Happy (almost) New Year! The PlayStation Plus team is gearing up for another banner year in 2013 as we continue to deliver free games, discounts, and access to events, betas and more to give PlayStation fans the edge when it comes to their gaming lifestyle. This week, we welcome PS3 Game NBA JAM On Fire Edition and PS Vita Game Chronovolt to the Instant Game Collection. You’ll also find deeper discounts with the last week of the PSN Holiday Sale.
Important note: We’ll be updating the PlayStation Store today (Monday, 12/31) due to the New Year holiday. Therefore, this Plus update will be live later today when the update has published.
Don’t have PlayStation Plus? Go to the PlayStation Store on your PS3 or PS Vita or click here to get access.
December 31st PlayStation Plus Update
NBA JAM On Fire Edition (PS3)
Free for Plus members
Chronovolt (PS Vita)
Free for Plus members
PSN Holiday Essentials Sale (Week 3)
Various discounts for Plus members
|
Game |
Normal Price |
PSN Sale Price |
Plus Sale Price |
|
Batman: Arkham City |
$29.99 |
$20.99 |
$14.70 |
|
inFAMOUS Festival of Blood |
$9.99 |
$6.99 |
$4.90 |
|
inFAMOUS 2 |
$19.99 |
$13.99 |
Free in Plus |
|
Assassin’s Creed 2 Deluxe Edition |
$19.99 |
$13.99 |
$9.80 |
|
Shadow of the Colossus |
$19.99 |
$13.99 |
$9.80 |
|
Bulletstorm |
$19.99 |
$13.99 |
$9.80 |
|
Sound Shapes (PS3 and PS Vita Cross Buy) |
$14.99 |
$10.49 |
$7.35 |
|
Sound Shapes (PS Vita only) |
$14.99 |
$10.49 |
$7.35 |
|
TOKYO JUNGLE |
$14.99 |
$10.49 |
$7.35 |
|
Skullgirls |
$14.99 |
$10.49 |
$7.35 |
|
Touch My Katamari |
$24.99 |
$17.49 |
$12.25 |
[poll id=”30″]
As the last Plus post from 2012, I also want to extend a sincere thank you to all those who leave their feedback week to week. Whether you’re excited about an update, or giving your feedback about what you prefer, it’s always great to chat with you all. With PlayStation fans like you guys, I’m looking forward to an awesome 2013, and I hope you all will continue to bring the feedback; positive or critical.
We’ll be back next week as usual, but make sure you make your voice heard in the comments below, and also make sure to vote in the polls. You can also delve into the PlayStation Community Forums in the PS Plus space to continue chatting about Plus, or find other great sub-forums to participate in and build your PlayStation community cred. See you in the comments!
One problem is that we were promised “an AMAZING December.” How many people would describe the offerings as amazing? The polls show not many. The games weren’t bad this month, but when the marketing b.s. spouted builds anticipation so much it really leaves me disappointed
And what is the point of hyping it up? We’re already subscribers. Just tell us the offerings and let us tell you if it’s amazing or not.
Mindlessly hyping things and then having a result where over half of subscribers don’t care about the offerings is actually a bit careless/insulting. Am I just supposed to be stupid? Oh, well he said it would be amazing so it must have been? If it really was going to be good would it need to be hyped so much?
More thought should be used considering the subscribers, not only as far as how we talk to them but what games we do add. How many fighting games do people really want? How many arcade sports games? Could we add more minis? More psone classics? ps2 classics? Are we using the breadth of our catalog to our advantage? Or are we just going down the narrow path while expecting our hype to be enough? Maybe we could expose our subscribers to such a wide variety of game types that they actually get interested in buying a more variety of games. Why should someone stay a subscriber if I’m just going to get more of what I already have?
My Husband currently has Playstation Plus.. We’re pretty upset with how the “game choice” has come out, especially around New Year’s. I honestly think a new game should replace this… After his Membership is done, we may not come back to Playstation Plus. Granted it’s only $50.00 a year, but we’re not going to continue to pay that much just to be let down.
Hey, I was just wondering, this update doesn’t really count for the first of the month right? So were going to get a actual full game next week. I really liked BIoshock 2 last month, because I was going to buy it the week before, but decided not too, and then there it was. SO next week is there going to a a full game, because I want to know if I should renew my subscription or not. Love the service.
Totally agreed with the following post… guys copy paste it if u share the same feeling :
What a poor holiday season for Plus….
+ adam1730 on January 1st, 2013 at 5:50 am said:
Lets compare December
PS Vita
NA- Retro City Rampage, Chronovolt (A cheap and terrible game)
EU- Mortal Kombat, Knytt Underground, Big Sky Infinity
PSN Games
NA- Retro City Rampage, Anomaly Warzone
EU- Big Sky Infinity, Knytt Underground, Limbo
PS3 Games
NA- Super Street Fighter IV Arcade Edition, Bioshock 2
EU- Batman Arkham City, Vanquish
Not only does EU Plus get BETTER games they get MORE games. Seriously SCEA make us on par with the EU because this is frankly ridiculous. I am appalled by the games we are getting in comparison to the EU and how Morgan only responds to a very select comments. And while it is overwhelmingly likely my comment will be ignored at least give a simple reason why we get crap compared to the EU. So unless the response from Morgan and the games start to get better I will not be renewing my subscription. And if you are greeted every week with such negativity and criticism you are obviously doing something wrong. :(
@sincrin,
Show class? What exactly did I say/do to show that I have no class? I’m not the one saying you can get Bulletstorm for $5 when its not. You can try to backtrack all you want, the fact still remains, you did not provide any context to that at the time of your post, so you can’t just say, “well I was talking about a sale on Amazon.” How the hell is anyone supposed to know you meant that?
You never said anything about holiday sales, so how is someone supposed to infer what you are talking about? Not my fault you aren’t descriptive in your post.
How is my willing to pay $1.80 more for a safer, better value IMO make me someone who is rich? Is $1.80 really that much for you? For some of us, having an always available game that you don’t have to insert all the time(and can download whenever we want),is a better deal than a disc. For an additional $1.80? Who can find a way to complain about that?
NBA JAM! Thank You So Much! I love getting awesome smaller action games that are fun and quick to pick up and play(Pacman! Renegade Ops). The bigger titles like Infamous 2 are fantastic too.
Don’t really care for the slower ones like Rochard and Outland, and how is a ten cent game like retro city on here? Do people actually play that game?
Really happy with my first couple months of PS Plus! Thanks!
I like Chronovolt. Not sure why people are hating on it,
Really? that’s it? mmmmm… not a good update! i was specting somenthing more for this one! too bad… i usually don’t complain but meh…
@ 405,
Because reviews/people on here told them to hate it. Honestly, its not my type of game, but just because I don’t like it (and because I haven’t played it and don’t rely on someone telling me whether or not I should like a game) I can’t say whether its great or not. Unlike a lot of people here who think that just because they don’t like a game, then everyone else must hate it as well.
Funny since those people can’t say NBA Jam got bad reviews, they can’t use the same argument. I like how the best they can say about it is stuff like, “not another sport game!!!” or the old phrase you can reliably count on, “but EU PS+ got something else!”
Am I glad they chose NBA Jam? I would have preferred something else, but its turning out to be a little gem, I’m glad I gave it a try. :)
damn. i’m glad i got to read this before going to buy a card to renew my PS+ membership. now i can go buy a better game with the money instead
(This was a rant about all the people saying how EU is better, but not anymore, lol) This is an okay week. I don’t have a Vita :( so I can’t say how good the Vita games are, but NBA Jam was okay, but more importantly, it was a game that my little brother enjoyed and could play without feeling too stressed out, so thank you PS+.
Maybe we can get a RPG (or a JRPG, which would be awesome) for our first game of 2013. Just a thought.
@407 – I understand what you mean when you say you wouldn’t have bought NBA JAM on your own but now you found out a little gem.
The same happened to me with Dungeon Defenders. I would have never spent money in this game, but Plus gave it to me for free I decided to give it a try and fell in love with it. Now I intend to buy the DLCs. lol
Where’s the Plus discount for Lumines that is still being advertised in the Holiday Essentials section?? If you advertise a sale you should honour it.
@402
Europe and North America got the same amount of games, assuming Chronovolt is part of December’s games and NBA Jam:OFE is part of January’s games.
NA:
Bioshock 2
Super Street Fighter 4 Arcade Edition
Rochard – free for a week
Anomaly Warzone Earth
Retro City Rampage
Chronovolt
EU:
Batman Arkham City
Vanquish
Limbo
Mortal Kombat Vita(Lego Batman PSP for some regions)
Big Sky Infinity
Knytt Underground
6 games each. I think Europe’s selection of games is miles better, but all of North America’s games IMO are great. If they don’t appeal to you, complain about that and suggest genres that you like the most and haven’t seen on PS+. Don’t expect North America to emulate Europe any time soon.
Chronovolt may suck, but I bet you haven’t even played it. Europe got it free on day 1 too, so it’s useless to complain about that. it’s going to expire next week according to the store, so there’s even less reason to complain. Scott Pilgrim vs. The World will also expire, so expect 1 PS3/PSN and 1 Vita game.
I didn’t think I would enjoy NBA Jam on Fire, but I must admit I am having fun with it. I understand all the comments above, but as I new member I am glad I get to download some of the games that have been around awhile. Not sure I will feel the same way at the end of my subscription but I have certainly got my value for this year already!
@389
PS+ changes at least 3 PS3 games per month, usually more. Check https://blog.playstation.com/tag/playstation-plus/ to see all the games that were added since June.
@327 It’s hard to look at it that way when you don’t really keep the three games you spent the $50 on so you can’t really say your adding them to your collection.
You might as well just forget plus all together and keep your eye on the deals posted at cheap***gamer.com.
Just notice my psn plus subscription ran out, I think am going to wait on better deals till I renewed my plus. I never complain on the service but I think it was better before the whole instant game collection started. It seem like you guys were more on it and now it seems as if scramble to get something together for next week update. It is disappointing to see how much better Eu plus is than the US plus. Even some discount on actual good games like Okami HD or Unfinished Swan, something in those quality of games would boost my confidence in PSN Plus again. Until then, am going to save my $50 for something else.
morgan how about you guys take 3 three games and ask people which one they want that week.. because the way it is now is just completely unacceptable
C’mon…NBA Jams!?!?!?! Really??? How do you go from Bioshock and Borderlands to NFL Blitz and NBA Jams? Nothing “PLUS” about Playstation Plus recently..
Very disappointing..
Majority of the comments are complainers, and they’re here EVERY WEEK. I for one love Plus and the value it has produced.
For all those that say they have found it worthless, you must be a cash cow and paying full price for every new game once it comes on the market
Here is just a very small sample we have gotten this year:
Borderlands(Free)
Little Big Planet Vita (Discounted under 20 dollars)
Gravity Rush(Free)
Sound Shapes PS3/Vita (Discounted at LAUNCH for 11.99, purchase counted towards Playstation Play program)
Lara Croft Guardian of Light(Free)
Walking Dead Episodes 1 and 2(Free)
Infamous 2 (Free)
Retro City Rampage PS3/Vita (Free)
CounterStrike GO(Discounted at LAUNCH, purchase counted towards Playstation Play program)
Resident Evil 4 & Resident Evil Code Veronica HD (Discounted at LAUNCH)
Mortal Kombat Komplete Collection (Discounted)
NFL Blitz(Free)
Gotham City Impostors (Free)
Papa and Yo (Discounted at LAUNCH, purchase counted towards Playstation Play program)
Awesomenauts (Free at LAUNCH)
Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine (Free)
Sly Cooper 1 HD(Free)
Need For Speed Shift 2 Unleashed (Free).
Wake up, there is value so stop crowding these updates with your whining.
Not exactly sure where my comment went….needless to say I’m not very pleased considering it was feedback as to not just including games like Deus EX: Human Resolution on sale w/o discounting it’s DLC. What so is a crime to suggest that you actually put a games add-on DLC on sale when you discount the game, now?
What’s the deal w/ the ‘vanishing’ comment, Morgan (or however)?? I most certainly am not the type to say anything out of line (NEVER been my style); if it’s problem point it out and tell me (post it)–not just get rid of my post w/o giving reason…..
Completely uncool. :/
I think this is the first month in a while there is something that I’ve been eying that’s free. To be honest these last couple of updates weren’t all that bad its just mainly everything I wanted that was discounted I already bought. Hopefully you guys can step up the freebies though
@412
“Europe and North America got the same amount of games, assuming Chronovolt is part of December’s games and NBA Jam:OFE is part of January’s games.
6 games each.”
Heu i still really don’t know because the communication of the game provided is close to null……….. are they from January ? December…. ? will infamous 2 lbp 2 and ratchet will be one day changed ? .. i don’T know cause i have never seen any communication about it…
“i think Europe’s selection of games is miles better, but all of North America’s games IMO are great. If they don’t appeal to you, complain about that and suggest genres that you like the most and haven’t seen on PS+. Don’t expect North America to emulate Europe any time soon.”
EU better that US……I already suggested diversity for everyone in other post… Where are RPG ? S RPG ? 2 fighters games in 1 month ? And we will always compare Eu and NA… it was the case when the first year, we were better……..
“Chronovolt may suck, but I bet you haven’t even played it. ”
i did and it really suck………. the best part of this update is jetpack………..lol………. free for everybody……
“Europe got it free on day 1 too, so it’s useless to complain about that. it’s going to expire next week according to the store, so there’s even less reason to complain. Scott Pilgrim vs. The World will also expire, so expect 1 PS3/PSN and 1 Vita game.”
i will see my friend… my perception can still change until my last day of plus in april…….
I really think that Sony should show that they really care about our feedbacks…………………..
Morgan, why the first week deals are still showing on my Vita PSN store when I enter the deals banner? I must confess I was pretty pissed off when the shut down the first week deal one day earlier than it should, so it was not a full week and actually six days. I just added funds to my wallet later that Monday hoping to get both LBP Vita and Rayman Origins Vita, but I was pretty let down when I saw they were done for that week’s deals. Any chance they consider giving us another chance since they are still there on the deals list on my Vita? This week I must say I was disappointed with all the games, first wheel was a great week, but got worse from that every week. I was hoping for deals on Vita for Resistance, Ridge Racer, BlazBlue, Sine Mora, psp games and ps one, as well for new library additions is psp and ps one fronts. Sony is really letting us down. Please Morgan, tell them to fix it.
this week has been like last, and far to often, i like most are thinking i wasted my money, psn had 2 dates in a row to halmark on, but they dropped the ball, i for one am pissed, i messaged them, nothing, i was atleast thinking i would get some customer service bs, but nothing, as for plus i am done with that bs, game fly, ps plus has shown me its second rate, and i only recently upgraded to ps3, and because of this bs, i am going back to other old systems, lost me ps3
i as well am pissed, am done, to awnser a comment, yes they do think we are stupid, look at who our president is and our buts are complaining about a company that was hacked because of its shady business, get it? got it! go home,
You ungrateful ******! You are complaining about free games! Do you understand that you paid $50 for inFamous 2 and LBP 2? Not only those games but more guaranteed games on the way, some may be AAA titles and some may be PSN titles. Sure EU may get more AAA than us but there isn’t much reason in unsubbing from this service. At least you are getting something out of it unlike Xbox Live.
Quick question for anyone that might know… I am in the Marine Corps and am currently stateside with a PS+ account. I have had PS+ from day one and so I have many games that I have downloaded. I am being transferred to Landstuhl, Germany. Now I have two questions for anyone that might be able to answer…
One: Will I still have an NTSC account or will I be strictly PAL?
Two: Will I no longer be able to access the games that I currently own since I am switching regions?
Thanks in advance for anyone that might be able to answer.
And, yet another garbage Plus update, going on….. can’t even remember the last month where we got something I actually wanted.
It’s getting to the point where it’s hardly even worth checking the plus updates anymore…
The game is probably a great game. However, EA is shutting down the servers left and right so this game will be no good for online. EA is still the worst company in the world. Although, this is a good game for the PS+ update. I haven’t played it before but I’ve always loved all the other NBA Jam games. All of them back to the Genesis and SNES.
PS+ is a great deal, but I think people are expecting more from you guys….
You should take in mind that EU is getting better games that us this last months…. I also was expecting to receive a great gift for this new year.
Gracias por el update!! se entiende que no hay suficiente juegos de PS Vita para ustede dar con el PS+ pero yo creo que deberian de dar juegos de PSP y PS One y asi estaremos todos contentos.
I think very odd people complaining about Plus…
I subscribed Plus in november of 2012, just looking for discounts in PSN games, and “just at the time” Plus give to me, for free, KOFXIII, Infamous 2, LPB2, and others good games…
I dunno about you guys, but where i live, just KOFXIII on Blu-Ray, costs more than 90 bucks!
The rest of the full games it´s in the same situation / price…
I think people like to hate, don´t matter why and what, people eventually just like hate everything…
hey Morgan,
Gators gonna gate, haters gonna hate. I’ve been enjoying my Plus subscription. Paid for itself yesterday as I was able to entertain my niece and nephew with Little Big Planet and Rochard for quite awhile. I’ve also loved inFamous 2. Anyways, is this the ONLY place to see updates and Plus member benefits? Or is there a place in the Playstation Store through my ps3 where I can see it? As of now, I have to search for individual titles, and that works fine, just wondering if there is a more streamlined way to get that info. If not, I’ll just keep checking in on this blog. Happy new year, peace.
You can always log on to the PlayStation Store and check the Plus section. We’ll always be updating that section with the latest and greatest Plus offers as they come through. You’ll also be able to browse all the current sales and promotions for Plus in that section as well. Happy new year!