July 30th Update: The content per month isn’t determined as day one content and is content that will be made available through the month.
If you have been paying attention to all of the news coming out of E3, you probably heard that we introduced a new subscription service called PlayStation Plus, which will be available on June 29.
PlayStation Plus is a service that lives on top of the current PlayStation Network. So, while users will continue to have free access to PlayStation Network’s unmatched and ever-growing suite of new and exclusive content, services, and community focused tools – just as they do today – PlayStation Plus subscribers will gain access to an exclusive set of features and content designed specifically for gamers.
When you subscribe to PlayStation Plus, you’ll get free games and DLC (pretty sweet), frequent discounts on PlayStation Store, early invitations to select betas of popular games, and free monthly episodes of Qore – our high-definition, interactive gaming lifestyle show. You’ll also enjoy new functionality such as Full Game Trial where you can “try before you buy” – play a Blu-ray or PSN game for up to one hour and then you can buy the game, download it and keep your progress and trophies. Another cool feature is Automatic Downloads that will push select demos, game related videos, patches and firmware updates to your PS3 so you don’t have to think about it. Total it up and you’ll get hundreds of dollars of value through the year with exclusive digital content from both our World Wide Studios Group and our publishing partners. And every month we’ll be adding new content and continually adding new features, making PlayStation Plus an incredible value, time saver and ticket to front-of-the-line access.
At launch, PlayStation Plus will offer subscribers the full PlayStation Network game, WipEout HD, full game trial of inFAMOUS, PSP minis and PS One Classics such as Fieldrunners, Age of Zombies and Rally Cross, as well as premium avatars, themes and DLC levels and map packs. Additionally, subscribers will always have access to their virtual library of free games for as long as they keep their PlayStation Plus subscription. In all, subscribers will get an unprecedented amount of value, access and convenience and, in the first month alone, will receive more than $50 worth of content.
PlayStation Plus will be available for a yearly fee of $49.99. We are also running a “limited time offer” giving subscribers 3 free bonus months for signing up for a yearly subscription – so those who
sign up now will get 15-months of PlayStation Plus. Consumers also have the option to subscribe for 3 months for $17.99.
You can sign up on the PlayStation Store or learn more about the exclusive features at us.playstation.com.
If you buy the games and such like after the 1 Hour Rental and other discounted purchases you can keep them even after your subscription is over.
However the free minis and other free games (Except LBP from which I read you keep) get put on hold until you subscribe again and you get to play them again.
You can get the trophies from the rental games but they wont be unlocked until after you purchase the game.
I read that there will only allow 2 one hour rentals per month.
Avatars and themes you get thru PS+ you keep even after the subscription.
Cross Game Chat I believe is still being worked on and Sony said they are still going to be updating this service throughout the year so Cross Game Chat could be possible but its not 100% certain.
Did I read download a blu-ray game? you do realize hard drives are nowhere near the space for more than a few downloads… not to mention that downloading off the PSN is slow to begin with. Not to nit pic but how is this going to work?
@HuntingYou
Sadly given my previous circumstances losing a PS3 myself, the cloud save feature was the ONE thing I was really looking forward to. So I am with you.
I have to admit not bad really… Qore was costing $25 so another $25 for all that.
I would love cross game chat…..
All I want is to have NetFlix native on the XMB. I’m so annoyed of that damn disc.
I’m sure it’s already been asked… what happens to all those free games you get when you cancel your subscription and then get another one a couple of months down the line? Do you lose all those games you received free or do they reactivate once you have your new subscription?
I have a question regarding the following feature: “You’ll also enjoy new functionality such as Full Game Trial where you can “try before you buy” – play a Blu-ray or PSN game for up to one hour and then you can buy the game, download it and keep your progress and trophies.”
Does that mean all Blu-Ray games will become downloadables? How can I play a Blu-Ray game without owning it?
So what kind of features can we expect to be added? And what if we already own these games?
Calm down a little bit here people.
Cross-game chat will come when it comes.
Complaining about it wont do anything to bring it here faster.
And there are a lot of idiots in here.
Example: “Voice chat should be FREE for everyone. Bad move, Sony.”
They didn’t even say a word, quit assuming.
I might signup for PSN+ if I get a job.
Are you going to put out pre-paid cards for the Playstation Plus Service or do we have to pay online through the PSN Store.
Please tell me Qore subscribers are going to be offered something.
I mean you guys removed all the value added content from Qore on us without warning in the second year for PSN+, the least you can do is Give us a Year of PSN+ for free, 1/2 off, or something to migrate our subscriptions(day one subscribers subscriptions are ending with the next episode anyway).
CROSS GAME VOICE CHAT!!!!!!
The only question i have that i saw no one ask is, will the subscription extend to psp users allowing us free psp themes, games, dlc or well basically what the ps3 will have but can also work on the psp. i’d greatly appreciate an answer. whether or not it does extend, I’m saving up for the day it comes out ^_^
My problem with this is how everything goes away after your subscription ends. So basically your giving everyone nothing and they give you $50.
NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I have the Qore yearly paid and want to cash in on the 3 months? Do I have any options?
Is there any discount for current Qore subscribers?
Free cross-game chat or bust!
For the people who complain about losing the stuff you think you “bought” if you decide to cancel your subscription:
The only thing you bought was the service itself. The games were free, as part of the service. It’s one of the incentives. Given that each game costs an average of, say, $10, and you were to buy those games outright, you’d have spent $120 in a year. If you’re a subscriber, you get those games free instead, because you’re using the service. And since the games are part of it, you’re going to lose it since you canceled said service, as all the perks of the service will not be available to you upon cancellation.
It’s common sense
why no free PSP LittleBigPlanet like the European PSN + subscribers get?
I’ve seen on all other sites expect the official PlayStation blog that party chat will be implemented but i want official word from Sony I’ve seen this mentioned on engadget.com and joystiq.com but why is Sony so darn tight lipped about this cross game chat either it’s not going to come with psn+ at the start or they’re so-called “still working on it” it’s been almost a year and it hasn’t came yet what are you all waiting for over there at Sony to reveal like seriously? you would be able to cause more hype and eagerness if you were to reveal something in regards to that topic officially here please answer one of us about this topic thanks!
Sorry, Not gonna pay $50 for early demos and PS1 games i’ll never heard of. The auto download sounds interesting but i’m not sure if i want my PS3 to download stuff i may or may not be interested while making my PC slow.
Problem is that the first few game offers are for games that I already own.
I’m a chart guy. I need to see a chart to see a fair comparison between the free psn and psn+ in terms of feature use and functionality. It would help me determine if its worth it to me.
Give me cross game chat then I’ll get PSN+ ok thanks bye
Definitely going to give the features of this paid service, a serious look-over.
i have no prob whatsoever with this service.i think its cool for the ppl that were asking about it.also,its nice that the core stuff of the psn will stay free.for that thank you!
however, what truly disturb me is that you will have to be a member of plus in order to enjoy the auto/firmware updates feat. i think this should be standard with the whole psn.just my humble 2 cents
EU gets LBP for free, is that SCEE only? Also where’s the cloud storage service? Please add this, would be very convenient. Looking forward to the PS Home content that is expected with Plus and I am def signing up on day one for this. The extras sound awesome, and I think Plus offers an incredible value for the content included. Cloud storage is a must and I hope to see this added asap.
This is really weak. I was expecting more stuff… better stuff.
I already own Infamous and Wipeout, so there really isn’t anything new for me. You guys dropped the ball. Should have had a party invite system, cross-game voicechat, discounts on ALL PSN content, etc etc!
the big question.. Qore subscribers… we’re gonna get a discount? or something?
How is something “free” if 1. we’re paying for it 2. it’s taken away the moment we cancel? wouldn’t it be more like access to these thing instead of it being “free”.Come on Sony….Not all of us are as gullable.. How about cross game chat, better connectivity, better gamer to gamer interaction, not having to put the damn netflix disc(which happens to go bad for no reason) and having it on the XMB, being able to view movies together with ppl on my friends list, Being able to stream and watch movies on PS Home through a TV and Radio Upgrade for the aprtments… I mean there are ALOT more things that would convince gamers to spend their hard earned money on PSN… come on what’s really going on?
yah i hope xgc comes out soon, been waiting forever for it
Cross game chat in 4.0?
Sound like a good deal to me, what I do not like is that games do not remain in your account when you do not renew.
You say about special discounts, what about special discounts on all games you get with the service, not only a few selected titles, that way if someone do not want to renew is able to buy the games they really like for a better price. That is the only thing is keeping me on the fence of subscribing
SHUT UP ABOUT THE STUPID CROSS GAME CHAT!!!!!!! IT WONT HAPPEN, SO DROP IT!!!
Thanks, You may now proceed with your day :)
I just re-subscribed to Qore this month. Hopefully there is some sort of credit for that.
Can you pay with PSN cards for this service???
What about free cross game chat?? Will psn plus will be available for Canada?
@52
They will make it netflix apart of your XMB… the Disc is a Netflix way of working around a Time exclusive contract with Microsoft… If i understood correctly… correct me if im wrong.
I understand that the “free” games only remain available as long as you continue to subscribe. But what about the themes, avatars, and DLC?
DO we get to keep the themes, avatars, and DLC if we do not continue to subscribe, or is *all* the content we get taken away?
Thanks.
Also, I for one already own many of the games on the PSN, it just doesn’t seem to be worth it if every month I get A: an old game B: a cheap game or C: a game I already own. So what about this?
im going to sign up just need to get 3 20$ psn cards.
Cant wait
What I’d really love to see is web access to the PS Store. Being able to jump onto Live from work and queue my downloads is one of the best features they offer.
I have a question regarding the “Try before you Buy” Bluray and PSN thing:
Does this mean tons of Bluray PS3 games are coming to PSN(likely meaning all First party games and whatever third parties choose to offer them)?
I dont know what the feasibility of Bluray games on PSN is at the moment. That’s cool and all but I have a 60gb bandwidth cap per month, I cant be downloading 9gb+ just for the first hour free to try it and eat up 15%+ of my monthly bandwidth cap in one go.
Also is there some customation with the “automatic updates and demos”? I would hate to have 9gb of my bandwith used up because PSN+ automaticly downloaded a 9gb title demo of Infamous(a game I already own) for example.
Patches and firmware fine, but demos is kind of a bad idea. I guess the idea is people are more likely to try a demo(and possibly buy the game) if its already there to try without them having to do anything. That’s kind of like paying to be marketed to, which I guess I already did with Qore since it is riddled with ads but still I choose to download Qore I would hate to have my bandwidth that costs me money wasted like that.
limiting cross-game chat to PSN+ would SUCK. that would mean my friends would need PSN+ too. We are definitely starting to segment that market. Everyone wants cross-game chat but it should be FREE for EVERYONE. Stop asking for it on Plus!
Also it seems the main value-proposition for Plus is going to be the free games and Game Trials? Well, I already own InFamous and WipeOut HD. Why should I sign up Day One?
On top of that the link you gave to the Playstation store doesn’t show us where to sign up…. :|
i already have whipeoutHD and infamous….=/
I and my brother have one ps3 and we have 2 different psn accounts
if one of us pay for it can we both use all the features + free games?
it doesn’t make sense for us to pay 100 bucks
I already have Wipeout HD. Why can’t we credited and allowed to choose what WE want?
I think the free PSN games is a cool idea. Basically, I will have access to 48 different Games for free during the first year alone. Even if I only enjoy a few, it is already worth it. If for some reason i cancel and want to play one of those games again, I can always buy it later and since I had already had an extended “rental”, I will know exactly what I am getting.
I also like that my updates will be automatic. It is frustrating when I start up a game I have not played in awhile only to find game updates to dl and install.
If i had to add anything, I want cloud save support. I. Would say xgame chat, but I am holding out hope that will be free to all.