Sony Sets Record Straight Regarding PlayStation Plus
Ever since Sony’s new premium PlayStation Network service, PlayStation Plus, launched last month, there has been question after question regarding exactly what content users get to keep and what they lose if they were to discontinue using the service and terminate their premium membership. Well, it looks like we finally have a straight answer regarding the situation.
The news comes via the Official US PlayStation Blog, where a user poses the question point-blank in the comments section. Upon reading this, PlayStation Social Media Manager, Jeff Rubenstein, finally answers this nagging question and, for the most part, puts the topic to rest. Regarding content ownership and the disabling of content upon termination of your PlayStation Plus membership, here is what Jeff had to say:
“Free add-ons expire if your subscription ends.”
“Add-ons you pay for (even if you pay at a discount) are yours to keep for good. The same thing is true for games- free ones expire if you don’t renew your subscription. Anything you pay for – even at a discount – is yours forever.”
“Themes and avatars that are free, stay free for good.”“There may be instances where a downloadable game is free and the add-on is priced at a discount. In this case, if your subscription ends, you would still have access to the DLC, but would need to re-purchase the game in order to use the add-on.”
As you probably figured, if you spend as little as a penny on something, it’s yours; because obviously Sony cannot disable content that a paying customer has purchased and now owns. It’s great to finally get a solid answer regarding this often misunderstood subject and will, perhaps, convince a few more gamers to give PlayStation Plus another look.
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16 Responses to “Sony Sets Record Straight Regarding PlayStation Plus”
Figured this is how it was going to be
At leat we have some definitive answers. Some things I’m sure we had a pretty good idea about, but a lot of this stuff was kinda muddy in the explanations. It’s good to have some facts straight from the horse’s mouth this time.
But I still want to know about trophies!! If you gain trophies on something you’ve played, then you cancel your subscription, you should obviously lose those trophies, but what about if you then purchase the title, will you automatically regain them?
Wow, I already knew all this me because I could read during the sign up process. I thought there was gonna be a full list of some of the features that they have coming down the line. Or possible even Betas and warranty renewals. That would be nice.
Max, trophies have nothing to with it. That would be like saying you dont deserve trophies for games you rented and don’t own. Trophies are not a content bonus.
I am glad this got nailed down as to what we get to keep though.
I could have sworn a previous PS.Blog post already discussed this… from a long time ago.
In fact, here it is.
http://blog.us.playstation.com/2010/06/24/playstation-plus-your-questions-answered/
One thing to note, what Jeff says concerning DLC contradicts what the other post said concerning DLC.
“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.”
I remember an Sony person saying before that DLC would be usable as long as you are able to play the original game.
@Max Murray
Seriously? I think that would the stupidest thing Sony could ever do, and I personally disagree with it. I never even considered them taking away Trophies, and I can assure you 99% of others would have never even thought about that. Say I worked my ass off getting the Plat on WipEout HD, just because I decide I no longer want to pay $50 a year you’re going to take those trophies away from me? Thats like saying a company can strip you of your work experience when you leave the company. It just doesn’t make sense and that will never happen.
I’m glad for for all those that couldn’t take 5 minutes to look up the information finally have it. I think the way Sony structured ps plus is very fair but there will always be those that can never be satisfied.
@WestSiide
Sony already made all these concerns clears when the service launched last month. A month later, we still have people asking the same question. Next month, its going to be the same thing.
as for trophies, consider this. i don’t own Infamous, got the free hour trial full game download. in that hour i earned a few trophies, those trophies exist in my trophy list, but have not added to my total trophies earned. they won’t add to that unless i buy the full game download, which i’m not to interested in doing (physical copies ftw). not sure if its the same for psn games you get free though.
@vesra
It is not, PS+ free games are the same as the regular full games just with an expiration date.
“you should obviously lose those trophies” – how do you figure? You earned the trophies, how can you “un-earn” them it’s not like they are something you get as a privilege for getting the game, you get to play the game as a privilege for getting the game…trophies are just thrown in there to give self esteem to people who can’t find it in any other place
Yes I realize a lot of people are going to get defensive about what I just said but I’m really sick of people putting so much wait into trophies? Achieve something real for once. Obviously if you just think trophies are cool to get for playing a game, that’s fine, but if you make purchase decisions based on whether a game has trophies, or how easy the platinum is to get, or get upset if you lose your trophies for whatever reason then you have no business owning a PS3 and should give it to someone who deserves it. Should I care enough to write this much about this? No, but I did so get over it.
@ giese095
You might be a bit over the top with the whole “deserves it” mumbojumbo. I’ll admit, I’m Trophy obsessed. Not so much for a +e-penis aspect, but for the reason they offer a challenge of sorts. It gives me a reason to play games I normally wouldn’t or ways I normally wouldn’t.
So just because I like Trophies and would be a bit upset if Sony took them from me then I don’t ‘deserve’ a ps3? I worked my ass off to afford a launch 60GB and the games I have and maintain my life. Telling me I don’t ‘deserve’ a PS3 is ridiculous. I understand where you are coming from and to a slight degree agree with you, but I would be willing to wager that there are quite a lot of people who care about trophies (and/or achievements for that matter) who ‘deserve’ their console of choice. You’r make generalizations based on the loudest (and most obsessed) members of a community, a lot of people in the community don’t care about the +e-penis status.
psn+ is the biggest fk up by sony yet…. They need to step it up for the original hardcore ps3 owners…!
I was going to say “who would actually dump this service” but Lemmy78 answered that. Lemmy BTW, is a complete idiot who obviously doesnt understand the outstanding value Sony is giving people like myself who have spent a shit load of money on DLC, Blu-ray games, and hardware. I love Sony for doing this, and I am willing to bet a large portion of “the original hardcore ps3 owners” (whatever that means) agree with me.
not for nothing, I still own the first 80 gig model they released, so unless I was supposed to buy the PS3 upon release I think I fall under the catagory of “original PS3 owner” as for “hardcore” … my money speaks well, but my loyalty to Sony since the PS1 would probably deem me hardcore.
but I am curious, what exactly is it that the “original hardcore ps3 owners” want? upon release we had a gaming system with great graphic abilities (and hardly put to use), and a blu-ray player. Compared to the release we have more than we ever asked for. Trophies, a stronger online experience, video delivery, Home, the stupid cross chat thing, 3D gaming, and soon Move. Thats just a few things I can think of off hand, I am sure I missed a ton of shit because in the 3 years I have owned my PS3 I have seen it grow by leaps and bounds. I never imagined it could be as great as it has become and it gets better everyday.
Oh let me guess, are you one of the bitches who misses Linex? sucks doesnt it? Sony (like the rest of the world) hates it when people steal from them and have the right to make every effort to stop that from happening. I support them 100% and dont give a shit that you cant use your PS3 as a computer.
Hmm, you guys are probably right. I was under the impression that trophies will not count if you do not purchase the title, much like the infamous free hour example posted above. I assumed (incorrectly?) that if you cancel a subscription ,and you lose those games, you also lose the trophies.
I swore I was not making this up, and that I read it somewhere, but I could be dead wrong.
And I hope I am!
I dont see the logic in that. could you imagine the backlash Sony would receive if users lost a years worth of trophies because they didnt re-up for one reason or another? Look how loud the losers cry now while Sony is basically pampering its fan base.