PlayStation Now debuts subscription pricing

[soniqstylz]

http://blog.us.playstation.com/2015/01/05/playstation-now-subscription-program-all-the-details/

Posting from my phone so I can't copy a ton of text, but it runs about $20/mo, 100 or so titles, and unlimited access.

[_neutrino Veteran]

[spacer]

$20 a month (or $15 with a 3-month subscription)? That price is ludicrously high.

[Brian M. Veteran]

$20 a month (or $15 with a 3-month subscription)? That price is ludicrously high.

 

 

It does seem a little on the steep side - the price is in line with regular game rental companies, with whom you can also rent PS4 games!

 

What I'd love is a service for, say, $4.99 a month, where I can stream games I already own on the PS3 (either digitally or disk) to the PS4 - just so that I can finally remove the PS3 from my AV rack. At $20 a month I'd rather keep my PS3 here and just buy any PS3 games I haven't played yet used.

 

The whole pricing structure is rather silly. Right now it costs $10 more to rent some games for 90 days than it would to buy them outright on PSN .

[compl3x]

Yeah, I don;t think I will be subscribing for this.

 

Not only is the pricing a bit steep but I have a lot of PS3 games to complete and PS+ has given me plenty of PS1 classics to play, if I felt like it.

[trooper11]

I'm glad they are offering a subscription, but the price is just a bit out of the value range for me.

Maybe the cost Sony is having to paying behind scenes for this is just too high to allow for lower prices.

If the library grows significantly and to include ps4 titles, then I'll consider it. Or maybe they offer a more expensive ps+ subscription with this included.

[soniqstylz]

The cost seems in line with Gamefly, and to have unlimited access.

But yeah I'd love a PS+ only version to stream games you already own by using the disc as DRM

[dipsylalapo Supervisor]

The cost seems in line with Gamefly, and to have unlimited access.

But yeah I'd love a PS+ only version to stream games you already own by using the disc as DRM

 

If you're using the disc as DRM, surely it would just make sense to use the disc?

[+Audioboxer Subscriber²]

Until others follow they aren't going to do cutthroat pricing. It'll all be about recouping costs and making money to start with.

 

People expecting Netflix pricing out the door had their expectations set unrealistically.

[vcfan]

$20 is fine as a price, but not for that game selection

[+Asmodai MVC]

It does seem a little on the steep side - the price is in line with regular game rental companies, with whom you can also rent PS4 games!

This seems contradictory. Either it's steep or it's in line with regular game rental companies? I don't like the idea of renting games at all so I'm not their target demographic (plus I still have my PS3) but it's competitive with GameFly and such with their 2 game offering so if I was into renting and didn't have a PS3 is seems priced about right to me.

The whole pricing structure is rather silly. Right now it costs $10 more to rent some games for 90 days than it would to buy them outright on PSN .

I think they've been pretty clear on that. You're not supposed to be renting games you can buy. If you have a PS3 then PS Now is NOT for you (at least not yet.) So if you don't have a PS3 go ahead and pay $10 less to buy a game outright that doesn't run on anything you own. What good is that going to do you? PS Now is for people who don't own a PS3 to try PS3 games they missed. Maybe you had an Xbox 360 or no console at all last generation and you really want to try out God of War 3. Now you can rent it. Sure you could buy a PS3 and then get it for $10 cheaper than a 90 day rental... but buying that PS3 is going to cost you a lot more than that $10 you saved and what if you decide it stinks after that anyway?

Also there is load issue. If Sony priced the service so that EVERYONE wanted it they'd be crushed under the bandwidth/processing requirements. They need to target a smaller group and build up from there and so having the price competitive (with GameFly and such) but not a no brainer does that for them.

[+Anarkii Subscriber²]

Double that for Australian users. So $40 a month. Screw that. And I wouldnt be surprised if it doesn't hit our shores for another 12 months anyway.

[GotBored]

 

Coming January 13th. 

Free 7-day trial available.

100+ games.

$44.99 for 3 months ($15/m)

 

(For reference EA Access charges $5/month for 7 games atm.)

 

- Personally not for me, I already played the games I wanted to on the PS3 and not interested in buying a sub to play old PS3/etc games regardless of price.

[The Evil Overlord]

So this is the 'Bend over and take it up the Ass package'... as opposed to something I was suspecting all along....

[WildWayz]

Games list so far is poor. Over priced... what about a PSN+ discount for those who fork out a sub?

Heck, why not make it part of the PSN+ - maybe let you play X games a month as basic, then $10 if you want it to be fully unlocked.

[DrunknMunky Veteran]

Games list so far is poor. Over priced... what about a PSN+ discount for those who fork out a sub?

Heck, why not make it part of the PSN+ - maybe let you play X games a month as basic, then $10 if you want it to be fully unlocked.

 

I was hoping for a PS+ tie in deal, too. Hopefully they add it in future.

[Skiver Veteran]

I'm surprised by the reaction by most people, I didn't see many games I would play myself but I didn't think it was too bad. Especially when EA is charging $5 per month or whatever it is for the small list of games they have.

 

I don't think I'd subscribe if I had a PS4 as its a little pricey for me for the choice of games but I'm very picky with my games.

[+Audioboxer Subscriber²]

I'm surprised by the reaction by most people, I didn't see many games I would play myself but I didn't think it was too bad. Especially when EA is charging $5 per month or whatever it is for the small list of games they have.

I don't think I'd subscribe if I had a PS4 as its a little pricey for me for the choice of games but I'm very picky with my games.

I'm not really, most people including myself won't want to pay this sub. Although for me and others we own a PS3, so chances are we own most of the hit titles.

However not wanting to pay a price doesn't automatically make that price unjust. As I said previously no other service really competes just now and the focus will be on recouping investment costs and making a profit.

Initially adoption through TV, hotels, and other avenues may be higher. Someone who doesn't own a PS3 may sub for a month or two to stream games to their new TV and play titles they've missed out on.

This is still progress from $5-10 a title, to allowing an all you can eat option. In years to come mass market pricing should arrive.

[DirtyLarry Veteran]

As someone who has used GameFly from Day 0, I just do not get how people can say the price is high. GameFly limits the amount of games you can have out, if you do not have an open queue spot for a new release good luck seeing any newer games for months, and depending on where you live it can take several days just to get the game.

This is ON DEMAND gaming. There is a massive difference.

 

With that said the library is weak right now. If and when they get that up, then I think the price is actually very fair, if the end user has a internet connection that is good as well. That is the problem here. There are outside variables at play too.

 

So there are a lot of factors that will mean a different experience for different people, so that is also going to be tough.

 

But the price seems pretty damn right to me. People really do expect something for nothing these days.

[+Audioboxer Subscriber²]

As someone who has used GameFly from Day 0, I just do not get how people can say the price is high. GameFly limits the amount of games you can have out, if you do not have an open queue spot for a new release good luck seeing any newer games for months, and depending on where you live it can take several days just to get the game.

This is ON DEMAND gaming. There is a massive difference.

 

With that said the library is weak right now. If and when they get that up, then I think the price is actually very fair, if the end user has a internet connection that is good as well. That is the problem here. There are outside variables at play too.

 

So there are a lot of factors that will mean a different experience for different people, so that is also going to be tough.

 

But the price seems pretty damn right to me. People really do expect something for nothing these days.

 

Spot on. By the way Larry, I forgot to PM you, yesterday when the post office re-opened after new year I asked them to find out where my package is. Said you haven't received it and post from here to America is maybe 2~3 weeks top. I have a receipt so they said they would check and call me. Sending it tracked was a fair bit more expensive, but with a receipt of postage I should at least get reimbursed if it's gone missing...

[soniqstylz]

If you're using the disc as DRM, surely it would just make sense to use the disc?

 

If you're using a PS4, you can't just use the disc, it's not backwards compatible.

 

But if I can put in a disc for, say, Beyond Two Souls, the PS4 recognizes it and fires up PSNow to stream it, I'd be okay with that (at least, when my PS3 dies).

[trooper11]

I'm surprised by the reaction by most people, I didn't see many games I would play myself but I didn't think it was too bad. Especially when EA is charging $5 per month or whatever it is for the small list of games they have.

 

I don't think I'd subscribe if I had a PS4 as its a little pricey for me for the choice of games but I'm very picky with my games.

EA Access is $30 a year, which is a much more attractive price.

 

 

But the price seems pretty damn right to me. People really do expect something for nothing these days.

But you just got through pointing out the exact reason why it feels like a bad value: selection

There is a difference between demanding something for free and wanting more value. Would you say that, today, PS Now offers a great value with its current selection?

Personally, I'm waiting for a stronger library. I agree the pricing is fine, its just the selection that needs work.

[Hum]

So this is the 'Bend over and take it up the Ass package'... as opposed to something I was suspecting all along....

I hope Microsoft does not copy Sony.

[dipsylalapo Supervisor]

If you're using a PS4, you can't just use the disc, it's not backwards compatible.

 

But if I can put in a disc for, say, Beyond Two Souls, the PS4 recognizes it and fires up PSNow to stream it, I'd be okay with that (at least, when my PS3 dies).

 

That makes sense, I forgot that PS Now is PS3 only so far. That would be useful.

[Showan]

As someone who has used GameFly from Day 0, I just do not get how people can say the price is high. GameFly limits the amount of games you can have out, if you do not have an open queue spot for a new release good luck seeing any newer games for months, and depending on where you live it can take several days just to get the game.

This is ON DEMAND gaming. There is a massive difference.

 

With that said the library is weak right now. If and when they get that up, then I think the price is actually very fair, if the end user has a internet connection that is good as well. That is the problem here. There are outside variables at play too.

 

So there are a lot of factors that will mean a different experience for different people, so that is also going to be tough.

 

But the price seems pretty damn right to me. People really do expect something for nothing these days.

 

 

That price point is not fine on a few levels. 

 

As you said yourself, game selection isn't anything to write home about.  You can't have a price point like that and a weak game selection.

 

Another reason, data caps all over the world.  Sure this has Nothing to do with Sony, but people are gonna take this into consideration.  Is it worth it to stream a game vs. overages on data.  If sub pricing is a bit more reasonable, maybe people will take the plunge and give it a try because the sub pricing was a bit more reasonable.

Sony should have a PS-Super+ Service.

 

Which would include:

 

PS+

PSNow

PS Vue

Music unlimited 

Movie Unlimited

 

$65-$75 a yr....