Sony's Kaz Hirai confirms 'premium level' subscription for PSN

[+Frank B. Subscriber²]

Sony's Kaz Hirai confirms 'premium level' subscription coming to PSN

Well, Sony may have once downplayed the notion of "catching up" with Xbox Live, but it looks like it is now set to take at least one big cue from its rival. As oh-so-quietly revealed during a presentation on Thursday and now confirmed by Kaz Hirai himself, Sony will be adding a "premium level" subscription service to the PlayStation Network sometime next year. According to Hirai, that subscription will get you "premium content and services," although exactly what those are remains a bit unclear, as the current level of service will apparently remain free, and continue to include features like Facebook, Netflix, and the ability to play games online. Also up in the air is any word on a price or launch date, although the timing of the announcement does seem to suggest that we might just be hearing more about this at CES.

News source: Engadget

[Guest]

As long as the multiplayer stays free then i dont mind what they do.

[Argote]

Interesting, I wonder what could be so "premium" over current PSN functionality that it warrants a fee.

[still1]

As long as the multiplayer stays free then i dont mind what they do.

+1

[Plarkster]

As long as the multiplayer stays free then i dont mind what they do.

I agree - it's the main advantage that PSN has over XBL. However, I just can't see what they're going to offer to entice people to pay a monthly fee if the online play is still going to be free.

[KoL Veteran]

As long as the multiplayer stays free then i dont mind what they do.

+1 yep :yes:

[jerzdawg]

I agree - it's the main advantage that PSN has over XBL. However, I just can't see what they're going to offer to entice people to pay a monthly fee if the online play is still going to be free.

Well they already got people paying for Qore so I am sure they can come up with something.

[Plarkster]

Well they already got people paying for Qore so I am sure they can come up with something.

True but it's only available in North America apparently and I've never heard of it but is it very popular? Looking at the features I don't think anyone I know would pay for it but yeah, they must have something in mind.

[+Audioboxer Subscriber²]

Already posted and discussed - https://www.neowin.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=847690

When you look at my reply in that topic it's fairly obvious what they're talking about.

[jerzdawg]

True but it's only available in North America apparently and I've never heard of it but is it very popular? Looking at the features I don't think anyone I know would pay for it but yeah, they must have something in mind.

yea... seems you paid for Demos and Betas mostly. I am very interested to see what Sony is able to offer while at the same time keeping the free-loaders happy.

[Brandon Live Veteran]

Already posted and discussed - https://www.neowin.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=847690

When you look at my reply in that topic it's fairly obvious what they're talking about.

You mean it's "fairly obvious" what you think they're talking about.

[Unrealistic]

You mean it's "fairly obvious" what you think they're talking about.

QFT

[sn00pie]

I don't like the sound of this. As long as multiplayer is still free, and demos are still free, I could careless.

[Jimmy0]

Like others have mentioned, the multiplayer will remain free which is what most people want. (Y)

[LOC Veteran]

It's obvious what they will offer PSN premium people - the PS4. Der. :p

[+Audioboxer Subscriber²]

You mean it's "fairly obvious" what you think they're talking about.

What else would I mean on a messageboard Brandon?

[bob_c_b]

I like the optimistic tact being taken here the mulitplayer will stay free, I have my doubts about that. But I'll throw my speculation on the table, this upcharge may be how we get cross game chat and party systems. Free players will get the current system, paid subs will get Cross Game Chat, Party System, etc... I'd also suspect the days of inifinite free demos will come to an end, we've read in the past Sony charges to host and downlaod your demo (it's expenisve so this really isn't wrong), but this may be another way to offset that cost so devs don't balk.

Since I already pay for Live and it works so well, it won't change my play habits one bit. PS3 for exclusives and 360 for everything else.

[Ironman273]

What else would I mean on a messageboard Brandon?

You stated it like it was fact, not opinion. While someone may read that as "Oh, he must have insider knowledge so that's what it means," when your opinion could be completely wrong.

[+Audioboxer Subscriber²]

You stated it like it was fact, not opinion. While someone may read that as "Oh, he must have insider knowledge so that's what it means," when your opinion could be completely wrong.

I've posted 23k posts on this messageboard, I don't really think I need to put up disclaimers to appease word mincers in obvious situations. It's clearly opinion when the topic subject is completely speculative. Absolutely no one outside of Sony really knows what this means, there isn't any fact going around just now therefore I don't know why you guys are upset I didn't include the phrase "In my opinion".

So let me clarify, it is my opinion, but it's based on further reading of all of Sony's 2010 business plans, not just "Oh PSN charges, that must be multiplayer cause Live has charges". The topic I linked to shows PSN is going to be delivered on a multitude of devices with a universal login, you add on demand video/music services and what do you get? Subscriptions.

The online service is expected to offer films, music, books and other content to its range of network-capable TVs, Blu-ray players, ebooks and other devices in a bid to add value to its products, reports Reuters.

Edited November 23, 2009 by Audioboxer

[bob_c_b]

I'd have to agree with AB here, what else would he post but his own opinion? Now the fact that he is eternally optimisitic about all things Sony, and tends to spin almost all Sony news as a positive, that isn't the worst trait ever.

[Xerxes]

EDIT: Nevermind me, I have no idea what I'm talking about :laugh: ...

[DirtyLarry Veteran]

Well I think Sony are in a situation they have to leave the MP free.

While they are definitely not known for their stellar business decisions this generation, I think even they would realize it is to late to change a system so many people have become accustomed to. Now when they release their next system, I can almost guarantee it will be much closer to Live, but for the PS3, I really believe 3 years of offering free multiplayer trumps any decision they may want to make about turning around and charging for it.

Honestly what this sounds like to me is an extension of what they have already started to test out with Qore, so they will just take what they have been doing with it and perhaps just offer a few more things. I subscribe to Qore and what it really boils down to is a few free PSN titles that are older, some free themes now and then, and access to most of the Beta's unless it is a Beta like the recent Bad Company 2 one which obviously seems to be Fileplanet's gig.

So yeah if I had to guess, the above would be my theory on the situation. Just some more stuff, and then with the PS4 pay for play services.

[Boz]

I'd have to agree with AB here, what else would he post but his own opinion? Now the fact that he is eternally optimisitic about all things Sony, and tends to spin almost all Sony news as a positive, that isn't the worst trait ever.

Bob, he did say it in a way that what he said he meant was what Sony wanted to say.

I mean you can't spin this sentence any other way:

"When you look at my reply in that topic it's fairly obvious what they're talking about."

He said this sentence as if he works for Sony so he replied to everyone else to clarify what Sony means.

Brandon's post was actually completely fair.

[+Audioboxer Subscriber²]

I don't know why people are so hung up on MP after what Kaz said. I can only assume it's because of the headline of this topic and jumping to conclusions. The only possible outcome related to online play would be what bob_c_b posted about cross game chat, but that's doubtful, it's already been confirmed to be coming in a firmware update by Naughty Dog. I think the issue with it is stability, since FW 3.0 people have been complaining about crashing/freezing, cross game chat is probably even more intensive than the jump to cross game xmb in 2.40. Remember Sony are porting all this functionality in "backwards" because the backbone they launched the PS3 on was terrible.

In a statement issued to CVG, Hirai said: "SCE will further increase sales by offering users new entertainment through the combination of hardware, software, peripheral and PlayStation Network."Especially in the online area, we are studying the possibility of introducing a subscription model, offering premium content and services, in addition to the current free services."

Hirai decided to speak publicly on the plans following the leak of a Sony slide presentation outlining the firm's aim to generate a "new revenue stream from subscription".

In addition to the current free services, not replacing them.

Bob, he did say it in a way that what he said he meant was what Sony wanted to say.

I mean you can't spin this sentence any other way:

"When you look at my reply in that topic it's fairly obvious what they're talking about."

He said this sentence as if he works for Sony so he replied to everyone else to clarify what Sony means.

Brandon's post was actually completely fair.

All of you know I don't work for Sony, I'm 22 years old and now have 23k posts on Neowin with a 6 year history. Stop getting so flustered over nothing.

[Boz]

In other news, this was obvious from day one, it was just a matter of time when Sony would introduce it. And yes, it's not far fetched to expect that multiplayer will be free but bare-bones, any advanced features aka XBL will be charged for. I mean, come on, who wants to game without all the other features so you can group with friends or chat with them or whatever.. Just being able to play the game like a deaf-mute is kind of lame and I wonder how they'll manage to get you to play with your friends who actually have a premium account with those who are free. I'm betting pretty hard.