Pay For Live or PSN?

[Adam Blue]

More rumors come about that Sony plans to charge a subscription for PSN. But it could be anything. It could be a subscription for all you can play. But let's just say this mirrors Live.

Now I know a lot of you play through PSN because you don't like the idea of doing something for free that you would otherwise pay for. While not necessarily true in regards to all the services, it's still a valid argument. But what if it came down to a PSN subscription for those of you that also own a 360 but don't feel it's right to pay for Live? What about those of you with only a PS3 that found the service being free a perk over the 360?

In the end, I wish that Sony won't go through with this. It's still just a rumor and could still be for other services. But If Sony just kept it free as the competition grew stronger, it would only work against Microsoft. And I'm all about competition.

[Gorvi]

I can't see a situation where I'd pay for it. Many people seem to have forgotten that they said they'd look to monetize services that are beyond what is in place now, leaving what is existing free of charge.

All I personally care about is being able to dick around with a game online every once in a while, as long as I can still do that I'm happy.

[Zero]

Ditto. I won't pay to play multiplayer, it just doesn't interest me nearly enough anymore.

[Blue]

If it ever came down to paying to get stuff on PSN like you do LIVE, I wouldn't bother. Truthfully I don't care much either way as I'm not huge into DLC nor multiplayer (that isn't local) as it is, but I don't have a Gold LIVE membership and if PSN did something similar I'd be in the same boat. No big deal to me really, just don't see the value in it personally.

[OldJadedGamer]

None of my friends play online with the PS3 so it wouldn't affect me. In the last year, I played the Uncharted Beta, the Battlefield Beta, the MAG beta, Fat Princess for like a week, and a single game of Critter Crunch to get a trophy. If they charged for online like they did for the PS2 in Japan, I just wouldn't go on.

[DoctorFinger]

Sony has said that they won't charge to play games online. Whatever the potential subscriptions would be for, it won't be for that.

[rein]

Not paying for Live not paying for PSN. If Sony was to ever go back on their word and charge for online play I would sell my PS3 and 360 and invest that money toward my new PC. I would pretty much be done with consoles for a while. I'm half tempted to do that now.

Speaking of PS3. My PS3 just froze on me again. 3rd time! I'm scared!

[Stoke]

I am pretty certain I wouldn't pay for the current PSN. I buy all my multiplayer games on the 360 already so this would only affect PS3 exclusives like Uncharted 2 or Fat Princess. If Sony started requiring a fee to play online most people would have to chose between Live or PSN, and currently I think most people would chose Live and Sony knows that. So I don't see Sony charging for online play when it can only hurt them.

[Chris_D]

I probably won't renew my XBL gold when it runs out next year.

[JRR006]

I haven't paid for Live in about two years, and probably won't be paying for PSN. I guess I'm not their target demographic, I'm too hermit-y of a player. I'm happy in my desolate single-player worlds.

[Generation ABXY]

Yeah, I probably wouldn't do it either. As I've said, if I'm going to pay to have someone scream in my ear, they better be naked and clawing my back. And that's as true for the PlayStation Network as it is Xbox LIVE.

If they're charging for something else, however, I'll take it on a case-by-case basis...

[BlackPete]

Originally Posted by DoctorFinger

Sony has said that they won't charge to play games online. Whatever the potential subscriptions would be for, it won't be for that.

Sony doesn't have a clean history of staying true to their word, though.

I'll wait and see what they will eventually roll out.

[Adam Blue]

Originally Posted by DoctorFinger

Sony has said that they won't charge to play games online. Whatever the potential subscriptions would be for, it won't be for that.

Recent rumors, as pointed out in the link, seem to indicate that they are going back on what they said, hence my post.

[Primus]

I rarely play my PS3, much less it's multiplayer portion. I wouldn't pay as I am getting a much better experience from my 360 and PC atm.

[TheEpicOfTyler]

I wouldn't pay for it. I don't play online nearly enough to justify it. The only game I went hardcore into MP this generation has been KZ2, and that was only for a few months. Any time I do dabble into the MP side of things, I don't tend to stick around for very long. Games don't do enough to separate themselves from the pack in the multiplayer arena really, it gets old fast.

It would depend on what they cut from the free user though. Can I still browse levels in LBP and download DLC? That's fine with me. Can I do nothing with PSN at all? That would really rub me the wrong way.

[AgtFox]

Originally Posted by DoctorFinger

Sony has said that they won't charge to play games online. Whatever the potential subscriptions would be for, it won't be for that.

Yes, much like Sony doesn't pay for exclusives (Tretton said it at E3 when I think BioShock was coming out exclusively for 360).

That's probably the easiest lie to grab onto from Sony. Batman: AA and the Divine Edition of Dante's Inferno would speak otherwise along with I'm sure other examples.

[Xydarc]

No, I would not pay a subscription fee for multiplayer gaming on PSN.

[Lance Uppercut]

I hate having to pay for multiplayer. It should be a basic service, not a premium one. I might buy a 3 month Live card once in a blue moon, but that's about it.

[Purple Santa]

I read the link. Much ado about nothing. Subscription model is so vague Sony could keep stuff free like they do now and charge for other content. This article doesn't do much to push the thought Sony is going to do a XBL like subscription. I believe Sony likes the PR advantage of stating it's online service is free and will continue to want to state that.

[roboninja]

Originally Posted by DoctorFinger

Sony has said that they won't charge to play games online. Whatever the potential subscriptions would be for, it won't be for that.

I'm going on this assumption, but if they ever did renege on that promise, I would not pay. I would just switch all my MP gaming to the PC. Granted, 90%+ of it is already on the PC...