PlayStation Plus versus Xbox Live Gold (Instant Game Collection/ Games with Gold)

"Everyone who owns either an Xbox 360 or PlayStation 3/4 should know about PlayStation Plus or Games with Gold services. Both of them are included as a plus in the monthly subscription fee that Microsoft and Sony implemented a while ago for the ability of playing multiplayer modes on your console."

[staticdash22]

How can you compare a service that's been running for 3 years verse a recently added service?

We all know PS+ offers more value but the trade off is that you need an active membership to play the games. Persoanlly, I'd rather play games the caliber of DmC, Bioshock infinite, and remember me than to get games that are 4-7 years old from Games with gold. Games I finished years ago, but oh yea I get to keep them if I don't have a subscription. Wow, such value!

/sarcasm

[zeee]

Even with your /sarcasm, I am not really sure if you are really being sarcastic, confused or stealth trolling?!

When Sony introduced PSN, there was absolutely no comparison between PSN and XBL because to be honest, PSN sucked BIG TIME!

But they kept at it and then came PS Plus. It came, it saw and it conquered. I think times have changed and so have reality and facts.

PSN Plus offers games a hell lot more than XBL. The ONLY thing that made XBL more charming for many was the Cross game chat system and Sony's addressed that with PS4 so perhaps the last point from the page of "XBL Advantages over PSN" has been crossed off.

I am very happy about this and you know why? Because now SONY is going to force MS to come up with a better plan/service. Competition is wonderful and I can't wait to see how MS will try to bounce back and try to reclaim the throne they had back in late 2000s.

[staticdash22]

Did you even pay attention to my wording. The sarcasm is about xbox games with gold offering the same or better value than PS+ just because you an keep the games. Like what? What interest do gamers have in re downloading games you probably bought years ago, and other that are dated? There are tradeoffs to every service, and PS+ has its own. But the fat is that the quality of the games that it offers more than make up for that. In no way am I bashing PS+ lol

[Kingthrash360]

@zee ,agreed
though its yet to be seen what ms does... it costs money to give out free games, ms's way is more of what ever it takes to get money..not give.

also if comparing xbl games with gold verses ps+ its like glass joe verses mike tyson. ps+ easy.

[darthv72]

Am I allowed to enjoy both services? Both have offered me games i had not previously owned/played.

I like that both are trying to add more value to their respected services. they are both looking for new ways to entice consumers to sign up while at the same time keep the existing fan base satisfied.

[kreate]

@Darth

this is a versus article.
U can enjoy both all u want as I do.

But one is better than the other in this situation.

Of course its a opinion.

anyways zee did make a good point about cross game chat being the most advantageous Perk which psn now matches.

[Belking]

"Because now SONY is going to force MS to come up with a better plan/service."

lol..then who forced sony to charge charging for multiplayer? xbl gold is still the top service. remember, if it weren't for xbl there would be no ps plus or psn.

[Boody-Bandit]

There really is no comparison any more. PSN is the better value and offers the same services for gamers to jump online and communicate with family, friends or people around the world.

MS needs to step up their game. XBL is more expensive than PS+ and offers very little in return. With the XBOX ONE nearly has everything is behind the pay wall that is XBL. You can't even use Internet Explorer without XBL.

With Sony you are paying for basically an online subscription to get free and discounted products. That and it enables you to game online. Everything but online gaming works without a PS+ subscription on the PS4.

Completely different approaches towards their consumers. Right now it appears Sony is besting MS on nearly every aspect for this new generation of gaming. At least that's how I see things.

[Kayant]

Exactly this. Well said. As a X360 do wish MS makes the service more like IGC because even thought I missed out on the early years of the X360 the value of getting to keep old games is not appealing at all considering how cheap those games are. I would rather have access to more current & relevant games IMO.

[badboy776]

Change topics! Who's Winning the superbowl???

[FITgamer]

49ers

[Majin-vegeta]

PS+= http://static.giantbomb.com...

Gold= https://www.gamepointsnow.c...

https://www.gamepointsnow.c...

[Sharius]

the only thing can compare with PS+ is the other PS+, this is the battle between SCEA and SCEE

[Old_Boss_]

True

[Boody-Bandit]

The team with the most points at the end of the game.

[mochachino]

I hope PSN Plus is the future of online game services.

The amount of value I get in free games and discounts far exceeds the price.

I'd pay $10-$15 for Resogun (love that game) and would have paid $15 for Borderlands 2. Both are "free".

I was going to get DMC but low and behold, it's on PSN Plus next month free. And that Brother's game looks very interesting and I will probably download Bioshock Infinite too, sold mine but now kind of feel like a second play through.

So in 2 months PSN Plus more than paid for itself. I never really looked into it before, if I had, I would have bought it a long time ago.

As a former Live user, PSN Plus makes Live look like your paying $60 just to turn your console on - complete rip off.

[JBSleek]

I think Steam like service is likely the future of online game services.

I do see value in PS+ but both services that being XBL and PSN prices for games are outright atrocious when games are still $60 months after release.

One shouldn't have to pay a yearly fee for discounts because they should be more frequent and store wide anyway.

I think a hybrid of all three services would be welcomed and if PSN lowers their prices and offers regular discounts they will be the first to do it.

[thehitman]

I think PS+ crushes Steam in my opinion nothing beats free period. If your a gamer there is no way you can justify not spending 30-50 bucks a year for at least $1000 dollars in games in return across 3 platforms with discounts on top of that to boot. There is just no comparison. Idc what anybody says you dont save like about 1k dollars a year in games on steam.

[TheGrimReaper0011]

wow people, disagrees?
I agree that ps plus is a great service, but steam is just as awesome
While steam doesn't have a premium service as ps plus where they give free games, the sales they have are still damn nice. The sales are better than even games for sale on psn, even with ps plus.
And he is right. For instance
Where I live, devil may cry is still 60 euro. Yes, even now, it's still 60 euro.
Steam? Let me check. 10 euro + free dlc
But I can say, ps plus is still a great service and I would like to have a combination of ps plus and steam where you can choose to pay for "steam plus" and get free games, more discounts and beta access.

[mochachino]

I completely agree downloadable game prices are way to high on both Live and PSN, but nothing does beat free.

As a former Live user, I don't see it offering anything that PSN doesn't (at least on PS4) so a combination of PSN Plus and Steam Sale Prices would be the perfect service imo.

[SoulSercher620]

PS Plus clearly has more value. The games you could get with Games with Gold were either crap or great games everyone played already AND go for $10.

[thebudgetgamer]

Right now it's not even a competition, but I am willing to give Microsoft some time to step their game up before I judge.

[strigoi814]

are we comparing or just plain insulting Microsofts XBL??..lolz

[ifistbrowni]

not even a competition. Sony wins. I have 360 and haven't even bothered downloading any of the free games.

I found it funny that they're doing a "countdown to a new year" sale and todays offer is Left 4 Dead 2 for $10...

Valve just made it free on pc.

[Max-Zorin]

Good services, terrible terrible terrible terrible fans.

[Hicken]

Aren't you tired of saying that yet?

Yes, some people on either side of ANY debate/conflict/argument are gonna suck. That's life. Freakin deal with it. You don't make yourself look any better by constantly complaining about it.

Rather than continually calling attention to the foolishness(and doing nothing about it), why don't you ACTUALLY rise above it- instead of pretending to do so- by staying on topic and not getting involved in the nonsense?

[Max-Zorin]

I can comment whatever I want. You got a problem with that, I got two words for ya.

[AceBlazer13]

The sad thing is that microsoft fans like to brag how rich microsoft is, but why aren't they sharing that wealth in any form or manner? They should easily be able to match plus.Next time you idiots bring up who is making more money think about who gets you better bang for your dollar

[ALLWRONG]

You get to keep the games on Live

[ALLWRONG]

lol 5 people disagree with fact.

how sad

[MasterCornholio]

I'm going to download Soul Sacrifice, Blaze Blue, Borderlands 2 and DmC. I will play and beat all those games and as long ad I have a subscription to plus I will be able to play them. Since I will never get rid of the subscription since I need it to play PS4 games online (most) I will always be able to play my plus games.

My question,

Who cares if you own them what matters is that you can play them?

P.S Both are fantastic services but at the moment plus provides better games across 3 platforms which can't be said for Xbox Live. The "at least you own them" is just an excuse to make people feel better about the old games that games with gold offers.

[Kryptix]

Do you pay for Gold? Have you ever stopped paying for Gold?

Same thing can be said about PS+ so you don't actually lose those "rentals."

In terms of quality and more recent games, PS+ currently destroys Games for Gold.

[MasterCornholio]

Yeah the quality of the games is fantastic. And I can't wait to play DmC with the PS4 controller (it works yey)

[JasonKCK]

If you stop paying for gold you can still DL and play the free games. If you stop paying for PSN+ you can't DL and play the games.

[tommygunzII]

I have over 100 games from PS+. I'm not going to stop that service anytime soon.

[TheLastGuardian]

You think that makes up for paying $10 more a year and getting ancient games you could buy for about 5 bucks?

How sad.

[DanielGearSolid]

Ps Plus was the definition of patience, the second it came out, ppl complained it wont be worth it...

Now theres no question

[Deathdeliverer]

Not to sound like a echo but there is no comparison to PS+ and Live. The value is monumental and it matches feature for feature. And not just a tacked on feature. PSN and PS+ have set the bar far online and value for this gen so far. Its still early but the facts are the facts. Its not about what CAN be. Its about what IS.

[ilovefatgirls]

games with gold is a joke end of story

inb4 but its still teething or but you keep them forever or psn is a rental service w/e its a joke fact is you still need to pay to use youtube/twitch, eurosport etc, psn you dont

and a couple of shitty ancient arcade games arent going to soften that blow

[_FantasmA_]

I had Live and and Xbox 360 for 5 years and nothing else. And I never once felt like I was getting my money's worth. Other than unlocking multiplayer, I never saw any special or magic about Live. I wasn't paying for super duper light speed downloads, dedicated servers, or anything like that. It was the same old laggy P2P but just because M$ makes you pay for, you people somehow think its better. Its a mind trick.

Like if you pay $80 for Polo shirt at a fancy mall, you will take care of that shirt and feel like its more premium than if you had gotten the same shirt on clearance at Ross or TJ Maxx. The same goes with Live. You pay $60 of ripoff a year and somehow you think there's something there that isn't. And don't get me started on this TrueSkill ranking M$ said they had. I never encountered evenly matched games in Halo 3, and Gears 1-3 or Call of Doody. It was all a bunch of bull. The only difference between PSN and Live are that one was free with no ads, and the other one was $60 with ads.

[moujahed]

In the past XBL dominated because of cross game chat and grouping up with friends in games. Some argued the connectivity yet PSN had and has great connectivity so long as your Internet is good. Yet for me to spend 50$ a year and receive free games for my PS3 and Vita every week, games that are absolutely worthwhile!!! I must say PSN is shitting on XBL, especially now with the PS4.

[SharnOfTheDEAD]

The fact I can have one PS Plus account and get monthly free games for Vita, PS3 and PS4... It's fantastic. Yes, you might need an active membership, but that is in now way a BIG DEAL, the 'DEAL' is in having the membership. XBL offers nothing other than ancient titles that aren't exactly the quality of what PS Plus offers. PS Plus is something that offers a lot more than XBL.

[JBSleek]

They are not free. If I see one more person call the games free I'll flip. You pay subscription for those games and when the subscription is over those games are gone.

It is the Netflix of gaming in a way. Tht doesn't qualify as free.

[MajorGecko]

I have both, I am pretty sure games with gold is over now since XB1 launched and the games u get with PSN are way better i didnt even bother downloading the Live games with gold in there final insulting months.

[headblackman]

psn my have the newer games to play that you cant keep but it lacks the dedicated servers that it needs to push these games properly. xbl may give you older games but it provides the smoothest network with little to no lag in damn near all of it's games. so i'll take being able to connect and stay connected to all of my games free or paid for over getting something free that i can barely play. and yes i own all consoles.

[TrueJerseyDevil]

PSN is a great service with all the free games and stuff but XBL has the superior Online experience. PSN has a lot of network problems and has from the beginning, I hope now that you have to pay for it, they improve it. XBL can't compete with PSN in the free games, but there Online service is better overall

[hotbeef]

As a multi console gamer, I can only hope Xbox steps up its games with gold program this year. They are getting destroyed in that aspect. I got a vita for Christmas and downloaded uncharted, oddworld hd, Miami hotline and sonic racers for free on top of everything I've got for ps4 and ps3 so far

[hotbeef]

Sorry, hotline Miami

[Re-versed]

dont forget that plus only needs one account subscription per console for all users(the non plus subscribers) to have the full benefits of the service...Play online and free games ect... I seriously doubt that MS would have keep the very same subscription for users if they hypotheticaly had a handheld console in the market like Sony do...The overkill to LIVE is the non paywall (PLUS) that Sony desided to put nearly all the online features of PS4...Pay even for the internet browser ?! GTFO MS!

Edit: Infinite ,Brothers and DMC for January for your last gen console ??! Come on Sony this is insane...