| DarkTemplar said: Sony's behavior about PS4 online strategy have been a little bit suspicious so far, but I think that they keep what is free on PS3 today free on PS4 as well. However every new online feature we saw o their presentation (like video recording and sharing) will be available only for of PS+ members. I think Call of Duty will start to sell very well on Wii U if Sony start to charge for on-line. Steam box will also become an alternative those looking for free online play. |
The issue is going to be whether or not the new features are integrated and critical to online play or not. If they are, look for a subscription to roll out. This was an interview given with the Guardian by a Sony executive:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/gamesblog/2013/feb/22/ps4-shuhei-yoshida-interview
On that subject, I really expected you to announce a "Spotify for games"-type service, allowing gamers to sign up and pay a monthly fee to access as many titles as they like. Is that something we can look forward to?
As more and more services and contents become available digitally, we'll have more of an option to create attractive packages. So hypothetically we can look at different models – like a cable TV company. We could have gold, silver or platinum levels of membership, something like that. We can do subscription services when we have more content – especially now that we have the Gaikai technology available. With one subscription you have access to thousands of games – that's our dream.
Sony has a dream of switcing to a subscription based model for everything it appears.
Idea is to continually get money off of players, rather than pay once, and have them rent. If that is the dream, they will do whatever it takes to get there. With this model the whole, "Do I have to pay to play online?" is moot, because you are paying for everything monthly. It goes the route than Netflix did. This seriously looks like the future, as it is.
What one has to know is how OnLive, etc... wanted to be run. OnLive did originally charge a monthly subscription fee for things, and do now also for the deluxe level. What that means bigger picture is not known though, but doesn't end up slam dunk saying online play will be free.
