Playstation Plus Questions

[Azisien]

Originally Posted by Solid Snake

Man, trying to read through Sony's official materials regarding the Playstation Plus service is like trying to comb through the debris of a trainwreck. I'm wondering if any of you who are Playstation Plus subscribers can help me understand the semantics.

1: I buy a subscription and then download a game that's free for subscribers. A year later, I don't renew the subscription.
So I understand I can't re-download the game after cancelling the subscription. But what happens to the copy that's already on my PS3 or Vita? Is it deleted?
What happens if I subsequently renew after a brief cancellation period? Do I lose all access to that content?

2: How exactly does the "Automatic Download" service work? Can I control what's automatically downloaded? The service seems to suggest that Demos for games will be automatically downloaded without asking for my permission, and I don't have the free hard drive space to want that to happen.

3: Say I already purchased a game before becoming a PS Plus member. Then it goes on sale and is free for subscribers for a month. Then I cancel my subscription. I can't lose my ability to download that game, right?

4: Say there's a game that's discounted for PS Plus members, but it isn't free. I purchase it. Then I don't renew my subscription. If the game is lost in the void, have I essentially just lost my money?

1. For Plus games that are FREE, you can only play them while you are Plus. You games that are DISCOUNTED due to you being Plus, you can play them regardless of Plus status.

2. Demos will not be automatically downloaded. It's for patches, system updates, and so on. Or if you queued some downloads that you authorized, it can turn on, finish them, and turn off, for instance.

3. If you already purchased it as non-Plus, you're safe.

4. See 1. Discounted games count as "non-Plus purchases." You just get a deal as a Plus member. You "own" them. At least as much as you can own digital content provided by Sony.

[Donomni]

Originally Posted by Solid Snake

That's...kind of annoying.
Do I have the option to purchase 'free for PS Plus' games even as a PS Plus member? I'd hate to "own" a game that I had to pay $50 each year to play. That's like a perpetual loan, not a genuine purchase.

It's better if you think of PS+ as a rental service rather than a free game service, in that aspect.

Considering you can redownload games after you mark them as purchased on the store, even after they aren't available in the store... the amount of games you can have can really snowball.

I mean, Gamefly's about $18 for one month, at a minimum. Granted, you can choose a hell of a lot more games, but PS+ can let you have digital-only titles, too, and however many games you can actually have for "free"(aka Rent) is based on your hard drive, not how much you pay Gamefly per month.

[Solid Snake]

I think it's the snowballing that really worries me, actually. I certainly wouldn't mind acquiring access to a lot of games for 'free,' but PS Plus seems to depend upon ensuring you create a dependency on the service. If I get too used to having all those extra games in my collection, I'll have to spend $50/year to Sony to retain access.

Plus, there's the whole fact that you can't choose which games are actually available each month. In that sense it's like a rental service where you don't even pick the games you rent. Which is silly.

I can understand PS Plus' value for those strapped for cash and, if I end up still impoverished and unemployed a year or so from now it'll start looking a lot more appealing.
...Then again, if I'm still unemployed a year from now, I'll probably be dead or in a mental institution.

[Magus]

I look at it like I do OnLive or Netflix, you are paying a set monthly fee to try and get as much stuff played or watched as possible before the next month. Some people have Netflix and basically waste it with DVDs languishing around their house or never using the online viewer. If you are an avid user of it then it is worth the money.

Like say you got Playstation Plus, you would be doing it with the goal of "Okay, I'm going to play through InFamous 2 this weekend, Homefront the next weekend" etc. and getting all their free shit done with in 3 months and getting rid of the thing. Ignoring the arcade game selection like Pac-Man Championship Edition because that is better off just being something you buy ala carte.

[Professor Smarmiarty]

I came into this thread expecting a playstation and then some questions. What I got was some questions. Disappoint.