While the PlayStation 4 may be doing a lot right with regards to used games, Sony has confirmed that you’ll need a PlayStation Plus subscription to play the console online. The otherwise comical trailer embedded below notes the restriction in small print, which is made all the more upsetting by the tone of the video.
Fortunately, the subscription service will continue its legacy of being awesome on the next generation console, earning you a free copy of DriveClub on launch day, and new games every month from there on out. Still, it’s a shame that Sony’s decided to follow Microsoft’s lead in this area, when it’s offered such a strong rebuttal elsewhere.
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I'm sure this will upset some people...but the subscription sort of pays for itself with all the free games you get. I don't really see it as a problem. It's much less important an issue than used games/DRM imo..
The low point of the conference, but it was to be expected after they lavished us with the used games and no online requirement news - definitely softening the blow.
On the other hand, this is still PS Plus we're talking about. It's not like we're JUST paying for online play - we'll be getting bucket loads of free games and discounts as well.
Is there a site with a list of all current Instant Game Collection games?
Did I see something about a free year of PS Plus when they were talking about for PS4? I zoned out a little at that moment.
@Jaz007
I think if you subscribe to psn plus you will get drive club with your membership.
It might be a bit annoying for those who play on-line a lot, but at least its just online multiplayer. Can't really complain too much considering the value your getting for $5 a month though.
Not a fan of this decision but PS-plus is a good service and I'm sure at $400 Sony is taking a massive loss on the PS4 itself. Need to make up that money somehow.
It does say PS4, but I wonder if they'll also require it for vita and PS3 when PS4 launches?
Just a non aggressive question:
How many diehard Sony fans, who used to berate Xbox fans about paying to play online, have now changed their tune about paying to play online?
The only benefit to that is perhaps as a previous user commented; that Sony may be able to provide a more stable infrastructure for PSN servers etc..
Also may I remind folks that most of the free stuff you get with Plus is actually just a "lease" or "rental". Once you cancel that subscription, say goodbye to all those free games.
That means you'll be paying to play single player games over Gaikai, not just online/multiplayer modes of games.
PS Plus subscribers do get 50% off sales though.
I'm just wondering if while everyone is on this "Sony beat MS" high, this may actually be more a negative then a positive slipping past the radar.
@ThreadShadow
i was never a die hard fan of any company. i pretty much buy systems based on what games interest me. but xbox must have gold to do anything internet related has caused me to hate must pay to play online schemes. i mean, we pay for internet, and then we have to pay for the right to use internet on our device? its like putting gas in you car, twice... im sorry but no next gen system (xbox one, wiiu, playstation 4) will be seeing my money. ill settle with my psv, and maybe a 3ds xl, depending on what happens with nintendo tomorrow. its only what? 10 years for ps5, maybe all three companies will learn from these things. so far they are doing right with the handheld lines(though i would fear what would happen if micro made a xbox handled system. it would be the x-grenade.
note this is not anger or hate for sony, but towards the paying twice for online service. here is a great example(last one) i help my gf buy a xbox 360. she wanted it for watching netflix and home and sims3. she didnt know about gold. she went to xbox live arcade to download the free netflix app for xbox. you must have a gold account to do this, ok... demo of a game then. xbox gold need... free items!! you must pay for free items...
i love you ps3, vita... never change...
@ThreadShadow Ive never really berated Xbox users for paying for Live. Hell I paid it myself I just used to disagree with the whole 'better service' n the laughable cross game chat justification. Ive used bother services throughout this generation and while Live has pretty much stayed the same for me, PSN has gradually improved. I cancelled my Live last month as I havent used my 360 much since building a PC n now just have PS+. 80% of my friends list have PS+ so its was gonna happen eventually having to pay for PSN. I expected this, especially with all the extra features on PSN for Ps4. Streaming Ps3 games on Ps4? cheers Sony lol Driveclub for free at launch did suprise me though. So did Microsofts laughable attempt at PS+. AC2 n Halo3? really M$!? lol Im not suprised by this new online model for Ps4 n if anyone that is are just in denial.
yeah but unlike xbl gold PS+ is actually worth it
i'm a PS+ member anyway so it's no bother to me and at leat you have a choice with the PS4, you don't with the xboned you have to have gold just to use it
Maybe they can change the name to PS Gold?
Come on, that was so obvious, somebody had to say it.
As for hating on Gold, true story, I didn't buy an Xbox360 b/c you needed Gold for Netflix and web browsing. I was going to get 1 for my kids for Xmas after the lame WiiU launch line-up and price but I just couldn't do it.
Something to watch in the future - how long before Sony starts adding stuff to the "PS Gold required" list? Maybe w/ PS+ we can install Linux OK, that was a cheap shot.
Also, for those who've been following - I wonder how much of this was discussed w/ EA?
@irken004 - I wish there were. I keep getting confused between what's US and what's UK. And some games stay a year and some only a couple of weeks. Here's an official US link that's probably already out-of-date:
http://us.playstation.com/psn/playstation-plus/
@ThreadShadow Personally, paying to play the games online isn't what bothered me with Xbox live. It was using for other servers that are free everywhere else that was annoying. Not only did I have to pay for Netflix, but if I wanted to use it on Xbox (which is obviously a media box more than a gaming device), I shouldn't have to pay another fee. I felt like Microsoft takes advantage of people by asking money just to use services they don't even own.
I don't agree that Sony should charge consumers to play games online, but i STRONGLY feel that every PS3 owner should be a plus subscriber because of how awesome it is. If Sony feels that requiring it would allow more people to experience how awesome it is, so be it.
This obviously won't hurt any PS+ subscribers, but what about everyone else? They'll have to pay to get something they already have, which is upsetting.
@ThreadShadow Yeah, I brought that up to some of my friends. I'm not very happy about it. I don't really play online (don't get me wrong, I love not paying on PS3 and hate the idea of paying whether I play online a lot or not), but some of my freinds will be getting PS4s instead of Xbox's this time around m. I'm a little okay with it because of the free games and social features it brings to the table which might make it worth it to me. I'm not very happy about though. The blow is lessened by everything else we get the PS Plus, but it's a blow none the less. I can tell you that I would be enraged without the free games and stuff you with PS Plus t.hough. As for the rentals, yeah, that's something that I don't like either, you keep everything when your subscrimebd though, and I believe you get it back when you resubscribe. You download things too, you won't play PS Plus over gaikai.
Not a deal breaker for me. This past gen I had an Xbox 360 so I am use to needing gold membership for Netflix and other things like that. However for people who aren't use to that I can see where it will be a disappointment. Still this is nothing compared to the positives.
Subscription? That's gonna be tough, but on the plus side...free game!
I am ok with Sony require Plus for Online, since you get so many great thing with it.
I still can't believe you get Drive Club with Plus
This is a horrible discison. The reason ps3 sales did good was because of psn was free. And so much people were going to convert from 360 to ps4, because they didnt want to pay for live anymore. Well that just went out the window
I don't love the decision, but like someone else already mentioned, I'd care more if I couldn't view Netflix via my PS3/4. I'm not a huge online gamer, so if I dropped plus it wouldn't be that big a deal to me... but, I DON'T want to have to pay more for other services I already pay for like Netflix streaming. So, yeah, Sony still wins that one too.
Well the ps4 is going to come with a 1 year card and there pretty cheap $50 for a year. So I'll just get one every year so no biggie
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