Today we are announcing that Qore: Presented by the PLAYSTATION Network, a highly interactive, monthly lifestyle gaming program covering the world inside PLAYSTATION is on its way to PS3. Qore has been developed to give PS3 users early access to game related content at a level of quality, interactivity and depth. Everything is filmed in HD. Qore will feature exclusive news, developer interviews, in-depth game previews and behind-the-scenes looks at PlayStation games and special access to game demos, special beta invitations, game add-ons and other downloadable game-related content.
Our premier episode will be available on Thursday, June 5. The premier episode includes in-depth exclusive and never-before released content on upcoming PlayStation titles such as SOCOM: U.S. Navy SEALs Confrontation, Star Wars: The Force Unleashed, Secret Agent Clank, Soul Calibur 4 and Afro Samurai, as well as the latest Blu-ray Disc trailers, an exclusive SOCOM: Confrontation theme with an invitation to the SOCOM: Confrontation beta, art galleries and other surprises. We also know that many of you are big fans of Veronica Belmont, the widely-known host of numerous online video programs and podcasts and an avid gamer, so we’ve chosen her to be your host.
To get Qore, simply log onto PSN and go to the PLAYSTATION Store, as you would purchase any other form of downloadable content. Once the single Episode or annual subscription is purchased, that month’s episode will be downloaded under the “Game” heading on the Cross Media Bar (XMB). Users who purchase the “Qore Annual Subscription” will notice only that month’s episode is available to download. The following month, the new episode will automatically appear in your download list. The introductory price for Qore is $2.99 for a single episode and $24.99 for an annual subscription of 13 episodes, using your PLAYSTATION Network wallet.
As Peter Dille mentioned in a previous PLAYSTATION Network post, the broader service and community initiatives launching on the PLAYSTATION Network this year such as Qore, PlayStation Home and the Video Download Service are all evidence of our dedication to delivering an all-encompassing entertainment experience for PS fans. Qore is the first in a series of planned original programming specifically created for the PLAYSTATION Network community and we hope you enjoy it.
Wow. $25 a year for a Playstation commercial. Really? I’m shocked. It does kinda seem like they are attempting to charge for demos doesn’t it?
I can’t believe that for so long Sony PR has given XBOX live a hard time for being a pay service, and then put this out. At least XBOX live provides gaming functionality.
I think people a little bit confused. They seem to think demos are pay only now..
This magazine sounds GREAT! My only question is how will back issues or previous months content be handled? I like to save back issues of magazines so I’m wondering how this will be available for annual subscribers and only one issue a month on the XMB?
Nice, Europe gets screwed over again.
You do release that Sony PS3 has a bigger user base than NA? Yet Europe gets shafted on just about everything.
awesome
this is the DUMBEST thing i have ever SEEN. im not paying any thing to play a DEMO!!!!! i hope this flops!
this is a great idea,but making us pay,im not to sure about.
atleast make the first episode free,if your making us pay ,it better be worth it,unlike the crappy store updates.
this is really making the (free)network semi-free.
I really hop the bulk of our weekly updates don’t come from this Qore Thing. That would mean that people will be forced to pay 25 buck to get the stuff the got for free before this came out and that would mean that SONY is trying to find ways to introduce paying for complete access to the PSN. I think this is the start of something new for SCE More Pay to Play coming soon. I dread that the ones who don’t have a subscription would be like “where’s all the demos trailer wallpapers themes and such that we’re us to getting?” While those who pay are getting them every week. Sony you guys need to clear the air as to exactly how this thing is going to work.
People, Sony’s trying to make money by doing this. XBL demos are available to silver members 1 week later than Gold members.
(i hope they do the same thing)
I have a question myself. How much of the new content will there be to justify a person (like me) who already subscribed to Playstation:The Official Magazine?
It seems to me that the Star Wars Force Unleashed Segment looks to be the same content as a previous issue of the magazine.
You’re not paying for online. It’s like paying for a Magazine. You buy it for the content of the podcast, but you may get content ahead of everybody else and exclusive content like certain themes, etc.. That’s like the demo disc that comes with the magazines. If this was on live you would have to pay for live subscription and then pay for the videocast.
ohh yea ITS OPTIONAL
It says “special access to game demos” not your paying for regular or all game demos. Yes a clarification and confirmation would be helpful to assure us demo’s won’t be pay to play. But …
… who the hell would charge for a game demo and who would pay for it?
Your also not paying for one thing it all comes in one neat little cheap package if you purchase the annual subscription, otherwise at $2.99 an episode it will end up costing about $11 extra a year.
Really I am amazed by what we have for free now.
Home (For now)
Dedicated Servers for games like Warhawk
PSN
VoIP
Video Chat
Firmware Updates (This is HUGE) Normally to get a new feature or enhancement you have to buy a new machine like the example of BD Live 2.0 and DTS MA or perhaps Firmware 2.40 with a little functionality that should have been in the box!
Firmware 2.40 FTW!!!!
I think it’s a fair price for an easy access magazine. At least I won’t be afraid to ruin the pages hehe, seriously, HD Videos instead of pictures, can’t beat that, plus extra content. I’m lazy, I prefer having someone telling me than having to read it hehe.
What I’m wondering is if this is going to be available via remote play? it would make it more like a portable magazine that way.
I’m fine with the service. Hell, I might actually do it, but my understanding behind this is that this is planned to see exactly how many people pay for this service, and if the numbers are high, then they’ll say “Well, the majority of people on PSN can stand to pay for this sort of thing, maybe we should make the Playstation Network a Pay-to-play service!”
And thats what I hope doesn’t happen. I don’t game that often, and I’m mostly just talking to my friends in other countries, or states, so I won’t pay.
Call me paranoid, but I’m just thinking ahead.
I’m 25 making quite a good salary, but i have to say… $24.99 is a bit steep for monthly episodes. Maybe its more then i realize, like priority beta testing selections and such. But $12.99 would be a much more reasonable price.
Hey Europe I will trade you Qore for PlayTV!
Susan, Jeff, someone please explain in your nice red letter so all these people can understand how this works.
This is like a magazine… Like the ones you can spend wha $6 for in the stores. This will not change the fact that the network is still free.
I’m sure if there are any demos included… subscribers will only get them early… Just like if you subscribe to PSM which may come with a demo disc or something.
I don’t see any issues with this. I’d actually rather have ditigal magazines. There’s so much more that could be done with them.
Shoo I’m in..
Hey.. Ever thought about online comics… Would be cool…
I’ll pick up the first episode to see if it’s worthy of the $25/year price tag.
Can’t wait to watch Qore on youtube for free. Or download it off the net for free outside of the psn.
A good idea might have been to use this subscription for a hd video rental store.
I just hope ps3 demos come out 1 day later than their 360 counterpart for multiplatform games as they have before for people who don’t subscribe to this bad idea.
A really good feature for this qore stuff would be to have direct access to the people who make the firmware. Each month, subscribers would make a list of reasonable firmware features they would like to see added, vote on which one should be implemented, and the feature request that won would appear in the ps3 firmware update at the end of the month. And by reasonable features, I mean such things as a clock on the xmb, or the ability to change the album data for multiple pieces of data simultaneously.
@62 Haha, Never! ^^;
SUPPORT THE EUROPEAN BANKING SYSTEM!!!
or click&buy or paypal, because YOUR LOSING SALES!!!
i wonder if they plan on doing the FW 2.4 announcement on here (Qore) first to encourage people to get any other exclusive news
I wonder wha beta may be included in the future….
Say.. LBP??
I recently sold my 360 and purchased a PS3. Part of the reason I did so was because I was sick of paying for Live.
I like my PS3 way better in many ways, better control pad, quieter system and HDMI RGB being the highlights so far. Bummed soem other things mainly some of the blurrier graphics/frame rates, but considered lazy developers/newer development environment main issues. I felt trapped on xbox live and felt like a weight was taken off my shoulders going over to PSN.
I got to say though, This Qore worries me. Why should people have to pay to help a developer? (beta)
So now if I don’t pay the “introductory price” I may miss a beta/demo?
Careful, I may go AWOL from “next gen” and just get a Wii soon, if this goes bad.
If everything, and I mean EVERYTHING on PSN was currently free I would understand the concerns. But it isn’t. Not even right now. If you want Warhawk add on packs, you pay. If you want COD4 maps, you pay. If you want a multimedia magazine – Qore, you pay. That is all it is – another item on the store. People panic and act like it is the MS plague.
Besides, if there is anything that brings more beta tests and demos to the PS3 then I am all for it. I for one am tired of getting a broken product because it never received the same demo/beta as my 360.
This sounds suspiciously like the beginnings of an XBox Live Gold subscription type service. Given we paid a lot of money for the PS3 initially I can’t see why we should then pay more for special access to demos, themes etc. I know we don’t have to purchase it, just as you can get a Silver subscription on the 360. Doesn’t matter, it still sucks.
yay, MS’s live service tainted the PSN! Great, noiw Qore = Gold members.
Really, I feel somewhat cheated, and it’s way too pricey. Beta acces could be on a subscribtion based thing, but not info/ demos/ videos, that’s just stupid.
I agree with 53, I hope this flops.
yeah, paying for demos ?
im hope that the PSN will be always a free service.
I don’t know if this is the greatest idea ever or the worst idea ever. I think QORE may open a bridge that would lead to paying for everything on PSN
Sounds pretty cool. I’m going to have to wait and see how this turns out. I actually had an idea like this: PlayStation TV, but making it interactive is what makes you guys the pros. :D And what is up with posting this article at 3AM? You guys DO sleep, right? :P
A lot of you have to realize that all of your whining and complaining on update days is because you aren’t getting the quality of service that box is, and the reason that is is because they aren’t charging you for the funds that would fuel this service. THIS is what would provide us with overall better content. And this is still just an option- there is no “pay to play” going on here. We’ll still receive everything we received before, whether that’s a good thing or a bad thing. Obviously, people who subscribe to this will get more goodies than you, at least earlier than you, but that’s what happens when someone pays more than you.
I just want to know if it’ll impact on the way demo’s are distributed. Like the demo’s you get on here, will they be exclusive (never given to the people who don’t pay) or is it timed exclusive and then given to the non-subscribers?
Nice stuff though, I hope it has some quite cool and in depth interviews cos I love those and being able to try lots of beta is cool. Kinda sucks for those that don’t pay though if they lose out on content.
So, how are we pronouncing “Qore”…Is it “cue-or”, “qwar”, or “core”, or something weird like “chore”? Honestly…
I agree paying for demos is dumb, but I guess if hardqore people want to get them early and are willing to pay, then go for it. I only play sports games, so I doubt they’ll make this worth my while…probably wall-to-wall FPS coverage.
Here’s a link to a description of Qore that is better than the one provided on the blog.
https://blog.wired.com/games/2008/06/qore.html#more
@47 Okay, I agree, but it isn’t hard to put in a subtitle into a mpeg4 stream or video or whatever format they will adopt for the video content if this is the only problem. A translator could translate a 1 hour video in about 30 minutes, so where’s trouble? SCEE are making a lot of buzz about localization and I can understand them, but have you seen that there are games released in the US and Europe is only getting these games 6-7 months later (especially PSN games). Now don’t tell me that PAIN for exemple took 6 months to translate … SCEE is a shame for Sony let’s be honest … They think that everything is good in EU as sales are pretty high compared to let’s say 3-4 years ago, but if they would do the job SCEA is doing I think they could double the EU sales. Not to talk about the fact that half of europe doesn’t get a PSN store … So, if I know the english language, why shouldn’t I be able to jost listen and watch everything in english?
Back to translations: I work in the software industry, for a little company here … We had to translate a pretty complex software and presentation to german not so long ago.(Belive me when I say that maybe more complex than an average game) We did the translation with the help of a professional translator who couldn’t dedicated to us his time more than 2 hours/day in 1 week … 1 week man … So don’t get mad on me when I say I have a huge disrespect for the SCEE stuff who is doing the PSN Store and localization, who couldn’t deploy since the original PS3 lunch in europe only to an aditional of 4 countries I think, and I have a huge respect for the SCEA team who are doing an extraordinary job on the PSN …
I completely understand we’re all entitled to our own opinions. However I totally feel that everyone who is complaining are just reading into this way too much. No where does it say that unless you subscribe to Qore that we won’t get all of the regular content every week, in fact it’s saying hey we’re going to offer a new service on the PSN, basically an Interactive E-Zine that gets you access to exclusive betas, demos, themes, etc…. Is that wrong, no, would we prefer access to this without the subscription, yes. But it’s still a good initiative. Stop comparing it to the other system and look at it for what it is. To get access to the Beta of MGO, you had to pre-order the game early, to get early access to betas or early access to PC games you have to pre-order, all where you are paying for something. How many gaming magazines you have to “PAY” for have “exclusive” reviews, previews, and back in the days when they came with discs, access to exclusive demos. Did we complain then, no, we went out and bought it just for that. However people are acting irrational because they feel entitled to this content. Sony isn’t going to just drop support for the regular PSN Store, it’s just some extra content at a premium price. If you don’t wanna pay for it then don’t, they aren’t forcing you, but they aren’t pulling a fast one on you either. If there is something in an issue you want then pay for it, don’t get the yearly subscription. This is personally a great move for Sony and although I’m not sure whether or not I’ll be caving in and signing up for this, just be glad that Sony is working on new and diverse ways to enhance you’re Playstation Experience.
I read somewhere(IGN I think) if you sign up for a year, you get Calling all Cars for Free.
I already own Calling All Cars. Can I get something else for free?
@81: And it never says if the people who don’t pay still get the demo’s all the same either so it’s not just a case of people being paranoid. There’s a lack of information on how this content is available (if it is eventually available) to the non-subscribers (just talking demo’s here). There’s nothing wrong with a service that offers extra stuff but what happens if Sony decides it can pay companies to put there demo’s on the service since they’ll get the money back with the subscriptions? You’d slowly see companies putting more demo’s as exclusive payed for content and less free content. Unless the demoes you are paying for are eventually released to everyone in which case it’s still a matter of delaying the people who don’t want to pay so it does have a negative effect on those who just don’t want to pay. Those who bought a PS3 and like the idea of free online could be slowly coerced into paying for this subscription.
And then there’s still more to come as the article states ‘ As Peter Dille mentioned in a previous PLAYSTATION Network post, the broader service and community initiatives launching on the PLAYSTATION Network this year such as Qore, PlayStation Home and the Video Download Service are all evidence of our dedication to delivering an all-encompassing entertainment experience for PS fans. Qore is the first in a series of planned original programming specifically created for the PLAYSTATION Network community and we hope you enjoy it.’
So what more will come that we’ll pay for? And would this possibly affect those that don’t want to pay too.
https://blog.wired.com/games/2008/06/qore.html
After reading this article it sounds like this Qore service is SCEA’s version of Xbox Live Gold Service for half the price per year. So you will be: paying for ads, access to content that should have been what they added to the store in the first place instead of the usual movie trailers you can get from Apple’s website way in advance, early access to demos, themes, etc… instead of free which was their big sticking point towards Live.
Well after all the broken promises from Sony this generation this should be interesting to see where it goes. I guess paying for an online service is the only way the Playstation network will see any sort of improvement. At this point why bother complaining about what Sony promised before? It’s quite obvious they’ve lost touch with the gaming crowd or any common sense given how SCEA and SCEE seem to run their respective regions. The fact each region acts on their own accord with their own set of rules and regulations is one of the many problems facing the online service.
@5 & 17
You guys have this all wrong the Playstation Network with regards to access to multi-player gaming, Text and Voice over ip communication not to mention video Chat. Are free however I believe Qore Is the newest form of the Playstation Magazine This time in digital form?
Hi Susan,
Any Idea when Sony Official Launch its Video on Demand with regards to having broadcast channels available i.e HBO, NBC, ABC The Disney Channel Not to mentioned the Cartoon Network Channel similar from what MS is offering its install base with its services?
@80 I do agree it takes excessively longer to get things to Europe 6 months is way too long but they are also translating to more than one language. Like I said, it is unfortunate you can’t take advantage of this even though you know English I would have to believe that Sony is working on this issue because after all it is a business and I am sure there is some untapped revenue there.
SCEE is a little off; the boss at SCEE I think is a goof ball.
I am not mad at you obviously you understand what goes into it a lot of people don’t so hopefully our conversation will educate some people.
Also it might help if on “Qore” Sony walks us all through the process of bringing a game to other regions.
I feel the pain like when Japan gets all these bad ass games that take at least 6 months to hit the USA.
Another thing I just thought of is publishers; they do have to secure publishers in different regions like Armored Core is not published in Japan by Agetec or Sega as here in the USA.
Still I think Sony needs to walk us through the process and show us how it’s done.
With online capability gaming is much more global now and I don’t think the PlayStation division was really ready for it fully.
For example the PSX has everyone heard of that, The PS2 with a TV Tuner and DVR hard drive inside? I would bet not so many have heard about it as if Japan got a special version of the PS3 I would bet the whole world would know about it in a matter of hours.
One final note for #80 I think the solution would be the language based stores it does alienate people who don’t speak English but for an immediate solution that’s probably the best one until SCEE can get it together.
@83: I see where you are coming from as far as the devs/publishers deciding to offer demos to the E-Zine in turns of making some money. However I personally am aware of the whole backseat politics that go into magazines. I am aware publishers will pay for advertising, but they don’t get a cut of the magazines profits. As far as demos go, I’d presume it’s the magazine who is paying for exclusive use of their demos and in that sense you’re point becomes even more evident. We’re really going to have to wait and see how this thing fleshes out. However as we all realize this is a business and they have to make decisions that can affect us positively/negatively to keep them going. They are entitled to change their services accordingly just as we are entitled to not use them or their system if we do not like they way they are running things. But again I don’t see them trying to get rid of the philosophy they designed the PSN around. It would be a huge 180 and cause a lot of problems for them as a business in the long run. While it would probably improve the service in the long run, the immediate affect would be serious. People would probably feel that if they are going to pay for such an online service they are going to go elsewhere where that service is already established and not have to worry about this new one catching up. As far as Home is concerned, we already know the “core” experience is going to be free and once again the premium and additional content will have an allocated fee. It’s a no brainer we’re going to have to pay for those videos when that download service opens, the only question there is how much. They’re going to have to price them competatively because the other system already has a similar service.
Wow! You’re charging for this? That’s hilarious. We’ll be paying you to advertise to us! Get your money ready, suckers!
Is there really that many whiny baby morons on here? It amazes me the crap you people cry about blog after blog. Where’s my XMB? When’s Home coming out? Why are you charging for thism that and the other thing? WAH WAH WAH.
It has never been a secret, since before the next gen consoles came out it has been very open by ALL the consoles that their business model was to aim for micro transactions. This was where all the companies were going to make their money and NONE of them are the exception. You still have to pay for things on the Wii just as you do on the PS3 or the Xbox. When was the last time any of you were on a Wii? Are you that blind? You still have access to the PSN for FREE! You still can play your games online for FREE! You still get updates to some of your games for FREE and yes on some you pay a small fee.
They are offering you a service here for $2.08 a month to get content, access and information you can’t get otherwise or you can pay $2.99/episode if you don’t want to pay for a whole year. I am sure most if not all of you waste more than that a month on frivolous items.
PSN has done a great job bringing content to its users and updates for FREE that add functionality and features! Go look at how much your PS3 has changed since it came out and see if you can still complain. Is it always going to be what you want or great in your eyes…probably not.
What’s sad is when Home and in game XMB come out, which I am sure will be soon enough, you will still find a reason to cry and complain. If you hate it so much go play your Xbox and Wii so we don’t have to hear it anymore.
I hope that subscribers can submit questions for developer interviews and for other bits of information. That would be one thing that would make the community feel closer and connected.
you are all missing the point here. what mrs Susan Panico is not saying in her post (shame on you) is the following (and I’m quoting from the press release)
“Qore will be supported by an innovative ad model that incorporates HD rich-media advertisements such as trailers, interstitials, and contextual ads into the presentation.”
I mean..come on. It is bad enough that we have to pay for trailers and interviews, which by the way are marketing tools for any games out there, games which are not free, but they want to insert “trailers, interstitials, and contextual ads” too. They why are we paying a subscription? So, they will make money from the games we buy based on the hype Qore creates, then get money from those paying for the ads and also get money from us in the form of a subscription. Is this the definition of greed or am I lost here? Yes, I understand that there will be beta access but those are just betas. we test the game for them so why pay for that? early demo access? is this something we should pay for? aren’t demos ment to sell a game? which again we pay for? don’t you all see something wrong here?
The only thing I can think of which is sort of acceptable is the downloadable stuff which should be free by the way (since we pay a subscription). Don’t get me wrong. 25 dollars is not much. I will pay it, but only because I have no choice. I have embraced the PS3 and PSN since launch despite all the critics and I have promoted my belives that PSN is a lot better than live. I still belive that, but each day that passes I feel more and more betrayed. It all started with the songs from SingStore which you cannot download on more consoles, just one, the one you used to buy them. It happens that I have 2 PS3s at home and I intended to download them on the second one, using the same account, as I have a better sound system in my living room. I had to switch the consoles because of this stupid DRM system.
I too think that the first episode should be free. Just to give everyone a chance to check out the format of the show and quality of the content. That’s said, I’ll still pay the piddly $2.99 for the first episode at least, just because I’m really curious to see how it pans out.
By the way, most of you people need to stop griping about the “potential doomsday of the PSN.” We know nothing about Qore and how it’s going to affect everything else on PSN at the moment. Why already assume that it’s going to lower the quality of PSN overall? Sony’s just exploring options to deliver content like a videogame magazine, except digitally. B*tch enough and they’ll be less inclined to try anything new as time passes.
Why isn’t this included in the OPM subscription price?
I will definitely consider this if this will get me easier access to more Betas and more exclusive info on Socom Confrontation.
Its nice see things like this a special program designed for the Play Station comunity, but the price its ok, i just hope this dont convert in the future on a kind of xbox live, who paids for everything.