There has been a lot of chatter about the PlayStation+ service around the net. Knowing the internet, and the troll to human ratio, I still see a great deal of dissatisfaction. PS+ members feeling that they are not getting what they paid for. Then with the recent decision to make PS+ updates bi-weekly really chapped some asses out there, mine included.
I decided to look at my experience with PS+, and the over all offerings of the service to see how well Sony was measuring up.
I paid for a full year of PS+, I want to make sure I am getting my moneys worth.
What did Sony promise to those who bought into PS+?
- Free Games
- Free DLC
- Frequent discounts
- Early invitations to betas
- Free episodes of Qore
- 1 Hour game trials
- Automatic Downloads
- Dynamic themes
- Premium avatars
- Early access to demos
- Weekly updates
What did Sony actually deliver?
Sony has delivered on everything they have promised, except for weekly updates.
When you look at all of this on paper, it seems like it is legit. When you get into it though, you realize that most of the free stuff they are offering, you would not have paid money for in the first place. They are doing a great job of giving PS3 owners games that were designed for the PSPGo. It feels like I am being pushed into buying another piece of equipment, seeing as the only truly consistent thing that Sony has brought to the table is Minis.
This leads me to the question,
Is it worth it?
“Worth it” can, and does, mean two different things. The amount of fun and game play you are currently getting out of what is offered, and if you are getting your monetary investment back. I think this is where Sony, and the upset PS+ members are having a hard time with each other. If you took advantage of all of the offers of PS+, you would certainly have a return on investment, speaking strictly in terms of money. Though not everything that Sony offers to the PS+ members has value to the members in terms of game play.
When there is a lack of content that is appealing to the members, they are loosing value, leaving them sore to resubscribe. With the recent addition of the PS+ community to the Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood Multiplayer beta, a large group of people have been quelled. For how long though?
The Killzone Multiplayer beta is only limited to 10,000 PS+ members, and there is already a great distress over it.
When some of the members of PS+ get more for what they pay for, it greatly decreases the value PS+ for those who were excluded. These feelings extend out of the beta discussion, and into all of the current content offered as well. If Sony offers games and content that is unappealing, value is being lost in the eyes of the PS+ members that are upset about this. Couple this with the decision to make PS+ updates bi-weekly, and you are left with a great deal of value lost within the first few months.
This leaves Sony in a situation where they have to find a way to bring value to a service that is purely optional for the PSN. Without features that bring a great distinction between PS+ members and PSN members, the PS+ members won’t be convinced to renew.
Let’s look at XboxLive Gold for a second. The only reason it is “worth it”, is because being a Gold member offers you the ability to play multiplayer games. All of the extra stuff that comes with being a Gold members is strictly extra. Gold members pay for Gold to play online with their friends.
What can Sony offer that will bring this kind of “worth” without damaging their multiplayer network? Why not give PS+ members cross game chat? How about a PS2 emulator? There are pages and pages of fantastic ideas on their Share part of their blog.
I personally have both felt great excitement and disappointment in PS+. The move to bi-weekly updates and lack of content that appeals to me really eats at me. Though at the moment I am having a freaking blast in Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood Multiplayer beta. Also, WipeOutHD, Mushroom Wars, and Critter Crunch are all great games that I really enjoy.
So is it worth it? Sure, if you are willing to gamble your money on the chance that you will be included on something that you are interested in.
Sources:
http://blog.us.playstation.com/2010/06/24/playstation-plus-your-questions-answered/
http://blog.us.playstation.com/2010/06/16/playstation-plus-coming-soon/
http://share.blog.us.playstation.com/
