As the inevitable arrival of next generation game consoles draws ever nearer, Sony is positioning the PS3 to offer greater value than ever to customers via a number of cool initiatives. Here are some of the ways that Sony is giving you more bang for your buck.

PlayStation Plus Instant Game Collection - At its E3 2012 presser, Sony revealed that PS Plus subscribers would have access to an ongoing rotation of games to download. Some of the titles already offered in the EU store's line up include inFamous 2, Deus Ex: Human Revolution, Dead Space 2, LittleBigPlanet 2, Borderlands, and Motorstorm Apocalypse - among other PSN titles like Tomb Raider: Guardian of Light. At gamescom 2012, the PS Plus love continued. Sony announced that Rockstar's critically-acclaimed Red Dead Redemption would be joining the ranks of blockbuster titles on offer for free. All of this digital love comes alongside discounts offered on various other titles and DLC. What better way to start off your game library if you're new to the system, or to augment it if you're already onboard?

The Collection selection - A couple weeks back, Sony announced that it would introduce the Collections line on August 28. These ultimate game packages will offer multiple installments of PS3's best IPs, all on one disc. The first batch of this new range includes inFamous, God of War, and Ratchet & Clank. God of War Saga includes the entire 5-game series, while the inFamous Collection includes the first and second game alongside horror-themed DLC Festival of Blood. This new line of games is just getting started, so we can expect to see more of Sony's most popular franchises bundled on a Blu-Ray and making their way to store shelves in the future. The Collections range will start at €29.99.

Cross-Buy for Vita - The Cross-Buy initiative will offer gamers who purchase participating PS3 games the PS Vita version free of charge. The first games to be given the Cross-Buy treatment include Ratchet & Clank: QForce (Full Frontal Assault in North America), PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale, and Sly Cooper: Thieves in Time. Gamers with both platforms will be able to take their game on-the-go via cloud save syncing, marking unprecedented freedom for one retail price. EA has even said that it is contemplating Cross-Buy for Need for Speed: Most Wanted. If the program begins applying to third-party games, PlayStation gamers are indeed for a treat.

The Essentials range - Another reveal from gamescom, the Essentials range was announced for the EU and will offer some of PS3's most popular games for only €19.99. The first titles under this line include Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune, inFamous, and LittleBigPlanet. Sony has a massive catalog of titles which are prime candidates for the Essentials range, which should continue to bring the biggest titles at bargain prices for the foreseeable future.

With leaked images of a new PS3 SKU and a rumored price cut floating around, it looks like Sony could be setting up the PS3 to be an extremely affordable console positively brimming with value. These initiatives and more should bring in plenty of new loyal consumers as Sony moves closer to the next generation of PlayStation. There has never been a better time to be a PlayStation gamer - sound off in the comments if you agree!

http://www.psu.com/a016696/Sony-is-creating-amazing-value-for-PlayStation-gamers

Sony does a great job of consistently making awesome games.

They're idiots for it... haven't you heard?

^

Been happy since the PS1.

So true! The latest addition to the instant game collection (Red Dead Redemption) even has me contemplating getting PSN plus. My only hesitation is due to slow download speeds which is really shitty considering these games are 8gb+ plus downloads.

I was just wondering about PS+. So if you have PS+ you can download select games for free each month. Do you own these games for good or do they take them back? I assume you own it for good.

I was just wondering since one of my friends has a PS3. Perhaps when he gets more money I could convince him to get it but right now the only 2 games he owns from PSN are the games I purchased for him (Worms: Armageddon and SF2 HD).

When your subscription ends you lose the games. The free games that is, if you bought discounted games you keep those.

free games, you keep as long as you are a psn plus member. if your subscribtion lapses, you get cut off from it, if you renew, you are good to go, no need to redownload or redo all your progress. its all saved.

anything you get at a discount, you keep for ever. so if you get red dead redemption for 50% off, you keep for ever regardless of membership status.

any FREE of discounted dlc, you keep forever as well.

only the free full games do you not.

Whenever I hear something like: "X is creating amazing value..." my first thought is, "No price cut is coming!".  A new PS3 at a lower price does hold promise of better bang for the buck though, but still it is more of "pile up more and more features".