Playstation Network - General Discussion Thread

[Brad]

Where did that list come from? A teenager's bored mind during a biology lesson would be my guess. Sharing a level from a demo lol.

[Darwock]

No, no, NO! Keep the PSN free, as soon as they open this door it's just a few short steps away from turning into xbox live ><

[Number45]

Where did that list come from? A teenager's bored mind during a biology lesson would be my guess. Sharing a level from a demo lol.

There was a survey sent out by Sony recently. I don't know if the lists match up as I didn't pay any attention to either of them.

No, no, NO! Keep the PSN free, as soon as they open this door it's just a few short steps away from turning into xbox live ><

Shut up, faggot!

[sj33]

Darwock is basically right though. They've finally gotten PSN pretty much feature-comparable with Xbox Live, then Sony threaten to take away the main advantage that they have.

Even having members pay for priority access for things is a bit skanky - witness how Live Silver users are basically treated like second class citizens with regard to access of content. It would be even worse if the service is supposed to be 'essentially' free.

[Number45]

Yeah I'm not saying I disagree. Having a quick scan through that list a large amount of the suggestions are seriously premium type services though which they couldn't possibly deliver without an associated cost.

I'm pretty much happy with what I currently get for free from PSN. I think if they add cross game chat for free, I could happily continue without feeling I was being robbed. If some of the things that I now take for granted were moved to a premium service I would have a problem.

[Neon Ignition]

It's not a definate, I'm sure this was on CVG, but I think Sony have already stated that the existing free online access and structure wouldn't change at all, just that the additional stuff would incur a fee.

Even if it's only some of the stuff there's a decent chance it won't be too bad and I'm presuming it wouldn't be that expensive as it'd have to reflect what XBL charges and offers.

I reckon it's safe to say Cross Game Chat will be in the premium service which doesn't bother me as I wouldn't really use it much and you're effectively paying for it on XBL anyways

[Number45]

Cross game chat is something that they've said they're working on for some time, so asking people to pay for it now would be wrong I think.

[Brad]

Thing is, some of those features are things that, from past experience, Sony couldn't possibly make happen. So.... if some bits of that list are BS what makes any of that list valid? Anyone here believe Sony have come up with some tech to allow you to send a demo level of any game you own to one of your mates?

EDIT: Scrub that. I didn't read it (the level sharing thing) properly. I still don't believe it though but that's just me.

[Jebus]

They've finally gotten PSN pretty much feature-comparable with Xbox Live

Sorry, on what planet?

[Family Fry]

Sony would be mad not to make online gaming subscription based and throwaway this magical word FREE.
You pay to play and if you dont like it, tough. Come on sony grow some and start making some cash, has they Gold/Silver divide ever hurt MS? If anything it will have converted people to subscribe over time.

[kernow]

noo!, at least keep the free service also, I barely play online and hardly want to pay just a monthly sub just to play borderlands for 2 hrs a week.

[Family Fry]

Sony could charge a smaller fee to play online, yeah it may end up with various subs but it could SO work out financially for the better.
Do a Gold service with crossgame chat and free PS1 1st party access starting at 30quid a year, already 10quid cheaper than competitors and stuff extra stuff.
Understand people already have it free but its about bringing those people onto subscriptions and have them paying from a business point of view, should have been done sooner.

[Eight Rooks]

Yeah, it makes financial sense, but stop pretending it's not a kick in the teeth. They'll probably lose me as a customer in that sense - there's no longer any way I'm ever spending enough time with online multiplayer to justify any kind of monthly payment for the 'privilege', flat. I learnt my lesson with XBox Live - I don't care how much better it is than PSN (and I freely admit in a technical sense it is), if I'm hardly ever playing anything, it's simply not worth it. Demos and such add nothing to the value for me, either.

I'm aware I'm probably in a minority; generally speaking people will like whatever big businesses tell them to like. But one attraction of PSN was if I wanted a quick online knockabout I didn't have to worry about paying for it, and if I wanted to sink more serious time into something that was free too. And forget point cards or one-off payments - I don't want to have to plan an obsession, I want it to be spontaneous.

Not to mention the PC fanboys will have a field day. Eh, hardly the end of the world if they do... but it'll be the end of one of the few genuinely good (as in customer relations good) things Sony have ever done in the past few years.

[Brad]

Everything Rooks said.

Genuine question: Other than cross game chat/invites what does XBox Live have than PSN doesn't? I have both machines but don't use the XBox much, and certainly don't use all of its features.

[Family Fry]

Sony are going bonkers on 3D.
Just announced that PS3 will indeed be firmware upgraded to support 3D games and also enable 3D blu-ray movie playback.
Also just saw Super Stardust being played on PS3 in 3D, looked insane would love to see that in the flesh. Apparently at CES Gran Turismo 5 is in 3D playable.
Also they mentioned PSN with a new expanding of the video service into other regions, Sony Network Entertainment a new division of Sony that will oversee PSN and all other online services for Sony, so it can all be tied together under one roof.