Playstation Network and Discussion Part Deux

[backbreaker]

Re: Playstation Network and Discussion Part Deux

I read the blog and I think you guys are reading it wrong, this is nothing more than a magazine i.e. Official Playstation magazine when you would recieve a disc with the mag. now its just digitized, you use to get access to betas ect... Also the sony people on the blog stated that demos and betas will still be available on PSN. Again this is nothing but a magazine.

[ChaseB]

Re: Playstation Network and Discussion Part Deux

Eventually they did. That's when I stopped being in it.

http://www.answers.com/topic/playsta...=entertainment

Ha, yea when I was in it, it was free so that's why I didn't know. That being said, that's also BS.

This is the same thing with XBL. Gold members pay for the membership and get demos. Silver members don't get demos till a much later time. I'm sure it will be the same way with PSN. Although I think the demos they will show will be exclusive demos that neither we meant to launch for PSN or XBL.

Plus you get a lot of exclusive content in HD. Sounds like a good deal me.

I know what you're saying about paying for Betas but that is how it has always been. Every time there is a Beta coming, places like IGN say join as a paying subscriber and get access.

Paying to test someone else's game and provide feedback and so forth just does not make sense, at all. On top of that -- and this goes for Live too in a sense -- if you have a subscription then why do you have to watch commercials that you can't click through? It's bad enough on Live to be lambasted with ads, but this is even worse because it actually affects how you get to content.

Besides when did Sony's PSN become such a force that they could start charging when they aren't delivering anything amazing as is? Outside of the digital magazine part I see nothing so amazingly special about this that it should be a pay service. I'm assuming there will be ways to get into the betas other than this service, otherwise I would worry about a lack of people (for the Killzones or SOCOMs of the world who have hardcore fan bases that shouldn't be shut out).

Plus now what's to stop them from holding back anything big now for the 4 weeks until it's time once again? Won't this make the free PSN look even more awful? Didn't Sony say paying for online accessibility was BS? Or can they now backpedal and say no-no just to pay to PLAY is BS? Aren't betas and demos the only really draw here, does anyone really care about paying to see a video podcast type thing with a little digital mag? If the HD video content is actually interesting and exclusive then $2.99 becomes easier to stomach but that's a big IF at this point. Plus it's kind of similar to magazines with discs, how many get it just for the disc?

Frankly it just seems like there will be way more exclusive content that fans gets shut out from, even more so than Silver members. Plus it's a PR nightmare either way. If you offer something exclusive because the Qore thing is now in place, people are just going to say they held it for Qore, and it has nothing to do with it, etc.

As a clarification how often do Gold members get exclusive demos over the Silver members? Is it still just for the 7-10 days before it's available to everyone?

[ExtremeGamer]

Re: Playstation Network and Discussion Part Deux

Gold is still a 7-10 day lead time to Silver, yes.

I don't mind the online magazine per say, but it seems like this is a podcast that people will be paying for just to get exclusive demos and betas. Which the blog does state. So it sounds like to me, Sony is going to push this at $25 a year to hype people in with betas and demos.

Why would anyone get the first episode? Oh yeah, because they are hyping SOCOM beta invitations and info. Hmmmm. I would bet anything that same info won't be on normal free PSN on Thursday.

[mgoblue]

Re: Playstation Network and Discussion Part Deux

Gold is still a 7-10 day lead time to Silver, yes.

I don't mind the online magazine per say, but it seems like this is a podcast that people will be paying for just to get exclusive demos and betas. Which the blog does state. So it sounds like to me, Sony is going to push this at $25 a year to hype people in with betas and demos.

Why would anyone get the first episode? Oh yeah, because they are hyping SOCOM beta invitations and info. Hmmmm. I would bet anything that same info won't be on normal free PSN on Thursday.

MS put the Halo 3 beta on Crackdown, didn't they? Making people pay 60 bucks when they didn't really care about Crackdown (a cool game, but tons of people got it just for the beta)...Doesn't surprise me that more betas are being closed and something you have to specifically go for somehow.

[ExtremeGamer]

Re: Playstation Network and Discussion Part Deux

MS put the Halo 3 beta on Crackdown, didn't they? Making people pay 60 bucks when they didn't really care about Crackdown (a cool game, but tons of people got it just for the beta)...Doesn't surprise me that more betas are being closed and something you have to specifically go for somehow.

Good point. I agree with that.

I don't think anyone should pay for a Beta in any form.

Granted, Crackdown ruled though I played the Halo beta for like 30 mins and went back to Crackdown. But I'm sure, actually, I know many paid $60 just for the Beta.

[Altimus]

Re: Playstation Network and Discussion Part Deux

Good point. I agree with that.

I don't think anyone should pay for a Beta in any form.

Granted, Crackdown ruled though I played the Halo beta for like 30 mins and went back to Crackdown. But I'm sure, actually, I know many paid $60 just for the Beta.

At one point Crackdown was selling over the retail price on eBay just for this reason.

I agree with everyone though, betas should be free but this is business. They know people will cough up $2.99 this month to get into the Socom beta for example.

[ExtremeGamer]

Re: Playstation Network and Discussion Part Deux

At one point Crackdown was selling over the retail price on eBay just for this reason.

I agree with everyone though, betas should be free but this is business. They know people will cough up $2.99 this month to get into the Socom beta for example.

I think the big thing is, Sony's kind of masking it as a "magazine".

If I was Sony, I would have said it's $24.99 a year for the new Gold or whatever PSN. Get exclusive underground info, videos, interviews, beta invites before others, demos before others, other freebies and things tossed in. Don't even sugar coat it, just say, this is what it is. You'll still get the stuff eventually if you don't pay, just not as soon.

I realize that's what they are doing, but it doesn't seem like they want to say it in full like that.

[Altimus]

Re: Playstation Network and Discussion Part Deux

I think the big thing is, Sony's kind of masking it as a "magazine".

If I was Sony, I would have said it's $24.99 a year for the new Gold or whatever PSN. Get exclusive underground info, videos, interviews, beta invites before others, demos before others, other freebies and things tossed in. Don't even sugar coat it, just say, this is what it is. You'll still get the stuff eventually if you don't pay, just not as soon.

I realize that's what they are doing, but it doesn't seem like they want to say it in full like that.

True. I will probably sign up for this service this month so I can get into the Socom beta and I want to try this service out.

With that said, I expect fast speeds for all their downloads/streaming. I'm curious to see how their download speeds will compare to the PSN speeds which are inconsistent.

[Mintsa]

Re: Playstation Network and Discussion Part Deux

Damn.........they had to throw in the socom beta key on the first episode.................


Must buy ......must buy......

I hate giving out credit card info, aren't those psn cards out yet ??

[backbreaker]

Re: Playstation Network and Discussion Part Deux

Let me see, PSN sales products, now Qore is a product, not a service. I hope that helps. The Sony rep has already stated on the blog that betas and demos are still available on PSN as a matter of fact the rep stated that getting into the Socom beta has several avenues.f

Qore is a product for sale on PSN just like echocrome.

[Altimus]

Re: Playstation Network and Discussion Part Deux

Damn.........they had to throw in the socom beta key on the first episode.................


Must buy ......must buy......

I hate giving out credit card info, aren't those psn cards out yet ??

Not yet but they have sale prices already in some stores so I assume really soon.

[backbreaker]

Re: Playstation Network and Discussion Part Deux

More on Qore from the technical director

http://gametheoryshow.com/index.php?post_id=346199

[ChaseB]

Re: Playstation Network and Discussion Part Deux

Let me see, PSN sales products, now Qore is a product, not a service. I hope that helps. The Sony rep has already stated on the blog that betas and demos are still available on PSN as a matter of fact the rep stated that getting into the Socom beta has several avenues.f

Qore is a product for sale on PSN just like echocrome.

I read the blog earlier along with the 1UP and Wired write-ups as well, but it bothers me since Qore isn't a self-contained product; someone has to provide them with those exclusives since it is all first party -- assuming this doesn't trickle into third party territory. I mean I want to believe that not all the best content will be held back, but it's also got to be a draw to give people exclusive looks at demos and betas -- I did assume SOCOM would have various avenues since you need to for multiplayer betas. I'm more worried about the future than the present when it comes to this service.

More on Qore from the technical director

http://gametheoryshow.com/index.php?post_id=346199

I didn't listen to Game Theory this week yet (but I do every week since it's in my rotation of podcasts) so maybe it will make me better understand and not be so enraged.

[Altimus]

Re: Playstation Network and Discussion Part Deux

I think Qore is the beginning to an admission fee for Home.

The way I see it is if you're a Qore subscriber you will have access to a lot more things in Home than a non-paying user.

I know they said Home is free, but maybe only the basic features are free.

[ExtremeGamer]

Re: Playstation Network and Discussion Part Deux

Is this going to lead to advertisements in Home?

http://kotaku.com/5012940/sony-make-...-deal-official