PlayStation Plus Prompts Me to Rethink My Xbox Live Subscription

I have been an Xbox Live subscriber for the better part of the last decade. I've always shrugged off the suggestion that the service should be made available for free; people are more than welcome to take that position, but I've always been personally fine with paying. I've found myself rethinking that position over the last week, and a lot of that is Sony's doing.

[black911]

It took you 7 Years really?

[Thatguy-310]

I'll take features over discounts anyday. But the free games do it justice. Still wish new apps/fe.atures were annoum

[black911]

Like What I'm Curious?

[gaffyh]

I'll take discounts and free games over features that I will almost never use any day.

[Ron_Danger]

Almost all of these features are free on other platforms and in most cases better. Paying extra to playNetflix or HBOgo is redicilous. And all of the ESPN stuff is the same you can get for free by typing ESPN.com into your computer, or better yet, just turning on your tv.

And by discounts, are you referring to the 45 FREE games ps+ subscribers get this year?? They aren't all watered down games either. PS+ subscribers (in the US) already got Infamous 2, LBP2, Saints Row 2, Just Cause 2, NFS Shift 2 all for free since April along with a ton of quality online store games like Virtua Fighter: Final Showdown, Hard Corps, Trine 2, and Awesomenauts (there's also a ton others but I'm at work on my iPhone).

It's one thing to say "discounts" for ps+... It's another to try and justify paying up to $60 (if you don't discount hunt) for Live and then still pay regular price for downloadable games/ add-ons and use features/ apps that are free on other platforms

[gokuss122002]

I'll take free full retail games... over being forced to pay extra just to play "the other half" on all my games... especially games where the main hook is the online multiplayer such as Call of Duty. Speaking of CoD, there are MANY people that ONLY play CoD, and they ONLY play it online; in fact, CoD was their sole reason for purchasing their respective console... Factually speaking, the (retail) cost spent on Live, could have purchased an Elite subscription. So in essence, CoD on ps3 is far better than the 360 version; for you get all the map packs (and everything else that comes with Elite) are Free**

**when compared to Live's $60 (retail) price tag

[hay]

This isn't only about discounts. It's also about discovery. I got tons of sweet games from PSN+ on which I wouldn't shell out my money or didn't even know they exist.
This annual 60usd has paid off easily at least twice in content I got from it EXCLUDING this month's offer.

[Trebius51]

I didnt even know about the free games til just now .... guess im signing up.

[darthv72]

meaning that these "free" games are in fact free or only free for the life of the service?

Live doesnt give away much in the free department but when they do it really is free even if you no longer choose to be a member.

I'd give plus a go for the year if it meant I could opt out next year and still play the giveaway games.

[princejb134]

@darthv72

is for the duration of your membership
but is still good
it can take up to a week to beat a game that you spend $60 on
why not play 30+ games in a year for $50

[nukeitall]

How about both PSN and XBL?

I like to play online with the Xbox Live community more than I do PSN. That in itself is worth the $35 yearly, let alone the features.

PSN+ offers nice game rentals, but I have too many games as it is. However, PSN+ offers really nice value if you play those games. They aren't *free* though, they are a rental for as long as you have your subscription.

[Trebius51]

I still find it somewhat fascinating that people call Facebook, Netflix, ESPN, Twitter, etc. etc. "Features" ....

You can use any of those apps for free on any other platform or device that surfs the internet ...

[Army_of_Darkness]

PSN+ lets you play online weather or not your a plus subscriber, has chat if you got a mic so what other online special feature do you really need to play games aside from that??
I get free games on PSN+ on the weekly that I usually finish within a few weeks so why would I want to keep it on my harddrive when there is gonna be dozens and dozens more upcoming free games to Download?!

I honestly didn't like the idea of not being able to keep the free games at first, but I figured that what would be the point in doing so after clearing it?! just gonna take up HD space.

[nukeitall]

@Army_of_Darkness:

Do you know what is the most important thing of all in an online game is?

The *community*!!!

That alone makes it worth the $35 yearly fee I pay. To top it off, the party system/cross game chat makes it easy to organize a team of 5 people. If you play online, you know people jump in and jump out all the time. Getting a full team is hard, and Xbox Live makes that far easier.

Beacons let me know which one of my friends want to play game I do, so I don't feel as bad contacting them while they are doing something else to see if they want to play together.

People with microphones communicating also makes a huge difference. On top of that, we get the latest apps streamlined for console use with a unified interface.

Ever patched anything on PSN? Slow!

On XBL, I can patch a game while the game is running. No restart needed. The updates are small and it comes down fast.

Also, I don't have a lot of abandoned friends on my friends list on XBL. They tend to stick around and play a lot.

That are just some of the benefits. If you play online, XBL is the place to be!

People don't get that isn't a feature list in their head, it is how it is done. Android has everything iOS does, but people choose iOS due to the experience.

[Ryo-Hazuki]

I can't wait till PS4 releases because it will have party chat for free. I really don't care about a glorified conference call but I want to see the excuses from ppl who are defending LIVE. You would have to be retarded or a fanboy if you don't switch over from LIVE to PSN. It already doesn't make sense to pay for LIVE now but it really would not make sense once PS4 releases.

[darthv72]

It seems neither side will concede in this debate. What many dont realize is that once you become a paid member (of either service) you can really no longer consider yourself part of the "free" crowd.

Silver member of live (obviously) dont get to compete in competitive multiplayer which is probably the biggest aspect of live to begin with. Then again, it isnt for everyone. So what compells people to sign up for live in the first place. Simply put...they do it because their friends do it (mostly).

With that membership comes not only the perks of playing online but all the other parts of live as well. Features that many will say arent really features because they exist on the pc for free. True but live has them tailor made specifically to the platform.

That means you get the best quality in form and function only on the 360. MS has made it their goal to ensure the quality of the service remains high. Even when it comes to the simple things.

Sony on the other hand made their online service an afterthought. They couldnt charge for it upfront because it wasnt worth it. That doesnt mean its crap because it has gotten better over time. The one advantage (and yes its a big one) is the free online play for those who arent paid members.

The paid members get that and much more. in fact, pretty much any new extension to the service is for paid members only. Sorry free psn, no cloud saves for you.

Now the pay to play aspect is a part of both. Live you pay to play online. PS+ you simply pay to play. By that i am referring to all the "free" games that arent really free. You still have to pay to play them or more specifically you have to pay to continue to have the privilage to play them.

Bottom line for both service is, once you have become a paid member there really is no other way to go. I cant see myself dropping live after being a founding member from the xbox days. It has gotten so much better than where it began. I havent yet taken the plunge on PS+ simply because I dont play enough on my ps3 to justify the purchase.

I do like the selection of incentives on PS+ but to continue to pay each year for the right to play titles I could rather go out and buy outright. Sony knows there is big $$$ to be made in memberships. It would not surprise me if they reworked the free side to be less and less attractive (think restrictive) just to get people to join up.

once you are a member of something it makes it that much harder to walk away.

[fr0sty]

Honestly, other than cross game chat and the party system, there isn't much on Live that I'm interested in. It is a great infrastructure for online gaming, but I won't ever support it on principal alone. Any company that locks half of a game I paid full price for, or makes me pay extra for apps and services that others get for free, will not be getting my money. I'll handle the minor inconvenience of having to use old fashioned text messages to contact my friends who are playing other games than the one I'm playing. I can't say I hate on others for thinking those features are worth $60 a year. Some game a lot more socially than I do. I'm not a kid so not all of my friends even play video games, and those that do aren't into online gaming. As such, when I game online, it's normally with people I do not know or maybe just one other friend. To people like me, Live it worthless. The fact that Microsoft makes you pay for Live if you want to even play online alienates people like me. Stupid move on their part.

[OneAboveAll]

I'll take better only functionality, party chat and the safety of my personal information over anything PS3 has to offer any day. :)

[Dee_91]

@darth
that makes no sense
Just because they are tailored for the xbox doesnt justify paying for it.
Thats like me paying for mobile sites for my phone because they are tailored for my phone.
Bottom line is they are making you pay for stuff thats free basically everywhere else.
PS+ is basically a huge discount not pay to play.
You would be better off sticking to the crosss game justify xbl arguement.
I was psn+ member for a year and my service was up 3 months ago.I havent re-subcribed yet and wont any time soon ( already havee those free games) so its very easy to walk away once your a subscriber.I was also a Xbl subcriber back in the day.It was quite easy to walk away from that too.
@Oneaboveall
Haha i remember back in 07 08 my friend showed me all the xblpoints he got off other people accounts
your personal INFO might have been safe but your money surely wasnt.

[gaden_malak]

"People don't get that isn't a feature list in their head, it is how it is done. Android has everything iOS does, but people choose iOS due to the experience."

Well except for the fact that Andriod has overtaken ios as phone of choice.

"I'll take better only functionality, party chat and the safety of my personal information over anything PS3 has to offer any day. :)"

You mean the very safe system that even Major Nelson's account was hacked. That's the one you mean?

[Blacktric]

"I'll take features"
"features"
"features"
"features"

You mean you take cross game/party chat and voice messages over tons of free games each month, including retail games that received amazing scores like inFamous 2 and Little Big Planet 2? Remind me again when was the last time Microsoft gave a free and decent XBL Arcade game over Live Marketplace? Thought so...

[BattleAxe]

XBOX Live is a joke. I regret actually buying a gold membership this year.The sad thing is that I've never been a PS+ subscriber, and at least with PS+ you get tons of free stuff and major discounts. I bought my 360 for $100.00 three months ago, I played it for the first two weeks, and I've barely turned it on since. I'd at least like to sell it and get my $100.00 back. As for my Live subscription, Halo: Reach download, Gears 1 and Gears 2 downloads, its basically money flushed down the toilet. Oh well, at least I can say that I gave the 360 a fair shake.

[geddesmond]

You always got free games with the discounts except now you get full retail games and Good PSN titles. Anyone that would rather get crappy apps and stuff instead of 40 plus games a year is crazy.

In Europe we get 10 free games this month and after that 3 games get added every month. Thats amazing even for people like me who owns 100+ PS3 retail games and 50 or so PSN titles.

I mean if it wasn't for PS+ I would never have played MS Apocalypse and now I can't put it down amazing deal.

@Nukeitall

Your talking through your ass. You don't know the first thing about PSN if there the points you use. Last time I checked the community is just the same. You can see what games your friends are playing and join them very easily because all online games now a days have an in game invite system and most give you the ability to join them in on going games.

I always use and see others with mics, I've over 80 PSN friends and every night theres 40+ online so whats that tend to stick around BS. Maybe people abondoned their accounts on your list cause they added you and realised how dumb you sound.

Patches are not slow on PSN. They are slower compared to Xbox because the file size is always bigger.

Also Apps? We get Vidzone, Netflix, Youtube, movie editor, photogallery, a music streaming serice and the PS3 has a web browser that runs facebook and all those free movie streming websites. I mean Apps are BS on both machines why even use those as a point. I mean PSN is free and its also ad free. On top of your live subscription MS have Live covered in ads lol thats just an insult to paying customers.

I mean be a man and realize your getting ripped off. Why is all these things free on PC but not 360, lol even Nintendo ain't charging for their WiiU online. Yous are just suckers for paying that and where does the money go? to devs like Rockstar for exclusive DLC that ends up on PS3 a few months later anyway lol. Smh your debating points that have always been used and most have been proven to be wrong over the years.

[MaxXAttaxX]

It's called a MEMBERSHIP.

You may not be able to keep most games after your subscription expires(duh), but you do keep other free content and you DO keep every other game you got at a discount, even if you only payed 1 cent.

Got Red Dead Redemption bundled with all 3 DLC packs for $19.

Here are the details on the value of PS Plus from its first year alone:
http://m.ign.com/articles/2...

And here is the latest on PS Plus:
http://www.ign.com/articles...

$50 in exchange for $1000 worth of games and other content for a year = WIN.
____

Online GAMEPLAY ITSELF is exactly the same on both. Unless developers designed both version differently, then it's they're the same.

I'm sorry, but if you have to pay to play online and justify it with non-gaming related features, you have no right hating on PS Plus (an OPTIONAL service that doesn't keep you from most online features).

[Shepherd 214]

The community and refinement of xbox live have been building a strong foundation ever since the older days where Halo 2 dominated everything online in the console world and new ps2 users were wondering why they couldn't play online on the PSN straight out of the PS2 box. It was a ripe and exhilarating time to be apart of halo 2 and even halo 3s community on the 360 and I know for a fact that the same social experience wouldn't have been replicated on Sonys free service. For me, of course.

Different people see value in different things. Most people aren't trying to degrade and convince others not to get PSN, but it doesn't work the other way around here unfortunately. Anyone with any bit of intelligence acknowledges the excellent value of PSN Plus, but don't scoff at those who would rather not leave their memories, friends and experiences so hastily.

[ShinMaster]

WHERE'S YOUR GOD NOW, HATERS!?
lol

* PS Plus membership extends to both systems with $1000s worth of content.

* Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime, MLBtv, NHL, VidZone, Twitter, Foursquare, YouTube, Skype, Facebook, Flickr, Music, Blu-ray, Video and voice Chat, exact same Online Gameplay, etc etc on PS3 and Vita without being forced to pay anything extra just to access these features.

I'll that over having to pay to play online, a "nicer looking interface" and a false sense of "community" no more special than LBP's.

So spin that!

[Shepherd 214]

So which part about my above post didn't you like? Im curious because its obvious no one liked to hear a different point of view i guess. Was it the part about xbox live and halo 2 being one of the best gaming experience of that generation? Or the part where I said you couldn't play online without a ps2 with the separate component? Or the part where you socially dead keyboard warriors hated where I said that the community was massive and strong? Don't get all ass chapped because you didn't like to hear the truth.

Paying $15 a month to play one game might sound retarded but guess what, ten million people still do it in world of warcraft for some goddamn reason. Oh wait, i remember, because of their friends and the massive community, otherwise who would seriously play that shit alone if players were replaced by NPCs.

lot of people here need a reality check.

[Blogz4Fanboyz]

lol

same wrote for hits rubbish, complete with the whole sony fanboy brigade, writing the same stuff that they have been writing for years....

anyone that thinks live is better disagreed to death and no doubt bubble raped.

i have both, and for gaming, live is MUCH better no questions. psn+ sounds like a good idea, but quite honestly doesnt interest me.

disagree away kids. no one gives a fuck about you fanboys on here anyway.

[MaxXAttaxX]

Halo 2? PS2?

What?

[jaysquared]

I dropped li e about a year ago and bought a ps3 because I don't game much anymore and mostly used my 360 for Netflix.. Didn't want to pay just for Netflix so got a ps3.. Ended up selling the ps3 about 4 months ago and restarted my live membership... Ps3 was just a pain to use.. The interface is a pain to navigate, the once a month updates that took like 30 mins to download and another 30 mins to install was a b*tch(m$ only updates the 360 probably 3 x a year and only takes minutes), download speed for psn was slow, hate how when I downloaded demos it took 30 mins to download and another 30 min to I install(360 takes about 15 min to download and it installs it while downloading), navigating throuh trophy list and the store was slow, hated how I couldn't control the ps3 with my harmony remote unless I got an adapted, Netflix app on the 360 is miles better than on the ps3, accessing friends list or sending messages sucked..

I gave it a fair amount of time but I just dreaded turning on the ps3 to watch Netflix because it seemed like it had updates every! Each console has it's pros and cons but for me the ease of the 360 and the easier interface made me go back.. I seriously get a headache thinking about my times with the ps3..

[Shepherd 214]

Nathanexplosion

I think you misunderstood me. Halo 2 on xbox live was the dominate online console game of the xbox/ps2 generation. Meanwhile, Ps2 was struggling with a very poor online interface and setup because you had to have that separate component to get your ps2 online. It's for that reason that xbox live has had a vey strong start and has continued to build loyalty and social appeal over the years, it's the same reason why so many people are willing to pay 15 a month for world of warcraft - just one game. It's the social experience that makes xbox live different from pc gaming and psn, and in my opinion as far as Sony has come, they're still working on it. MS is gonna have to change something eventually to compete with Sonys PSN plus, however, just like how psn has had to change to compete with Live.

[MaxXAttaxX]

I see what you're trying to say....

But what you're saying about online on the PS2 only applied to the older fat PS2 models which required an adapter. The newer PS2s, the Slim ones which were sold for the majority of the PS2s life cycle, all have built-in Ethernet ports.

Final Fantasy XI was a very popular online game on the PS2.

EXACTLY! Halo 2 was ONE game. Not everyone on Xbox played it online(or at all). Whatever (online)community the original Xbox built, was mainly built around Halo 2, one of the only highlight.
But that was then and this is now.
The reason why the number of XBL members(as well as PSN members) today is higher than back in the original Xbox days, is not because of Halo 2 existed, but because there are multiple games with online play today.
Both 360 and PS3 have multiple games with online play. Aside from the Halo games, BOTH communities are practically matched. And because of this, last gen is almost irrelevant to the subject.

[FunAndGun]

...and $350

[Shepherd 214]

Funandgun

you've probably spend hundreds of dollars on useless sugary sodas or something similar over the years, so what's your point?

Where you see something cold and tasty(xbox live) I see excess calories and stupidity.(why are you paying for Live?). It's subjective.

[fermcr]

"PlayStation Plus Prompts Me to Rethink My Xbox Live Subscription"

Had both, PS+ and Xbox Live ... now i don't have any. My online gaming is mostly done on PC.

Just a side note: PS+ doesn't give you free games, it allows you to play them while you have PS+. If you don't renew PS+, the games are gone.
People should really stop saying that PS+ gives you free games, because it doesn't.

[gokuss122002]

you're right, it doesn't give YOU free games. However, it does give free games to PS+ subscribers. it's called a MEMBERSHIP; if you're not (CURRENTLY)a member, then you don't get the benefits of the MEMBERSHIP. Kinda like when you're a gold MEMBER, you get to play the other half of the game you PURCHASED; whereas once you're no longer a gold MEMBER, then that half of the game is no longer accessible...

It's like this, CompanyX provides it's EMPLOYEES with Free Healthcare etc. However, if (for whatever reason) you're not a CURRENT employee...

[Tony-A]

It doesn't give you free games in the same way that Netflix doesn't give you free movies.

The bottom line is, PlayStation Plus gives you access to a large variety of different games for the same price that it would cost you to just ACCESS the online portion of the games you already paid $60 for on the 360, and on top of other subscriptions you already pay for that can be accessed through Xbox Live.

Saying PS+ doesn't give you free games is just like saying Netflix doesn't give you free movies or Xbox Live doesn't give you free entertainment services (apart from those you already pay for).

Technically, no, they don't. But it's a membership. That's how it works.

[fermcr]

@gokuss122002
So you said all that to basicly agreed with me... and yet i have all these disagrees. Got to love N4G (Sony fanboy heaven).

Those PS+ games are not free. Even if you have those "free" games on your hard drive when your PS+ expires, they become unplayable. People should say those games are "rented", or "playable" while you have PS+.

NOTE: I'm talking about PS+ and not Xbox Live. I don't even care for Xbox Live. Why do people compare it to Xbox Live. They offer different things.

[TekoIie]

DLC still works so some of what you got will still be available after your subscription expires.

Once again we get another article beginning a flame war on N4G. Cant we just accept that people will pay for what they see value in for once?

[Snookies12]

Yeah, sure they're not really free, but who cares? Are you really going to NOT be finished with a game, say... 3 months, 6 months, or a year down the road? If not, I'd say you aren't going to ever be finished with it. Besides, if they keep offering free games of Infamous 2 and LBP2 quality every month, why in the hell would anyone NOT want to renew each time?

[xursz]

I'm a lifetime member so the games are with me as long as I live. :]

For less than $4 a month, WHO WOULDN'T SIGN UP?

[MrBeatdown]

Nobody ever says free to keep, so I don't understand why so many people continue to dwell on the expiration aspect of it.

Free to play is still free.

[LAZL0-Panaflex]

Plus is a rip. I started it because of e3. Games take waaaaay to long to download and install. That Lara Croft game is d1ck.

PS plus should be a game ALLOWANCE per month that i get to choose, not whatever lame selection they come up with. Chopper HD are u kidding me?! Hatchet and Frank.....come on!! If they're not gonna give me cross game chat, updated dash, they better switch to a game/dlc allowance.

That will be the last plus I buy unless they uncheese it.
I would like a better Facebook AP too.

[Euthanasia78]

U need to check ur internet connection. I have verizon fios, and I never have a problem downloading anything. The problem isn't with plus. It's with ur internet connection.

[InactiveUser]

"Hatchet and Frank".

Wooow.

The day is young, but that's the most clever /s (aka dumbest shi) I've read thus far.

[adamant715]

To be fair, i have the same problem. And im on a 100mbps wired connection..

[Siren30]

I actually like lara croft gol. For me games download about the same speed on both xbox and playstation. The only difference is the installing which doesn't take much longer especially with smaller games like lara croft.

[SilentNegotiator]

I rethought my subscription when I GOT a Ps3 (b4 PS+). I have little need for Xbox LIVE's features because few of my friends game often enough to need party chat and I can use Netflix and such for free on other systems, players, PC, etc.

And on top of that, I recently started gaming on PC and Steam handles pretty much everything that the 360 offered gameplay-wise....including the games, lol.

[PersonMan]

@gokuss122002 Yo dude! You speak the mother-effin TRUTH!

My brother bought his 360 to ONLY play CoD and the reason he NEEDED a 360 is because all his friends play on 360. So he's forced to pay for live.

I will admit one thing though. It's so much easier to join games with your friends on Live... it's kind of a pain on PSN because unless you and your friend are already in the game, you can't talk to them. I like how you can start a party, and hear your friends getting ready to join your match and if there's a problem, they can just tell you instead of having to text you. Also, if one of you gets booted from the game during a host migration or something, you don't lose all contact with the person... they can say "Dammit dude! I got kicked. I'm gonna try joining again.. hang on!"

If someone gets kicked from your game on PSN, you're just like "WTF?" and you're left wondering what happened (if they're mad at you, if they quit the game on purpose, if they're even coming back, if they got booted for friendly fire... etc).

[Mustang300C2012]

No one is forced to buy anything. It is especially sad that people really type stuff saying they are forced to buy something. Your friends jump off a bridge you go to mentality. Your brother CHOOSES to play on LIVE because he wants to be included in the same activities that his friends are doing. I have never cared to taste alohole so I am not FORCED to go to the bar and hang out with drunks even if I did drink. I seriously hope grown men and woman don't use the word forced for everything. Sound like kids with no control.

[PersonMan]

But why would he buy a PS3 and play alone when he can buy a 360 and play with most of his friends? Enjoying video games with your friends is not like drinking, don't get it twisted.

He has to pay for live if he wants the luxury of playing with his friends... it's just the way it is.

[avengers1978]

So Plus is 50 a year, downloading LBP 2 (39.99) and Infamous 2 (29.99) just covered that, add in Just cause 2 at (19.99) and im up 30.00 in a month...
and yes there only yours for the life of your plus membership, but honestly when they start paying you to try out games then why not keep it going.

[theWB27]

Sony really had to be commended, free online with they option to pay snag then free stuff on top of that. I bash sprint for having is pay for internet then having to pay extra to use your phone as a hotspot. Same for Microsoft, can't pay for a service and then pay for everything inside.

[InTheZoneAC]

I've paid $100 for PS+, so I'm going into the 2nd year with it.

Here's what I got for free:
-Digger HD
-Sackboy's Prehistoric Moves
-Critter Crunch
-Mushroom Wars
-Burn Zombie Burn
-Rag Doll Kung Fu
-Sonic the Hedgehog
-Sonic the Hedgehog 2
-Comet Crash
-Stacking
-Infamous
-Infamous 2
-Magic: The Gathering - Duels of the Planeswalkers
-Streets of Rage 2
-Bomberman Ultra
-Golden Axe
-Burnout Paradise with every expansion/add-on
-Comix Zone
-Crash Commando
-Blue Toad Murder Files
-Astro Tripper
-Altered Beast
-Back to the Future - all episodes
-Swords and Soldiers
-Plants vs Zombies
-Costume Quest
-Fatal Intertia
-Supersonic acrobatic rocket powered battle cars
-the simpsons arcade game
-shank 2
-shift 2 unleashed
-inferno pool
-awesomenauts
-trine 2
-frogger returns
-hamster ball
-rock of ages
-wipeout hd
-virtua fighter 5 final showdown
-warhammer 40000 space marines
-ratchet and clank all for one
-lara croft and the guardian of light
-saints row 2
-just cause 2
-hard corps uprising
-choplifter hd
-zombie apocalypse never die alone
-sideway
-littlebigplanet 2

Most of these games are very good and I'm not even counting the free ps1 games, minis, themes and avatars that I got. And I'm not counting discounts on other games I paid for.

How many XBL PAYERS can say they get their money's worth when they are clearly getting robbed?...

[Morpheuzpr]

And you get access to cloud saving automatic updates Quore and game betas.

[ALLWRONG]

usual suspects

[fr0sty]

Some people are trying to use games like WOW as an example of people paying to play a game. If one game wants you to subscribe to pay, you have the choice of not playing that particular game. However, with Xbox, you have to buy another console if you don't agree with paying to play online. That is just stupid, and there's no way to spin it. Not everybody out there gives a damn about community, as not all of us are kids/teenagers who have a hundred friends who game online. For us to be forced into paying for all those features that we'll never even use is just dumb, and the reason why I'll never own an Xbox.

[StrongMan]

It's about time. What took you so long?

[cstyle]

Plus is offering some great deals but i will still be keeping xbox live too.

[neutralgamer19]

The propaganda and bs lies that ppl spew as if this was 2008 saying psn sucks is just insane. Don't be fooled "live" to many may be better, but not by much and definitely not because online play suffers on the ps3. Since owning my ps3 since launch ive had few issues with online and all my games run smoothly. Ppl criticize it for no party chat but to be honest i dont even use that feature on my vita.

Bottom line is PS3 online is good and ppl make it seem as if "live" is so much better are full of it. Add on the fact tht you have to pay for live lol and psn wins that debate imo. Add on ps plus (which i have been a subscriber since day one) and the games they have given us and psn trumps it all

In any case seriously all bs aside Ps plus is def worth it now its a steallllllll!!!! I cant be happier. I never owned Lbp2 or Infamous 2 and im having a blast with both!!!1 I cant wait to see what new games come out next month!!!!!!

[gokuss122002]

Another thing to note is the fact that the 12 (additional) free games offered are the latest in their respective series. The only one that isn't, is Saints Row 2: and according to many fans of the series, Saints Row 2 offers a better experience than Saints Row 3...

Another thing to keep in mind is that if you haven't played it, it's new to you. Of the games listed, I only owned 2 of them...

[Morpheuzpr]

people seam to ignore (or conveniently ignore) that most multiplat games ar P2P so why exactly is xbl better when the limitations are in your, and the other side's connection when playing online?

[Grave]

Ya I downloaded all the new free games from plus, and we get 3 new ones every month. I have both services, but I rarely use Live.

[Prototype]

I grow tired of these "I've switched to X service" or "Why you keep Y service" articles; people have their opinions, most people "follow the leader" or go to what they can afford.

I voted PSN because I see it as an option, not a requirement. No I'm not a trophy hunter either so don't go arguing "What about multiplayer trophies?"

[cstyle]

Well I have them both and while PSN is improving, which is good, so is xbox live. Live is still the better service overall. It just offers a better experience and is much more unified.

[garos82]

still living in 2006 eh?

better service for what exactly? gaming? if so how does it serve the "gamer"?

please enlighten me

[BlackTar187]

if you want to get a glimpse in Cstyle mind just check his history.

Troll is a Troll

[LycanSoldier]

The free games prompted me to sign up for PS+ too.
First use my PS3 has had in quite awhile. I'm enjoying the awesome selection of games that are available with Plus.

That being said, I still prefer Live. It's just personal preference.

[Ben_Giff]

PC

^ I can't believe no one's gone there yet.

Joking aside, I've been a staunch supporting of Xbox Live for about 5 or 6 years. They do have some great features, but I just recently canceled my auto-renew for Xbox Live. PlayStation Plus is great because of the "free" games (technically they aren't free since you pay a subscription fee to use them). I've played a few games I wouldn't have played otherwise, and I've really enjoyed it.

In all honesty, though, I have been doing most of my multiplayer on PC these days. I was always a devout console gamer, but (for the most part) PC games have been priced so aggressively lately they are hard to ignore.

[i3eyond the Circle]

Well it's not free games...but I get Free Crackle, Manga, ESPN and next major update free Nickelodeon and ESPN with LIVE sports games....just for being a Gold member.

[callahan09]

You have to pay a cable television provider for access to ESPN and Nick and HBO and all of that. You can access all those features on a PC for free. Why do you need to pay for Gold in order to access them via your Xbox? It's silly. Do you still need to be a Gold member to utilize your personal Netflix account on your Xbox? Insanity! There are literally hundreds of devices that offer it for free (PS3, Wii, hundreds of different Blu-Ray players and TV's now have it built in, even the 3DS has it...), why do you have to pay extra to use it on Xbox? Xbox Live is a sham...

[FunAndGun]

because he has to rationalize throwing $60 out the window every year.

I mean look at what he said "...just for being a Gold member."

like he is being rewarded or given a prize for being extorted.

[Mustang300C2012]

Because I pay for Live to play online games first and foremost. What is so funny to me is that you all think that people simply Don't have a choice to enjoy having a one stop place for all my needs. Maybe if PSN had Halo, Forza, and it was Live I would be primarily playing on that console. But all I play on my PS3 is exclusives and BR. My family and friends are all on Live and we all enjoy the setup and the ability to access those features I could use on the PS3 or my gaming PC. Yet I choose to do it on Live because it is convent for me. Also I can afford it. I can afford to pay direct tv and HBO. I can afford my 2012 Mustang GT & 2007 300c. I can afford to buy clothes and shoes and everything my family wants. I DON'T CARE if you cannot afford to do those things. No one here should give a damn about complete strangers decision to have Live, PSN or both. Hell I have both and sure don't feel like any less of a gamer because I prefer my Live and 360. People need to grow up with the sad tireless BS about what is better. If you really enjoyed games so much you wouldn't be spending your time here talking about the systems and cost that you don't like every damn day.

[BlackTar187]

Hey red i can afford it to and my new 2012 sonata fully loaded( looks pretty lame when you read it from someone else huh) doesn't mean i want to pay for it or think i can justify it with that line of thought. Hell i could use that line of thought for a ton of crap that i find to be a rip off.

[Dazel]

PSN has come on in leaps and bounds since just before MGS4 launced, the time I first got a Ps3. I truly hated the service back then. However I still feel xbox live has options like cross game party chat that I would miss if I gamed solely on PSN. At 11 pence a day it's definitely worth it imo and hardly gonna break the bank.

[kent80082007]

Sony logic: If you pay you will get this and this and that...
MS logic: If you DON'T pay you WON'T get this and this and that...

Essentially the same message, but sony knows how to wrap it in sugar

[Biggest]

Wrap it in sugar and lots of extra games. . .

[Jazz4108]

I have been following psn+ a while and he only time they have gotten any good rentals was after the psn hack and after this years e3 to compete wiith live. So I guess we will wait for the next hack to make it worth while again.

[Biggest]

You've been following it. That's the problem. I've been playing the games they've offered. A much better way to do things in my opinion.

[Hicken]

... not quite. Because nearly all that stuff you'd pay Microsoft for, you can get for free elsewhere. All the stuff you'd pay Sony for, you'd still have to pay for elsewhere, just likely more.

[neutralgamer19]

I dont knock the ppl that say "live" is better because it has some better features. I just knock the ppl that say psn is bad or that "live" is so much better because its not.

I am so interested to see what xbox and Sony bring to the table in terms of online play with the new systems. I think its going to be really good online gaming even better than now. Im as excited about that as i am about seeing how powerful both will be.

[Mustang300C2012]

ILive is better to ME and couldn't care less if PSN is better for you. Why care what the hell people choose to do with their money?

[Kaos_Vll]

agreed. everyone should be allowed to waste their money any way they want without fear of looking like idiots.

[shinrock]

but don't you lose the lic to the games if you are no longer a ps+ member?

[callahan09]

Yes. Just like when you pay 15 bucks a month for GameFly, you have to send the discs back when you stop paying.

But you can always re-join, and your licenses get renewed!

[BusterFang]

Great comparison that some never really consider when trying to compare PS+ to something. Although one lets you choose what game you want and the other lets you choose what they offer. Nonetheless, you're getting something valuable that you can keep for the whole year only at the cost of $50/year :P

[DivineAssault]

SMART MAN..

[FrigidDARKNESS]

XBL is a keeper for me with the upcoming SmartGlass and IOS Apps its a winner.

[OllieBoy]

Sony has MS beat with their subscription service. I re-subbed for PS+ and now I have it until June 2014. The freebies, discounts, cloud saves, and automatic patches/downloads...XBL can't touch it.

XBL offers...ads and online play? lol, no thanks MS.

[Tidybrutes]

Free psn will do me fine thanks.

Although i think with all the discounts you get from PS plus it would technically pay for itself so plan on getting that soon.

[Phoenix76]

Maybe it's just me, but my personal opinion on the differences of the two main console out on the market ATM is that Xbox is mostly for the younger generation (because it's cheaper for parents) and the play station is more for the older generation (because they work). But that's my own personal view. Let the trolling begin. Sigh.

[Prototype]

That's how a lot of people see it, including myself. When I was on Live I've noticed a much younger crowd (mainly middle/high schoolers) and PSN is more towards 20+ with responsibilities.

Like I said earlier I chose PSN because it's more of an option and not something I'm "forced" to have.

[AusRogo]

To be honest I havent renewed my xbl membership since gears 3. Even then I hardly used party chat. Ill get a month membership when a good 360 exclusive comes out to play online. But thats it, id never pay for a full year since I barely use it longer then a month. I dont have PS+ either but once I upgrade my hdd I will. So next time i.have gold will be for halo 4.

[LAZL0-Panaflex]

I game primarily on ps3 but I am gettingtired of all of the updates. Everytime I wanna play there is a long update. When I play on live the updates are rare and quick. Right now I play kz2&3, uc2&3, bf3, cod&mw3 on psn 100% of the time but I am thinking of doing uncharted, Battlefield &killzone on ps3 & playing multiplats and gears on Xbox just to save time on patches and downloads

I do prefer the PS controller but i prefer the Xbox interface...but I like the speed of the PS interface. Xbox dash typing too slow, but HATE syncing trophies with a passion....especially if I want to compare trophies. I prefer the free service model but I'm willing to pay $40 for live although I think $19.99-$24.99 is a more reasonable number for Xbox to charge. I think everyone on Xbox would be gold if a year was $20. I like on PS I can have multiple accounts.

[BattleTorn]

Speaking of "syncing trophies", why is it when you achieve a trophy and want to view what it was you have to literally 'find it.'

With Xbox 360, when the Achievement is on-screen, your one-button away from viewing exactly what acheivement that was you just unlocked.

I sware, it's little things like that that I just don't get why PS3 does have. Has seriously NO ONE involved in PS-development thought "hey, we should have that too!"

[ceballos77mx]

Since i got plus i dont have any trouble with updates and patches, the system updates by itself while i sleep.

[BattleTorn]

Cross-game chat is worth the $60 on it's own IMO! Re-read: IMO!

When I get on my Xbox, my friends are usually 1.playing a game already 2.playing various games 3.playing SP since Im not on yet.

Party Chat allows all my friends to coordinate what we want to play, or convince each other to stop playing SP, and join us in MP, but bottemline is we are usually talking before playing. This is a priceless feature IMO! IMO!

[ShinMaster]

Seems like the more features Sony adds, the more desperate people get to justify XBL.

PS Vita already has Cross-game party chat for FREE and the PS4 will be next.

So you're saying that if Microsoft decides to make online gameplay free, you would still pay $60 just for cross-chat alone? lol
Your opinion, I guess.

[BattleTorn]

For $4 / month. Yeah! I wipe my ass with more than $4 a month. I pay more TAX on what I wipe with than $4 a month, for that matter.

HAHA, Just read Jihaad_cpt after writing this. hehe

It doesn't matter what it is, IMO free is never better. (in regards to services)
Some people think internet should be free, even if it was I'd still pay extra for Turbo (higher speed bandwidth).
I'm the type of person would is always going to look for a way to pay more, because I beleive I get more.
Companies love people like me.

[Jihaad_cpt]

Its free on the Vita so why the hell is it worth to pay for such a "FEATURE," you sound like a person with too much money too little common sense. "IMO"

[ChunkyLover53]

This is the thing, I use PlayStation Plus and Xbox Live. I enjoy the free game rentals from Sony with PSN+. That being said, when I first heard they were making PSN+ I thought they would update the XMB, maybe give you voice messaging and at least private online chat. Free rental are all well and good, but when it comes to the actual PSN, its kind of soulless in my opinion.

I like to play competitively and I run a gaming clan, so I have to recruit players often, which is easier to do with XBL. Xbox Live is like the Facebook of online gaming setups.

I know I probably wont get a ton of agrees here with this point of view, but comparing a service that is giving you rentals to a service that is actually set up to give you a more social online experience is the wrong comparison in my opinion.

[MWong]

I love my PS+ ... I loved the cross chat, free cheap plug in microphone that came with my 360Elite and the overall look of XBL dashboard was beautiful. But spending $50/year (2 yrs ago) for just going online was stupid so I ditched my 360.

I signed up for my PS+ subscription as soon as they offered it and the last batch of free games I love. I've downloaded Saints2, Infamous, Hard Corps Uprising (ContraHD) 2 & LBP2. I love the value I get from PS+, but hate the overall design of it

[IAmLee]

PSN > XBL.

[VonBraunschweigg]

I prefer PSN because of the games, and no fee needed to play them. Warhawk, Motorstorm, MGO, WipEout HD Fury, MAG, all were/are great fun, and unique.
Summertime coming up, but still lots to play. Starhawk is fun, GT Academy, and Dust 514, got a betakey through the E3 booth in Home. Dunno if it's still available, but getting that key means work, including winning a pretty cool boardgame called Slay, with a 15 page tutorial:)

[ThatsGaming]

PS+ has some nice free monthly games and such, but I immediately cancelled when the PSN was hacked. I re- instated two months ago as I bought a Vita and they seem to have secured the network much better.

But, in the end I still am more confident with Live as I personally have only had one outage incident and they re-imbursed me by providing me two games.

Sony probably wins in features for cost, but Live wins in stability and reliability from my personal experiences. It really depends on what you value.

[OldSnakePS3]

i have never and will never pay to play online
ps plus is a godsend with the content and discounts
bless you sony

[units]

you do know you are only renting those PS games?

[Prince_Dim-Lu]

@Units... exactly.

[wollie]

Hell ya im just renting them... and its a sweet deal.

but i dont generally replay games so what does it matter to me if its a rental?

[MariaHelFutura]

Renting your existing internet connection is not any better.

[th3_d3an]

they better do something besides pimp themselves out to developers to get timed exclusive dlc because psn has made xbox live outdated period. sorry rrod followers its true get over it.

[HalfNerdHalfAmazing]

Psn sucks

[stage88]

You suck

[Cdaja]

I'd really like someone to answer my question. Why does no one ever mention the fact that exclusives on PS3 have dedicated servers, which cut down lag severely, while Xbox does not and yet you pay yearly for the service.

[SaffronCurse]

Because fanboys like to keep that a secret

[Lovable]

If you play a lot on the PS3 and you don't buy this then you're stupid. This is by far the best deal in any platform.

[mab636]

Fair enough, you x box guys can complain about only being able to play the games on psn while your a plus member and I will continue to pay 50 bucks a year and play an absurd amount of games for free that I may not have given a chance before ps plus. If that is a rip off, then I will take that rip off any day.

[AO1JMM]

I'd pay for PSN if there was ever free games that I like or didnt already own.

[dragonyght]

Lol kinda late to da party and missed alot of goodies
40+ PS3/PSN PSP games
12 add-on
7 beta
avatars and dynamic themes
Plenty of discounts
Proud PLUS nember 2+ year running and it been good to me

[InTheZoneAC]

well, I've paid $100 for PS+, so I'm going into the 2nd year with it.

Here's what I got for free:
-Digger HD
-Sackboy's Prehistoric Moves
-Critter Crunch
-Mushroom Wars
-Burn Zombie Burn
-Rag Doll Kung Fu
-Sonic the Hedgehog
-Sonic the Hedgehog 2
-Comet Crash
-Stacking
-Infamous
-Infamous 2
-Magic: The Gathering - Duels of the Planeswalkers
-Streets of Rage 2
-Bomberman Ultra
-Golden Axe
-Burnout Paradise with every expansion/add-on
-Comix Zone
-Crash Commando
-Blue Toad Murder Files
-Astro Tripper
-Altered Beast
-Back to the Future - all episodes
-Swords and Soldiers
-Plants vs Zombies
-Costume Quest
-Fatal Intertia
-Supersonic acrobatic rocket powered battle cars
-the simpsons arcade game
-shank 2
-shift 2 unleashed
-inferno pool
-awesomenauts
-trine 2
-frogger returns
-hamster ball
-rock of ages
-wipeout hd
-virtua fighter 5 final showdown
-warhammer 40000 space marines
-ratchet and clank all for one
-lara croft and the guardian of light
-saints row 2
-just cause 2
-hard corps uprising
-choplifter hd
-zombie apocalypse never die alone
-sideway
-littlebigplanet 2

Most of these games are very good and I'm not even counting the free ps1 games, minis, themes and avatars that I got. And I'm not counting discounts on other games I paid for.

How many XBL PAYERS can say they get their money's worth when they are clearly getting robbed?...

[InTheZoneAC]

do people disagree with facts or the fact that they're missing out with xbl?

answer: yes

[TheRealHeisenberg]

I disagree on the whole getting robbed thing if people actually like Xbox Live. PS+ for me all day long though, just got it last week.

[AngelicIceDiamond]

PSN's better for Free games and game deals. XBL is better for multiplayer gaming and online functionality. So far XBL isn't having random outages like PSN, so stability goes to XBL.

[GameGuy]

My opinion: It all comes down to what exclusive games you like and what friends you like more. For some people paying $60 or whatever a year is worth it for the 360. I just own a 360 but not by choice. I recieved it as a gift a long time ago and online multiplayer was the last thing I was thinking about when I had it. A couple a friends told me about Gears of War 1's mulitplayer and from there I continued to play. At the time I didn't have the knowledge had now(PS3 free multiplayer)and I still don't have the cash to just change systems. All I can do now is play with the cards I'm dealt and hope I get better cards next time ;D

[InklingGirl]

I've been an Xbox Live Gold member for nine years and a PSN user for six and I'm starting to like PSN better now with Plus. I like free stuff.

[havok2208]

Hmmm I'm just new to n4g but if I'm playing mw2 3 4 5 and getting my ass kicked by cheating noobs I would prefer not to pay for that experience. peace havok

[TheRealHeisenberg]

I was once an Xbox Live subscriber and loved the service but felt it was time let it go a few years back. I got PS+ last week and I like it so far. Took me a couple days to download all the freebies.

I won't get in to which service is better because that is completely subjective and anybody can make a good case for either one. I will say that I had more stable and faster connections on Live but I get freebies and access to all the features that are important to me on PSN.

[demetreHG]

I have both and will stay like that , but do enjoy the benefits of being Playstation Plus member =D

Really logical , you ain't loosing anything by trying it out for a year !!

[IWentBrokeForGaming]

I have LIVE and not PSN+ and I'll be purely honest about the fact that all LIVE has on PSN+ that I give a s#!t about is the cross game chat with friends... other than that I feel LIVE has NOTHING on PSN+

[KMCROC54]

Am quite comfortable & happy to keep paying for Xbox live, beside like being able to access my HBO-GO ,Netflix,Amazon Instant,facebook,twitter IH radio,ESPN,Vudu,crackle,zune market from my couch & not at my PC.

[geddesmond]

You can access all those from your PS3 web browser as well lol along with all the free movie streaming website on the internet and before Xbox live got those upgrades and PS3 guys brought that into the consol debates Xbox guys never counted that as a valid point.

At the end of the day its just a bunch of people trying to justify an overly priced subscription that offers very little over the competition. Hell even the PS Vita can bring Cross game chat and most of those Apps you mention to gamers for free and if the PS3 had the system Ram to run Cross Game Chat smoothly PSN would have that too. All for free and Ad free too.

[KMCROC54]

Yeah fine & dandy but i will continue to support MS over sony . MS to me is the better choice , no need justify is just what i like & prefer.overpriced for those who can't afford it & don't look for deals.I like ad besides they are easily ignored .

[xchamp]

I would rather pay for a stable network like LIVE than PSN which seems to go down every few weeks randomly, also downloading game updates from PSN takes ages compared to minutes on LIVE

[Biggest]

You wouldn't be paying for PSN's network. It's free. How did you miss that part?

[xchamp]

Playstation Plus

[MrSega]

In my opinion PSN already is superior to Xbox Live, same without plus.

On Live without gold you can't Play online or use basic
things like Netflix.

[Auron]

microsoft needs to step up their game and the 75% off Games on demand is a good start starting june 19 but still they ought to do more to compete

all apps on live should work on free accounts.

[TXIDarkAvenger]

What bugs me is paying for Xbox Live just to use Netflix, YouTube, and other apps. So on top of paying for Xbox Live, I need to pay for Netflix. Whereas on PS3 it doesn't matter if you have PSN+ or not.

[Auron]

totally agree with you. apps should be free on live to use. There is even adds on xbla that generate them extra revenue, while on ps3 their are none. as I said microsoft needs to give its users treats like psn+ does. (ahem isnt psn+ $10 less than xbl as well? shame on you microsoft.)

[sandman224]

Did anyone notice Xbox live tried to match psn offer with there so called huge discount lol. Yeah I believe there day one release games for 4.99. Those games should be free.

[TXIDarkAvenger]

I'd just buy both...I know its a lot but Xbox Live offers a party feature that PSN does not have. But PSN+ gives lots of free games so no matter what you go with, there both great services.

[gamer7804]

Just use whatever suits your playstyle best, whether its playing for xbox live for chat/online media service, or playing for free online on PS or paying for free temporary games on playstation plus. No one's forcing anyone, i don't see why its a big deal either way.

[NotSoSilentBob]

Best part of PSN+ is that it is optional so if you don't want it you can still play online for free.

[TABSF]

PC prompts me to think why people pay for these services

[s45gr32]

I am so anti-subscription gaming services. Now I play on STEAM mainly due is free but in all honesty Sony and Microsoft are just ripping its customers off because they can get away with it and gamers don't put up a fight no more. STEAM does what Plus and Gold offer for free. Anyone that comes to me and says videogames are a business I will gladly point them to STEAM.

STEAM offers:

Cloud Saves for almost any game
Free games to play like:

Everquest 2
Team Fortress 2
DOTA 2
Rusty Hearts
APB

Discounts on old and brand new games like I bought Rayman Origins for $15.00.

I got Batman Arkham City a month after its release yup just one month later for $25.00

Steam Workshop gives easy access to mods no dead island mods yet darn but it does offer mods for:

Skyrim
Dota 2
Portal 2

Basically instead of trial and error or searching via google, bing, etc. is right there under steam community workshop click the mod you want and download. Easy peasy for those interested into modding.

Can chat crossgame chat, pretty much what live offers either via steam or your own client like skype or teamspeak.

I am sorry as a console gamer vet it saddens me that gamers are so blind that go for paid subscription gaming services instead of demanding for free online gaming services the way it should be. Valve has proven to be financially successful with its free STEAM service.

[LordHiggens]

I prefer PS plus...it gives me the games! For free! FREE GAMES! Sure I technically do not own them...I don't really care...I play them and then I beat them and I move on. It is seldom that I play a game through more than once. I love all the benefits that my Playstation gives me.

-Blu Ray Player
-Great Exclusives
-PS Plus membership at cost equivalent to LIVE
-Free Online Gaming

The PS3 is a superior console in my opinion and I will continue to have it...I had the 360...and eventually traded it in because I was sick and tired of paying for online for a console whose interface was absolute crap and filled with ads.
-

[Mac420]

I Have both systems an enjoy both. Comes with pro's an con's like everything in life. But Im tired of hearing all this blah blah blah.. Only thing I repeat the ONLY THING Xbox live has over PSN is Cross Game Chat without it everybody would be on PSN. Dashboard is horrible now an has been since they revamped it for Kinect.All you see is advertisements about Tv show premiers, an stupid flash games for new cars that come out like WIN 200 points so you can buy a pair of sandals for your 32 bit avatar. So stupid all our Live subscription pays for anymore is COD DLC a month early like anybody really cares? An developers run servers for there games so there no comparison in that category. PSN has alot of free games discounted games an game trails not demo's but 1 hour trails, an Beta's for upcoming games. Xbox live has COD DLC for 1 a month before anybody else. An that sums it up, But with all that said I will continue to feed MS an there jewish asses cuz its annoying when you pull noobs on your team. Even worse when you cant scream at them because they don't have a mic.

[Raoh]

I've been a playstation plus member since day one.

Guess what, if I decide to cancel the service I can still play online games for free without an online fee.

I dare an xbox live member to try to play an online game demo.

A demo.

I'll say it again.

You can't play online demo's without paying for xbox live gold.

don't like playstation plus? no problem, you can still play with your friends for free at no charge.

[turnerdc]

Hmmmm, people should take a look at OnLive. Has online multiplayer (free), cross game chat (free), trials for (almost) every game's single or multiplayer (free), cloud saves (free), and a subscription service similar to PSN+ where you get access to over 200 games and 30 percent off any purchase. Plus you won't have to worry about those pesky downloads or hard drive space a few people above were complaining about! The only thing that kind of sucks right now is the library isn't the greatest and there are only a few games that have a very lively multiplayer scene. But hey, you can help change that by trying it out!

[IHateYouFanboys]

Lol @ the stupidity in here.

"wow I get so many FREE games with PS+!!! All I have to do is pay $60 a year to get those free games, and I have to pay it every year or my FREE games disappear!"

How can you kids not see that if you're paying for something it's not free? By your logic, online play on the 360 is FREE, you just have to pay a yearly fee to get it for FREE. Exactly the same deal.

IT'S NOT FREE IF YOU'RE PAYING FOR IT!!!

If you don't pay for PS+ you can't play those "free" games! That means they're not free.

Oh and you can see the people who don't actually have live gold - Xbox live has gold-only deals and discounts EVERY SINGLE WEEK. 25% off, 50% off, buy some 2 music game dlc and get ms points back, etc etc. every single week of the year. I got braid for half price not long ago - that saving was equivalent to like 2 months of live subscription costs. I bought 2 rock band songs for 320ms and got 80ms back the other week. The summer of arcade will no doubt have the "buy all 4 and get 800 points back" deal, like it has every year.

And you know what? Whenever you stop paying for gold, you get to keep all of your games and content.

[NotSoSilentBob]

You get to keep any content that you paid for too. Yes to loose the "free" games but when they put a game or DLC on sale for 4.99 instead of 9.99 you keep that. Plus if you stop paying PSN+ you can still PLAY online for free.

[Dape]

@OneAboveAll
Live provides safety over your personal information really?
Explain peoples accounts that were being sold on a website called Dhgate with 1k or more xbox points some even with the credit card info that you could add up to 10k points everyday...Most people that bought this accounts were fifa players and used it for FUT, my friend got his xbox banned over buying this accounts even though he didnt know it was someones account that got hacked. Just because xbox doesnt go public with what goes under closes doors doesnt mean, it aint happening!

[chuckyj1]

Well they are free as long as you have the Playstation plus service...but, if you dare choose to cancel the service you will no longer be able to play those "Free Games".

PSN has made XBL outdated is an absolute joke. Then why is PSN in the Red ink while XBL makes MS over a Billion dollars Annually?

PSN plus is the bigger rip off...your not paying for Party chat (which PSN still doens't have) Those free games you cannot play once you cancel your PS plus service and discounts? so what XBL has discounts every week.

What exactly are you paying for to get PSN plus?

[CernaML]

lol @ you only being able to list Party Chat. I swear it's all you XBL fanboys got. A feature that is available on a handheld FREE OF CHARGE.

Discounts on XBL every week? You mean the service you also have to pay for just to access basic online play? lmao

What do we get with PSN+? Well like everyone has said, free games. Considered rentals only? Who the hell cares? 17$ for 3 months of free games? That's a pretty sweet deal. Then you have free DLC and discounts that you get to KEEP even after the subscription ends. And when it comes to features there are a couple of nifty features such as cloud storage and automatic updates which makes things very convenient.

Right now, I would rather pay for PS+ instead of XBL. And because of that, my 360 is currently a useless brick. Even without PS+ I still get more out of my PS3 over a silver membership.

[OooHJohnny]

^ LOL

[Father Murder X]

You guys sure hate Xbox Live. Why does it bother you so much that the next guy/gal wants to spend their money on Xbox live? Its none of your business how the next man spends their money. You enjoy PSN/PSN+ and shut the fuck up. You sony boys have some issues. Again MS must be doing something right because people seem to live Xbox live. I have been on xbox live for ten years (in August) and PSN for 6 six years.

[ZeroX9876]

There`s one word people has been missing: Optional!

I can play online on my ps3 for free. I can pay and get free games, discounts, cloud saving, PLUS you don`t have to wait for any patch since PS+ will download it automatically for you during the night (that`s how I've set it up).

But still, a lot of my friends are not paying for ps+, why?
because they can still play for free. it`s OPTIONAL!

Sony gives us game diversity, free online with an awesome subscription program and motion control are optional (most of the time).

Microsoft for me offers a better FPS oriented experience for tournaments and lan parties with the party chat feature, still a very good product, but having to pay just to play online is one of the reason my friend bought a ps3 in the first place.