkng of charging for PSN...

Ok most current info I found. It might be old to some.

Sony is considering beefing up their interface with some features like: PSone Classics, PSP Minis, cross game voice chat, online game saves, beta game access, limited free trials, and store discount. They are considering 4 plan prices: 3 would be $9.99 a month or $69.99 a year (HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA) or $4.99 a month or $29.99 a year.

[Jei]

Re: Sony thinkng of charging for PSN...

D: I hope they'd keep the PSN store the way it is. I rarely purchased any games at all but I downloaded a tons of demo.

Unless the $69.99 comes with FFXIV beta...

[Omgwtfbbqkitten]

Re: Sony thinkng of charging for PSN...

I already said it, but Sony needs to have something worth charging for before they do this. When a game has a problem on Xbox Live, developers are on it like white on rice because MS has made strong connections with them. When the same exact game has a problem on PSN, Sony applies their "do whatever" approach and doesn't bother to foster strong ties with the developers to get these issues addressed fast.

Do I think MS uses money as an incentive to get things fixed quickly? Hell, yes I do. They can, because they have subscribers. PSN is so miserable they're losing out sales for PS3 releases for the biggest online games - people just go to live for the likes of Boarderlands or Modern Warfare because they know they'll get their money's worth.

Sony has shown us you get what you pay for with free online service from them - jack shit. They can't even work hard with developers to get PSOne classics on PSN in a timely fashion. Jack Tretton is just all like "Well, they have to bring us the games so we can put them on the network.

The developers know Sony doesn't give a shit, that's why they don't bring them their games so swiftly. They know SCEA and SCEE are gonna do what they always do and sit on what they give them and wait for the "right time" to release content instead of just putting up the fucking content when they have. No, no - we can't have Vagrant Story up in the same time frame as FFVIII, that might affect sales.

Bullshit, these games are over ten years old. They don't compete with anything now, but if they are available and there is demand, people buy the hell out of them. Good games never get old.

[Takelli]

Re: Sony thinkng of charging for PSN...

... They better not charge for the PSN, or the internet services. I mean you PAY to download games off of the PSN. Why would they CHARGE people to BUY games off of the PSN? That seems a bit ridiculous. If they charge you to surf the web, or play online with all of the games, I would just disconnect my PS3 from the internet, and not even bother going online with the games.

[jenova_9]

Re: Sony thinkng of charging for PSN...

the updates and extra features they add from now on are useless and needless (even cross game voice chat is not vital. text messaging already works fine. besides there is little point in having friends on the list if they just talk to each other while playing different games.)


As long as we can play games online at no cost, that's what really matters.

[Takelli]

Re: Sony thinkng of charging for PSN...

As long as we don't have to pay for the PSN, I am fine. Unless you pay a monthly fee to play the games on the PSN with out needing to buy/download them.

I just hope it doesn't cost money for the online service. I just wish they would let you play music while playing games... Wish I could listen to my music while playing CoD...

[TheGrandMom]

Re: Sony thinkng of charging for PSN...

As long as we don't have to pay for the PSN, I am fine. Unless you pay a monthly fee to play the games on the PSN with out needing to buy/download them.

I just hope it doesn't cost money for the online service. I just wish they would let you play music while playing games... Wish I could listen to my music while playing CoD...

Well I'll guess and say that there may be some games that will be free to play multiplayer online but there probably will be far more games that take advantage of their pay service. Just cracks me up how they used to use the "We're free!" defense against the X-box to garner support but now they are going to "stoop to Microsofts level" and start charging for stuff.

[Pwnagraphic]

Re: Sony thinkng of charging for PSN...

They're thinking about charging for certain things.. If you took the survey, they had example premium packages. So basicially, you can still play online games and use the PS store and pretty much everything you can do now, but if you want Cross Game chat, streaming Hulu, etc.. you gotta pay for a premium subscription. Cross-game chat may be here late spring according to someone who supposedly got an early issue of a gaming magazine.

[Malacite]

Re: Sony thinkng of charging for PSN...

Did no one see the CES keynote address by Kazuo Hirai? Go watch it @ GT, should clear things up.

[DakAttack]

Re: Sony thinkng of charging for PSN...

Howso? I mean, what does XBL offer that PSN doesn't? Netflix? Cross game chat? Both of those are coming to PSN, and they're going to be usable without any additional fees. PSN is just as stable as XBL and just as useful with loads of content and demos, and you never have to pay a dime to play online. So how is XBL so much better then PSN?

And I'm genuinely serious about this question because no one has ever been able to fully explain why XBL is so much better.

Microsoft's firmware is just better than Sony's, and XBL is just a part of that. Pretty much anything you can do as the first player, you can do as the second, third, or fourth. On the PS3 only the first player logs in, only he/she gets achievements, or to talk with other people, or to send messages, etc. The second player gets shafted. This is a problem.

There are other differences between the firmware, but I'm equally satisfied with both the PSN and XBL.