Yoshida Discusses PS4 Game Releases and Possible Subscription Service

Much like Sony’s current handheld system, the PlayStation Vita, games on the PlayStation 4 will be available via traditional retail means as well as through PSN as a digital download. So far there has been no word on whether or not the digital version will cost any less than the physical copy, however, if Sony intends to further the PS Vita’s ethos with simultaneous retail and digital releases, we can expect a digital PS4 game to cost roughly 10% less than the physical copy.

During a recent interview with The Guardian, Sony Computer Entertainment president Shuhei Yoshida had the following to say:

“We’re shifting our platform more and more to the digital side – PS4 will be similar to PS Vita in that every game will be available as a digital download, and some will also be available as a disc.”

Yoshida also expanded on this idea by describing potential future purchase models in which customers paid for a subscription that allowed them to access games in a manner akin to Netflix or Hulu Plus.

“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.”

He then furthered this idea by conjecturing about possible subscription levels as well as the possibility of streaming games on-demand to the PS4 using the newly acquired Gaikai:

“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.”

At the moment, a subscription service and on-demand game streaming are both hypothetical ideas stewing away at SCE, but with the PS4′s focus on “immediacy” they are both very likely additions we may see in the future.

Source: The Guardian

Sounds like it will just be PS+ on the PS4 for a while, before they can unroll the new services at least.

Somehow someone will read this and go "OMG they are charging for online play" lol

NOt really because it said like a Cable TV company. 

The digital option is nice, but I'm old school with these things. I'll take my games in hard copy form. Vita can have digital downloads since it is more convenient for me to have everything on one card on the go.

But that would imply they actually read the article before posting.

I think this will be separate from PS+ since it's just so different.

BUT the comment that I relied to obviiously stated "someone will read this and go..." 

Are you new to the interwebz or something? People still make comments that the PS4 won't play any used games lol

I still think even if they do start having more paid subscriptions that the bare bones online will always be free and you will have to pay to have more features if you want, but won't be forced to.

interesting concepts. don't thik i'd go for them, but yea sure.