The writing was on the wall for the so called free PSN when Microsoft demonstrated that customers will pay for the service. This leaves Sony figuring out how they are going to squeeze some sheckals from the PSN base and I think at the moment it is fair to say they still have not figured it out but PSN was not the golden goose.

Will this outage impact the plight of the free service? I sincerely doubt it although it obviously is costing them a lot in reputation and effort right now.

I am not sure what argument is being put in front of the investors as to why their service does not make money in the same way the rivals does but it must be compelling but for how much longer?

It is pretty clear that for some the free online play was one of the bigger draws but what is not so clear is by how much... Also do they really want to get into another PR disaster by removing another feature, I can only imagine the furor if they did.

They will wait but it will come...

I doubt it.

Mantle made a good poit about Japan and Nintendo. And then you have Sony trying to emerge into smaller markets where they have to compete with PC gaming.

Microsoft is the only one charging for online gaming.

Ever heard of Sony Vegas Pro? It cost about $500. Windows is priced at a mere fraction of that.

Their electronics aren't exactly cheap either.

PSN Plus is clearly motivated by Xbox Live. Its just a stepping stone to eventually begin charging for online play.

Sony hasn't proven to be any less greedy. But they are arguably more arrogant.

I'll say PS4 PSN will be paid, particularly if Nintendo's model also works this way.

Not sure that they will change atm though.

Not sure whether I care. Online isn't a big part of my gaming life. If buying games online required "PSN gold" I just wouldn't buy any PSN games.

Anything else I use PSN for I can get via other means that don't require a paid subscription.

The servers being down should be quite cheap for Sony :p.

they should keep online gaming free but have a seperate service ith a charge, they currently have psn but it needs more

HAY GUYS WE GOT HACKED SO BAD WE TURNED OFF PSN. NOW U PAY. THX BYE.

Sounds pretty stupid to even try charging for a service whose reputation has just taken such a huge blow. This being Sony, my guess is yes, they will.

Short answer: No.

Longer answer: Why piss off your customers further by making them pay for a service that is somewhat inferior to XBL?

i fully expect a majority of new onlines features to be put into the psn-plus (ala cloud storage) to try and get people to want to pay for the service, but at this point i doubt that online play will be one of those services.  if they do make a move to that i think the sensible time would be the transition into the ps4.

but to do it because of the outage in service ... as badnome just posted above me ... sounds really stupid.