PlayStation Plus: Your Questions Answered

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July 30th Update: The content per month isn’t determined as day one content and is content that will be made available through the month.

PlayStation Nation — First off, thank you for all of your feedback regarding PlayStation Plus. There have been a lot of comments and questions surrounding some of the details of the new subscription service so we wanted to provide a little clarification leading up to its availability on June 29th. It’s a lot of info, but hopefully this helps answer most of your questions.

PlayStation Plus Logo

First off, at launch, PlayStation Plus will offer subscribers the full PlayStation Network game, WipEout HD, PSP minis and PS One Classics such as Fieldrunners, Age of Zombies and Rally Cross, full game trial of inFAMOUS, as well as free monthly episodes of Qore – our high-definition, interactive gaming lifestyle show.

With that, here are the basics of the new subscription service that lives on top of the current PlayStation Network:

  • The current PSN features will remain free. We are still very committed to PSN as a free comprehensive entertainment service and are certainly not planning on reducing this service following the launch of PlayStation Plus.
  • PlayStation Plus is an evolving service and the features included at launch will be:
    • Games
    • PS Store Discounts
    • Exclusive offers on select demos, betas and early purchases
    • Full Game Trial
    • Automatic Downloads
  • (More info on these below)

  • PlayStation Plus can be purchased through PlayStation Store on PS3 as a one-year package or a three-month package. The three-month package is available for $17.99 and the one-year package will be available for $49.99. We will also be offering three additional bonus months for free if you purchase the 1-year package — that’s 15 months total for $49.99.
  • Payment is a one-time fee for either package and can be purchased with any of the current PSN Store payment methods – credit card or PSN Cards.


Here are more details on the features of PlayStation Plus:

Games & Special Offers: As a subscriber, you can expect to get your hands on free monthly PSN games, minis and PS One Classics from the PSN Store. You will be able to download these games during the month they are available until the new selection replaces them.

Once downloaded, the games are yours to keep and play as long as you are a member of PlayStation Plus. If your subscription lapses and then you re-subscribe, the games you have already downloaded will reactivate, so you still have access to them. Additionally, if you delete one of the titles from your PS3, but decide you want to get it back, then you can re-download from the PlayStation Plus section of the PSN Store if the game is still there, or, if the game has expired from the PlayStation Plus section of the PSN Store, you can simply search for it on PS Store and download it again at no extra cost.

Each month there will be dynamic themes, premium avatars and premium game elements/add-ons for you to download and many will be exclusive to PlayStation Plus members only. These are yours to keep forever once you have downloaded them.

PlayStation Plus subscribers will also be given exclusive PlayStation Store discounts each month that are above and beyond the current PSN Store discounts available to everyone. These discounts will range from 20% to 50%, and anything you buy with these is yours to keep and enjoy forever.

Finally, wherever possible we’ll be making sure that members are included in selected demos and beta trials before they go live to everyone else, so you can be the one to tell all your friends about the next big game they ‘must’ get.

Subscribers will get hundreds of dollars of value through the year and, in the first month alone, will receive more than $50 worth of content.

Full Game Trial: Each month we will be offering members the chance to download full games and try them out for a period of time (one hour, unless otherwise stated). After the game trial is complete, simply purchase the game to carry on where you left off. This is a unique way to trial the full game experience and means you don’t have to be restricted to certain levels/game modes when you test out a game.

The games in Full Game Trial will become available to all PS Store users to purchase, but only PlayStation Plus members will have the chance to ‘try before you buy’.

The other great thing about this feature is that you can continue from where you were at the end of the trial period if you decide to buy the game. All game saves and trophies earned during the trial will be unlocked and will show up on your trophy list and your trophy level when you purchase the game. You don’t even have to re-download the game, just purchase and go back to the XMB to access the game.

Automatic Download: Subscribers will be able to set their PS3 to wake up from standby at any time of the day or night, download and install any game updates for the games you have been playing so you don’t have to think about it. Also, select demos and videos will be pushed to your PS3 ready to go. System software updates will also download automatically (manual install still required) and then the PS3 will turn itself off again.

Game updates and demos will also automatically install and the next time you turn on your PS3 you will see a brief on-screen message letting you know what has been downloaded and updated.

Here are some more answers to frequently asked questions from the last blog post:

  • Cross-game voice chat is a feature we know our passionate user base has asked for and we’ll continue to look at as a viable offering for the PlayStation Network.
  • You need to be the master account holder on the PS3 and be over 18 to purchase PlayStation Plus, but other accounts on that PS3 will be able to play the games you download for as long as you are a subscriber.
  • The “free” games you can download each month are yours to keep for as long as you are a subscriber.
  • PlayStation Plus is for PS3 owners as subscribership can only be purchased on the PSN Store. However, some of the content – minis and PS One Classics – available each month will also be playable on your PSP if you have one. Download them on the PS3 and transfer to your PSP, or download directly from the PSP Store or Media Go for PSP.
  • PlayStation Plus is a continually evolving service and we are always working on identifying new partnerships, developing new features and providing new content that our users want. So thanks again for all your comments and questions and please continue to offer more ideas at PlayStation.Blog Share.

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652 Comments

7 Author Replies

  • There will be the same tax that is applicable to PSN games for whatever country/province/state you live in.

  • forget the plus. when are y’all going to update the browser for the internet. it’s terrible!!!!!!!!!!!!

  • I still don’t understand this 1 hour trial thing. From everything we heard leading up to now it sounded like we’d be getting 1 hour trials of EVERY game, but instead it’s just one hour trials of a select few on demand games, which at launch, includes just one game (inFamous)?

    Am I reading that right?

  • We’ll see what’s on the table tomorrow. Seems like what is being offered isn’t cut in stone.

  • Until you offer cross-game voice chat, you’re not getting my money on this one.

  • I am really interested in this; however, when Sony deceides to go on to the next generation of consoles, will we still have to pay for this because of the ten year lifestyle to keep free content from the subscription on the ps3?

  • @Absydion I totally agree

  • I’m glad that you all at Playstation realize that us users REALLY REALLY want cross-game voice chat. It’s good that you notice that.

    so..

    Why don’t we have it yet? The Playstation 3 has been out HOW long? I mean c’mon, you’re even releasing your fancy new special PLAYSTATION PLUS. You know, the big special subscription that will give the subscribers great things. Why wouldn’t it come out with the launch of your new special subscription? It would get A LOT of people to buy it. Not to mention, it would make sense since it’s what countless users have been wanting for a longgg while now.

    It would be nice to see a response, giving some kind of feedback on why we aren’t getting cross-game voice chat and if/when we WILL be getting it. Will it be with PSN+? Will it be in an upcoming software update? Will it be soon?

  • Nothing too interesting there. The games they’re likely to offer to subscribers for free I’ve probably already downloaded and the rest isn’t terribly enticing.

  • You’re not getting another dime until Linux support is restored.

  • Dear Susan Panico,

    Are you able to tell me the exact launch time on the 29th for playstation plus? I live in Florida (Eastern Standard Time).

  • Can we get a list of these PSN titles that will be available to us like the EU blog has?

    Which games are available is a big factor in whether I subscribe or not.

  • will there be PSN+ Cards?
    please respond

  • @ the response to 45

    I feel extremely ripped off right now. I paid for Qore to get access to stuff like betas and peeks at games. Now you are making a service great than Qore that includes Qore, yet I will have wasted almost 50 dollars since I am only about 3 episodes into my 12 episodes of Qore. I greatly believe that I should get a fraction of my money back (aka if I am at episode 6 of 12 when I buy Playstation Plus, I should get half the money back for Qore if and only if I buy Playstation Plus)If this does not happen, then I am pretty sure it is boycott PSN Plus for me!

  • Hi Susan, can Sony send golden PS3 of Playstation Home at all new PS3 Plus Members?

    http://community.eu.playstation.com/t5/PlayStation-Home/Proposta-PSN-per-i-Moderatori/td-p/11010313

    :D

  • I was quite excited and more than ready to pay for a yearly subscription EVERY year, until I found out the specifics. I firmly believe that the user should be able to download THEIR choice of one free PSN and one free PS1 title each month… rather than what Sony want’s to shove down our throats. And the PSN DLC discount is also only on what THEY offer to us?

    If I already have the free games they offer each month, then the majority of what people want PSN+ for just went down the drain. If I don’t care about or already have the DLC that is offered at discount each month, then that also goes straight down the drain.

    If you were to get a yearly membership Sam’s Club or Costco, would it only apply to select merchandise? Would the discount’s only apply to items that THEY wanted to apply a discount to? I think not.

    PSN+ is like a stupid book of the month club where you get a discount on books (at least they give you a choice of which books you want) and a monthly “publishers choice” title (which usually sucks).

    I love my PS3 far more than my 360 in terms of gaming in general but XBL is STILL kicking the crap out of the PSN, regardless of + or not.

    C’mon Sony!!! Get something right for a change!

  • Will PSPlus users get a enhanced net code for online gameing?

  • Sorry Sony, no subscription for me, why should I pay you $50 for this? You tell me what games I can have and then it’s only for as long as I’m a sub? This might be what finally sends me to my local GS to buy a 360, at least I can find Live Gold discounted for around $30 and get something decent for my money.

  • wow… now that 516 and 518 put it that way… shiiiiet

  • D34DL1N3R & korn-king, you both made some great points but don’t forget the second to last line:

    “PlayStation Plus is a continually evolving service and we are always working on identifying new partnerships, developing new features and providing new content that our users want.”

    Even though we will probably be limited to what we get when Playstation Plus first starts out I garuntee you there will probably be more choices and selection when the ball starts rolling.

    I’ll still be getting this service when it comes out, the package as a whole is worth it and further down the road I’m sure it’ll only get better.

  • 516 & 518 are on point. Yes, i understand that this is the starting point for ps+ but ya’ll can bring little bit more to the table than that communinstic subscription service. give us more choices or get ready to see a very slow following. i’ll give you the benefit of doubt and wait until you come up with a better package that has us choosing one game a month out of the whole library of games ya’ll got that we want to play. all dlc is discounted. 2 hour free trail for all games. and can we get some real music(work out a deal with rhapsody or something). One free movie of our choosing every month. all that other stuff you said we get should also be included in this. All of that would be a great start off point for ps +.
    p.s. I know this is not related but can you please fix the internet browser. can someone please tell me what’s happening with that.

  • I see a trend in everyone’s want to have cross-game chat. But I want to implore you that Sony is considering it, but maybe it ISNT the direction they want to go right now. It’s really like being a parent to a child. The child wants something so bad, they scream,whine and throw some tantrum until they get it.

    BUT let’s say Sony gave you the Cross-chat and it was horrid. tons of things wrong, and even somehow glitched things with Sony HOME somehow. Wouldn’t you be mad at Sony for not taking the time and sleepless effort to bring you something much better by waiting a bit longer?

    Personally Sony hasw always taken the Next Step for future Gaming of consoles and their software. I’m sure they have tested out Cross chat and realized that it shouldn’t be its main focus just because their competitor has it.

    Sony is focusing on 3D development not only in the TV aspect but in Sony’s Move which is WAY ahead of everyone else. Sony makes sure people are happy with the outcome that they bring consumers, like ourselves with product updates to HOME, and the PSN store almost on a weekly basis of some sort.

    the future is in YOUR hands with Sony. Make.Believe

    -DeathNote

  • what credit cards are supported?
    can i buy the playstaion plus via internet

  • is there discount and other cool features in PSHOME for PSPLUS subscribers?

  • Owned, they haven’t added the Qore episode yet though.

  • Reading the description it doesn’t sound like Qore episodes are included in Playstation Plus, but I have read other places they were. Are Qore episodes available for free to Playstation Plus subscribers?

  • I have a question.

    As it stands right now, we can buy games like Magic Orbz at a discounted price (which I assume we get to keep even after subscription is gone) but what about the DLC that follows these games. Will they “expire” when my Playstation Plus subscription expires?

    Thanks.

  • Well PSN+ implement a change gamertag/ID option in the near future? Maybe allow this Option for free for subscribers (1 time only) and charge a fee for non-subscribers like XBOX Live does?

  • hi guys i got a question,

    so the conntent that is released via psn+, will it all be the same for all countries?, u know now the stores are all different the german has way less stuff then the US Store, the german store doenst get that many demos, etc…, get the point what im trying to say? should we all make a US Master account and then buy PSN+, or is it going to be just fine using ur “local country” master account? plox fast answer i want to get psn+ today when i get home ;)

  • I just got this and I saw the Wipeout game in the store, went to get it, then it just vanished. I dunno what happened, it’s not in the store and I don’t think I got it on my PS3. I’m guessing maybe a glitch?

  • So at the end of the subscription what things will you keep and what things will you lose?

  • is there no way of getting the playstation plus if you only have a pspgo?

  • Just got my subscription. also got my wipeout HD (for NA – and LBP for EU) and i got some ps1 game and also that zombie game thing too – so far its limited, but im guessing they will add more later. For now I Just feel like its worth $50 if the average free games they give adds up fast.

  • Just bought a year, but I can’t find how to download Qore. It’s not showing up in my downloads list, and the price for Qore is not listed as a strikethrough and as “free” with the PS+ icon, like with the rest of the PS+ freebies.

  • please sony need more contents or games . there aint much for me to be convince to subscribe to plus

  • A few concerns that are bugging me and most likely a few others.

    Can you provide a list of what the North American PSN subscribers will have access to under PS+?

    Can you play these games while you are offline or are you required to be logged into your account to play the games you got for free?

    If your account to PS+ expires can you still play the games you have downloaded for free as long as they remain installed on your hard drive?

  • I just wanted to know something, if we buy anything will we be able to keep it forever?

  • Hi..

    I just purchased Plus, but the game fieldrunners is not available for download, also there is only 1 dynamic theme.. Is the content yet to be added? or am i missing something here?

  • Still no cross-game voice chat? That’s just pathetic. Xbox has been able to do it since day one and years later PS3 still can’t do it.

  • Why do people keeop asking for PSN+ cards? You can already use PSN cards for this service >.>

  • Couple of questions id love an answer to:

    1. Will the content/features be locked to a single system (i own 2 and i move alot) or will it work just like other downloaded content.

    2. Will some features be unavailable in some EU countries and not others? I spend half a year in the UK (from which my account is) and the other in switzerland, and things like FirstPlay and the Video service don’t work when I’m in switzerland.

    3. Will you need to be signed in to PSN to play the donwloaded freebies, (like Granturismo prologue for example) or will you be able to play them offline?

  • downloaded it as soon as i could, i dig it

  • Hi, what about if im an internation user, living in mexico for example, will there be a playstation plus service? and will i be able to get the same content and offers? Thanks a lot

  • I have an account for buying from PSN and one account where I game on. will I enjoy all the features and games on my “gaming” account after buying PS Plus on my other account?

  • So as a multiple ps3 owner, how does this work?
    I’ve already been burned by the Singstar model of tying the purchased tracks to the physical unit and not the account. Hell Singstar wont even let you repurchase tracks on the 2nd ps3. Will one plus subscription activate and cover both units I have?

  • how do I set it up to automatically download game extensions and all that?

  • I already own over half of the content for Playstation Plus’ first 2 months. So… no sub for me for now.

  • Will there finally be any support for all countries in LA? Availability for PS Store and the use of international cards (peruvian in my case).

  • Hey, If I let my PS+ subscription lapse, and let’s say, I renew 2 months later, will the free games from my previous subscription be reactivated?

  • Get me a video store in Canada and at least bring back movie previews like we had before your new video store went online, and I’ll pay for this.

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