IGN: Questioning Sony's 'Welcome Back' Program

IGN: "Sony's plan is easy enough to comprehend. This week, Sony will bring a limited version of the PSN back up, allowing gamers to finally login, play games online, access their friends list, and more. Most notably, however, is that the PSN won't yet accommodate the PlayStation Store, which is the single aspect many gamers on the PSN (like myself) miss the most. Additionally, Sony intends on paying customers back for their trouble with yet-to-be-determined free "PlayStation entertainment content" (presumably games or movies) and a month of free PlayStation Plus for both PS+ subscribers and free users alike.

So the fundamental question that arises now is simple: Are we as PlayStation 3 gamers getting what we deserve? "

[LOGICWINS]

"It's just that by giving PlayStation Plus to everyone, there's no differentiation between those of us who were into the PSN experience enough to pay for some added services as opposed to a vast majority of PSN users who opted not to. Gamers who paid for a service they were not able to access are getting the same treatment as those who never paid to begin with. That's an unsound way to deal with what, in essence, amounts to PS3's most loyal fanbase."

You get an additional free month if ur already a PS Plus member. This is a GOOD thing. The reason that EVERYONE is getting a month of PS Plus for free is because PSN was down for EVERYONE. Don't worry, once the month is up...you can go back to "paying" for PS Plus and retaining your elitist PS Plus status.

Lets be real here. The only reason your complaining is because you don't like the fact that more people may be joining PS Plus now and you no longer feel "special." Thats sounds extremely childish to me.

[Motorola]

I see your point. Id also like to add that the "revenue" they will be making off of new customers to PS plus, might not be that much. If PSN has alot of dupe accounts, you can automatically knock those off the list of new PS plus users. However when you take what makes PSN stand out (being free) into consideration, not many people will buy it. The people who want Plus PROBABLY already have it.

[pixelsword]

Ignorant, IGN.

*leaves thread*

[artynerd]

Only Sony could turn the most massive online security breach into an advertisement for a paid online subscription service and not have their fan base cry foul.

Sony is like "Hey, remember that free online gaming service we screwed up so horribly... wanna start paying for it now?"

They screw up and their customers lose twice over. If I didn't despise Sony fanboys so much, I would probably feel sorry for them.

Enjoy!

[jke82]

i just got an email from best buy saying their database with email addresses and names and regular addresses with phone numbers was comprimised (ill post an image on a reply once im done at work) they arent giveing me any free best buy merchadise, no free anything, just an email saying sorry...

now at least with psn haveing lost the same info im getting free merch from the psn store and a free month subscription for a paid service...yah im not seeing how im getting screwed if any thing best buy stuck it in deep on me but thats it.......

[Hawth0rne]

to artynerd

sony is not asking people to start paying for there psn service. You can either continue useing the normal psn or go to plus and get the extras they have for those users. The whole point of what there doing is just to give something back to the users for there downtime.

[Army_of_Darkness]

What the hell are you crying about?!?!
Sony messed up, apologized, improving their security system and giving us all free stuff for they're downtime!
I don't see anything telling me to pay for anything extra?! If i do, its optional after my free month is up. You know like when you download free demos, then wanna play the whole game cause you like it so you'd end up buying it later;-)
why don't you get upset like that with developers advertising their demo to you?!

[Treyb3yond]

Ahhh artynerd, the typical Sony hating nerd. People can't love a company which they find gives them the entertainment they want with a system which serves their tastes??

Well cry me a river. Oh you "despise" Sony fans? Ohh you poor, pale, sensitive little wretch. You probably even praise all these f*cking little idiots who think they're in the V for vendetta film.

Cry more you wimp. Cry.

[showtimefolks]

and i stopped caring about ign a while ago for their hate articles to get hits against both xbox360/ps3

[Morgue]

Like I've always said. IGN is short for IGNorant.

[DWOM]

true words my man!

[H8GRIP]

IGN, IGNiting flame wars again... Typical

[ssj2gohan83]

@Solderone

Look no further than MS/Nokia deal. When MS gave Nokia 1 billion dollars to develop and distribute phones for Windows Mobile 7 and to drop development for their upcoming Maemo and Android platforms. If MS did this in the mobile phone market. Who knows what kind of payout MS has done in others to prevent or hinder competition.

http://www.geekwithlaptop.c...

[HolyOrangeCows]

IGN: Your source for all tabloid gaming news and FOX news investigations.

[-Ikon-]

When I wanna c.b.s ( see bull s*** ) I turn on channel 2, I mean IGN!

[Undeadwolfy]

Hahahaha I'm so using that one!

[DanteKnightsTemplar]

Very well put, LOGICWINS. people need to grow up.

[miyamoto]

thanks for quoting them & saving our precious time & giving that site their desired hits.

Having the PSN up & running is good enough!

And you bet we PSN users are going to hoard all the freebies we can get from PSN Plus after the two week drought!

[Ares84]

Yet, you haven't paid a penny for PSplus ever in your life and you demand to get that from Sony because you can't access a free service for two weeks.

Did you know that we (PSplus) users can't access our accounts for two weeks that we have PAID for.

And you are crying and demanding??? GTFO dude! And all who think this is fair!

[Reefskye]

@Ares84

you haven't paid for your account you paid for PSN plus, your account was free, you paid for an upgrade.

[Ju]

BTW: All the hoarding doesn't help you, because it expires with the PSN+ subscription. So, either pay after that month, or loose all games you got for free through + (or buy the games). Still, you can get all Full games trials for free and play them all, and you can get all the games and try those for free.

[Hawth0rne]

@ Ares84

i read this comment and no where on there did i see that there was a demand for sony to give plus to us non plus users.

[snaz27]

logicwins.... Well i think your logic fails! I've paid for ps+, not to be elitest but because i liked the deal! Now i've not been able to use the benefits of this deal! So the time i missed should be given back! Simple! And then on top i should get the free month everyone else is getting! What the fuck is so hard to understand about that? The amount of agrees you got just reduces my faith in the human race! It's like a tv service, say you got the minimum package, you pay 10 pounds a month, i got the extra large, cos i like those programmes! I pay 50 pounds a month!... The antenna gets hit or something and tv is down... They come back later and offer everyone the same deal, a month free extra large! Now how is that fair exactly? Please do enlighten me! You know what fuck sony! I'll be avoiding their products like the plague next time round!

[Ares84]

You will get more disagrees than agrees because there are more regular PSN members than PSplus members and they all think they should be treated the same. It's like a mob really.

EDIT: @Below

No, I'm not done with Sony at all. I just think that this is absolutely unfair! That's all.

[Dee_91]

so u want a extra 2 weeks for psn+ members .. thats understandable
but Me personally dont think normal users should get psn+ if sony was a western corp we probably wouldve just got a avatar and a theme or something and told us deal with it

tbh I would be cool with that ..

how ever i think its more than fair for non psn+ users getting psn+ and absolutely fair for psn+ members

if your done with sony because you feel non psn+ members are getting treated too well you need to grow up

[snaz27]

sorry where did i say i'm sore about psn members getting plus? That's fine by me, and i can see why they would think it's a nice litte bonus! I'm pissed at sony! Cos they don't seem to realise i've already paid for 2 of those 4 weeks they are oh so graciously giving me! But honestly it's like sony is god sometimes round here lol... They can do no wrong, it's actually pretty scary sometimes.

[Dee_91]

Ohh okay I see what your saying now
Like the psn+ members only getting back the 2weeks they paid for already while non psn+ members are getting a full month

when you look at it like that it is kinda lump sided

Yea if they want to give everyone psn+.. psn+ members should get a extra week or 2 so itl be even
even tho thats true you making it worse than what it really is
its not that serious lol

[Ju]

snaz27, cry me a river, seriously.

So, as a bean counter you realistically only get 2 weeks as a PSN+ subscriber and those "other low lives" get 4 weeks which don't deserve it? Is that what you are saying?

Technically, you are eligible to get your 2 weeks back, yet you get 2 more extra. Stop complaining.

Non-subscribers get a sneak peak for 4 weeks. No hurt no harm. We can only win. People can buy more content, it doesn't cost Sony a dime but could win over some non subscribers. And who ever does not subscribe within that month can't get any goodies - because those expire with your subscription. So what's the big outcry? You people are just greedy.

Well...common practice for all "new accounts" in all kind of businesses. Ever complained why new a contract gets a better deal than old ones? Same shit. Get over it.

And BTW: I am a subscriber.

[gamingdroid]

It does seem lump sided, but it is nothing new.

For instance, if you are a new customer of Netflix you get anywhere from 2-4 weeks free with no obligation, while current customers get nothing!

Point being, it's lump sided and it sucks, but it is better than nothing. Frankly, I'm surprised free members are getting anything at all. It is unusual and pretty generous albeit with a marketing ploy.

[jke82]

how about a math lesson snaz
psn+ 50.00$/year
365 days in said year
equals out to 13.6cents perday
those two weeks your crying about
a whole WHOPPING 1.91$
your crying about LESS than 2 dollars

so heres what ya do, go search your car and under your couch cusions and when you find about 2$..call it a gift............

YOUR WELCOME

ungrateful kids..........

[snaz27]

i don't care if it's a couple of quid's worth or not! If you are ok about paying for nothing then that's fine by me, afterall it's your money! That has no basis on my opinion! Cos you're not bothered i shouldn't be bothered? Yeah ok then! Retarded kids!... Tell you what's a great idea, why don't you just send sony a couple quid every week? You know cos it's nothing, hell you could even put me on your mailing list if you like! Lol...

[Ares84]

I hit the agree button without reading your whole comment. Than i realized that the first part wasn't even your comment.

And I wholly disagree with you and everyone who thinks this is fair.

This isn't fair and this isn't about us PSplus member feeling "special" as opposed to non-PSplus members.

It's just subscribing costumer vs non-subscribing costumer. If you think that they both should be treated equally than you are mistaken my friend.

Why should I who pay a subscription fee get the same treatment than you who doesn't. I put more money into Sony's pocked as opposed to you.

That is why you have 1st class seats on Airplanes, you pay more, you get a better seat. That is the way it is supposed to be.

You pay more, you should get more. You pay less, you should get less. It is not fair to people who pay more to get the same as people who pay less.

It is absolutley unfair to PSplus members what they are doing.

Obviously someone who isn't a PSplus member thinks it's fair because they get as much as us, these hyenas. These are the people who where too cheap to shell out money for PSplus and now they think it's fair that they get a slice of the pie for free???

To be honest, I don't really care if they get a free month. In fact I was trying to get everyone I know into PSplus because I think the service is great. I don't have that sensation of feeling superior to people who don't have PSplus but I think you would have that feeling since you mentioned it which I find very childish.

I never expected ANYTHING from Sony as a compensation since I don't hold them accountable for the problem they had to face and we had to endure. But since they are offering compensation there should be a difference between PSplus and regular PSN users. And that would have been fair.

[mastiffchild]

How do you KNOW you put more money in Sony's pockets just because you're a Plus subscriber? I've got three PS3s ,three kids(numerous other consoles and a gaming rig too)and regularly have to buiy multiple numbers of the SAME game so they don't argue/can play co-op/whatever. THEN they all(as do I) have PSPs and we ALL, for example, play MH so, again, multiples of the same game.

With the number of games i buy, the number of consoles I've paid for and the fact that game sharing works well enough for our PSN needs anyway I don't see the need fore Plus but have found the PSN being down JUST as annoying as you have. We'll all get something and as it;s something you already want and I, frankly, don't who's getting the better deal again?

Sony have to draw a line somewhere(as with DCUO accounts of which I've two)and it's NEVER going to appease EVERYONE and wasn't the main issue here that our info was compromised>? Well that's ALL of us isn't it? We can NEVER get the time back and I'd rather they offer nothing to be honest and just allowed the lost paid for time back for Plus/DCU users but as everyone suffered they have seen fit to do what they have-and it serves them a purpose too.

But. again, I could just as easily claim to pay Sony more than you do and as I don't want or need Plus the free month is SURELY a bigger boon to someone who wants it already, no? Can't we all just wish they get the damn system running again?

Free users whining about comp, Plus users crying because they're MORE Sony and deserve more than free plebs! Come on-how were they going to please everyone? Is it fair? No, and I'd love my lost gaming time back but that's not going to happen and at least you won't lose any cash over your precious Plus sub, will you? Thing is the disc based games with online halves are currently only giving HALF their value. See-it's never gonna be fair to everyone so can't we drop it all?

Also, we're YET again moaning at Sony when the hackers who did the deeds of evil seemingly avoid any culpability at all. FFS, I'm getting sick of all this.

[Ares84]

:D

I got 2 PS3's but actually purchased 5 by now. 3 for myself (one sold). One for my sister and one for one of my friends. My personal PS3 game collection is a 226 games NOT counting DLC games and all purchased at full retail price. I constantly buy games for my sister as well who's current collection is at 50 games. I have two PSP's as well, not many games though. I have a Sony Bravia LX900 52". $5000 TV from Sony. My blu-ray collection is at 400 movies not including the collections such as LOTR, Spartacus, Planet Earth and so on. But if I'd include those I think I would hit close to 500. I have a camcorder from Sony, can't recall the model number atm (at work now) but it was $1200 when I got that. Also have a two sony cameras. One was $500 the other $1500 with two lenses. I also have a Sony home theater system which cost me $800 when I got it.

SO, I can play that game too you know but this is pointless.

Not everyone has as many Sony products as you and me. I think we can confidantly say that the wast majority if non-PSplus members pay less to Sony than the majority of PSplus members.

You have to take care of VIP first.

EDIT: @ below

Because I've been paying for that first class seat for months now and people just get it for free who never even wanted it.

[ravinash]

How does everyone getting a 1st class seat effect you who has already paid for a 1st class seat but then get an extra month in that 1st class seat?

If you were trying to get people onto PSN+ then this is a good thing, because now they can expereance it first hand.
Maybe more will take it up when the deal ends.

As for those who are already on it, you get a months free.

[stu888]

get a life... the fact you've got 200 odd games shows you need to get out more my friend.

I couldn't care less that you think its unfair

The way I see it, us non-PSN+ users get 30 days free + other free content! BRILLIANT!

Why do we deserve it? Because when we bought our PS3s part of the system is that we can go online. the PS3 'only does everything'. That has gone, so we have a right to compensation. Sony can see this.

If PSN+ should get a better deal, fair enough...

Sorry, but I can't stand the losers on here who are always going on about how much AMAZING things they own and how they have the latest games.

Bragging on a site like this is the up there with the saddest things ever.

[KwietStorm]

I'm a PS Plus subscriber. I am not looking for any compensation at all. I couldn't care less. I am not here to absolve Sony of any lack of security, but I also am not the type of person to sit with my hand out and demand reparations. I just want PSN back. You, however, cannot sit here and say who has put more money in Sony's pockets. A non-subscriber could very well buy 3 times the amount of content as a subscriber, and YOU wouldn't know the difference. Sony wouldn't even know the difference, hence why we all get the same "compensation." And on a plane, you have to pay for tickets regardless. There is no free vs paying customer.

[sobekflakmonkey]

I kind of agree, I think gamers are way to greedy, and feel way to entitled, and I believe that only PS+ members should have gotten that free 30 days, honestly, if you think your entitled to that free 30 days and you have NEVER even had PS+, I would consider you very childish and immature, and the only reason people are disagreeing is because they don't have PS+ and they just want free shit because they are greedy bastards..even though they never paid for it in the first place..

[stu888]

You seem to forget I splashed out £400 when it first came out! I payed for the online because I bought the system - so did you! The fact that there is an optional extra is meaningless.

I'm not greedy - they say the best things in life are free!

[jke82]

2$ PEOPLE YOUR BITCHING ABOUT 2$

ways to make 2$ back
-lemonaid stand
-panhandleing at your local corner store
-hold will work for food sign at interstate off ramp
-ask random people for change to make a phone call at a pay phone(they still have those?) shouldnt take more than five mins
-press elevator buttons for people at local hotel receive tips
-collect underpants
-????
-Profit!!

man ya act like sony should give you free shit for life. be grateful you can afford internet and a gameing console at all

[Hawth0rne]

homestly i dont understand what the big deal is here. Iv been reading and reading these comments andi cant understand what all the complaings about, so what non plus users get an extra 2 weeks we should all be happy to get anything at all considering all the free online gaming weve gotten.

To all those people who think what sony is doing here is unfair i think you are taking this a little to seriously. You should just be happy its comeing back online and that we dont have to Pay 2 play.

[ndl1531]

all i hear is whining wa wa waaaaaaa if i was sony i whuldn't give any of you little girls $hit . stop your beeyoching and be happy the service is coming back up at all dam crybabies . sony gets hacked by cyber terrorists and they'r still humble enugh to offer free content and some people still dont stfu?

[BubbleSniper]

100th agree here.

IGN up to those old tricks again!

sensationalism crap and more dookie.

IGN just bored till CoD3 come out so they can get naked and prance around while givin it high 9's or 10's.

[YodaCracker]

@Scary69 "I thinks is reasonable its better then what 360 got when Live went down for 2 weeks. IGN has failed in gaming journalism and should look for another job."

There is NO WAY you can even compare the two situations. First of all, LIVE was not completely down that holiday season. It worked for many people. It worked on and off for others. This PSN event is on a whole other level. Tens of millions of people's personal information and credit card numbers have been compromised.

This is easily the biggest disaster of this generation in the video game industry, even worse than the RROD. It is going to cost Sony billions upon billions of dollars and will lose them tons of present and future customers. How can you compare a whole network being hacked and shut down, to a network not working for some people due to an influx in new customers?

[jke82]

CC numbers were encrypted as was the user ids the only thing they got were addresses
(oh no they hacked info the couldve gotten from the yellow pages now they can steal my identity /s)

.... without access to the encryption keys (which the hacker doesnt have) it would take decades to break the encryption by force....my credit card expires this december...i doubt there is much if anything to worry about... be a gamer not a fanbitch yoda

[zeal0us]

old saying but goes a long way

"don't look a gift horse in the mouth"

[KwietStorm]

I still don't even know what that means. I hate old quotes.

[scotchmouth]

KwietStorm,

Google is a stones throw away.

[jke82]

^^^^lol^^^^^
search stones throw away too that way you can kill two birds with one stone....HAH..

[scotchmouth]

Your name couldn't be more accurate good sir. I agree. It was one of the first things i was thinking as i read the article. "elitist"

The following should be read in Roland's voice from borderlands:

"Nailed it!"

[BABY-JEDI]

It sounds to me that this guy just likes whining. No matter what Sony does he would still dig up something to complain about. Grow up whining boy.
; P

[Rageanitus]

This is IGN remember.....

[Areeb11]

The website who everyone questions is now questioning something of it's own accord. The Irony is so lethal I could write a gothic metal song to this.

[SephireX]

Its not childish but a fair point. PS3 plus members were paying for online whether normal members were not so they deserve more compensation. They should have two months free.

[--------]

.
Whenever I mentioned that I wasn't a member of PS+ I got hate Disagrees from the elitist idiots who think that just because they pay for something that we don't want, they're better than everyone else.

I'll take the free subscription on all 6 of my PSN accounts, but after that I won't be joining...I'll just carrying on not paying for things I shouldn't have to pay for thank you very much :)

[NewShadow101]

Wow LOGIC u just won urself a medal for being awesome :P nice saying Logic nice saying

[liore]

I bet u 50 pounds they give away kz3 dlc for free and a movie from Sony studios

[callahan09]

They're not going to give away any games or movies that aren't distributed by Sony. By giving away Sony products, they're just foregoing an opportunity to make money. By giving away non_Sony products, they're not only still foregoing an opportunity to make money, but they're also SPENDING money, because the owners of those products aren't going to just say "Hey, yeah, sure, you can give away our game/movie for free!"

[Focker420]

Well considering the KZ3 DLC had only been on PS+ for like a week before the breach, I'm certain it will be on for at least a couple more weeks.

[Non_sequitur]

I'm guessing if a video is included it will probably be a rental.

[xAlmostPro]

liore

All of these comments and you're so sure you're right?

I'll do the bet, 150 pounds though :)

[KwietStorm]

I bet you double, that whatever they give away, people will complain anyway, as per the PS3 community rules.

[Octo1]

I agree that a 30 day trial for PSN plus is a bit of a weird move since say you do download a "free" game through plus, you lose it or "no longer able to play it" if you let Plus lapse.I see what Sony is doing here and I in my opinion it's a bit of a head scratcher of a move.
On a personal note I thought PSN being down this long would have affected me but it has not. I used this time to be keep up on my trophy whoring by buying a few bargain bin games.Even a few of my friends who do nothing but play BlOps are doing okay to my surprise :S All that being said I am looking forward to having PSN back.

[rob6021]

Well that is true, but that argument completely forgets about all the other services PS Plus provides:

Cloud game save storage
Automatic Game update downloads
Qore online magazine (with freebies/early demo access)
Discounts on a large selection of software.
Free Time-limit trials of certain Full games.
Free Avatars and Dynamic Themes to keep.
Early Beta Access

[Ju]

These features only apply as long as you are a + subscriber. All this will be gone after the month if you don't subscribe. I am curious about the discounts. That I don't know. But why not. You got a month to buy them all...

[hetz15]

yea, this past week I've been playing counter strike and beating portal on steam. Now, I'm planning to beat Half Life 2 lol.

[Ares84]

Giving 30days free of PSplus to everyone is to get more people to buy PSplus. I bet you anything that at least 40% of the people will subscribe to PSplus after this free 30 days and this is what Sony is counting on. They are trying everything to get back what they lost.

[Dee_91]

Oh
I thought it was because PSN was down ...

if people want psn+ afterwords good for them if they dont good for them

[Philaroni]

Funny I never saw anything like this when XBL was down for a good week or more and all MS did was give out a crappy game no one heard of. Just odd how we never see rant articles like this left and right for the issues other company's have.

[Chocoboh]

XBL wasn&#