Actually, anyone with ANY knowledge of the videogame industry could see this coming a mile away. It's not "just a rumor", it's a prediction with a lot of past evidence behind it.

Sony's portrayal in the industry was to appeal to 3rd party publishers as much as possible; it is, after all, one of the very reasons how Sony's first console was able to break the stranglehold that Nintendo had on the industry. Sony are not going to sit by idly and allow Microsoft to win them over with broader appeal to make more money, like they did with Nintendo in the mid 90s. You as a conservative should know that.

1. It is just a rumor, not a prediction. No one is saying, "I think this will happen based upon this evidence." There is just some talk from some unnamed sources that there is a paywall, and the rumor isn't even clear as to whether online MP is part of the deal

2. Putting MP behind a paywall helps third parties in no way, shape, or form, unless they have enough stroke (like Activision with Xbox Live) to demand a share of that money.

3. Not a conservative. No, thank you.

1. What are you talking about? Sony already screwed down online multiplayer in THIS generation:

http://au.ign.com/articles/2011/07/06/sony-introduces-psn-pass-program

Microsoft merely took the step further with the Xbox One to extend the paywall to all games rather than just online functionality, after little to no resistance was heard at all from the Sony community that their consumer rights were violated. This is both companies now "testing the waters".

2. This isn't about multiplayer anymore, it's about all used games in general. If you don't think that Microsoft's ear was open to the likes of EA suggesting something like this, and splitting the cut, then I'd like to hear your opinion as to what else would drive Microsoft to the point that could damage their own console base.

1. You do know that everyone who bought those games new got to play online without paying an additional fee, right? That doesn't exactly foreshadow pay-to-play MP.

2. I am talking about paid online MP only. Not DRM, as I fully expect MS' online policies to affect the PS4. And of course MS is going to get a cut of the "resell your registration key" business as they will now effectively control the used games market on their console.

I was talking about DRM for both points. The "pay to play" doesn't have much evidence that it could happen or not. 

I wouldn't say that MS's policies affected the PS4. If anything, both companies would have been approached with the idea at the same time, but Sony was probably clever enough to keep it under the rug until Microsoft announced it, to make it seem like it was Microsoft's idea all along. This is why I think the reaction from Sony fans, if Sony does follow in the same direction, will be a direct blame at Microsoft, followed by "Sony couldn't help it. They had to compete".

To be clear, I have only been talking about paying for MP in this thread.

Sony has been pretty clear that they are not doing what Microsoft is doing, yet pretty coy about the issue of used games. "The PS4 will play used games." (But what's the catch?) "We will do the right thing on used games." (Meaning...?) "It will be up to the publishers." (Ahhh!) So I don't think they'll have a system-wide anti-used game policy like MS. It sounds more like publishers will have the option to use always on DRM or something. Which is actually an option they've already had on the PS3, but only Capcom has exercised it on a couple of PSN games. I expect it will become much more commonplace on the PS4, though. Probably all or at least most multiplatform games will have this.

if DRM is as same as the one they have on current PS3 exclusive titles like online pass than I have no issue. If the go the route of xbone one with internet connection mandatory then PS3 will be my last console.. and about online play I have a feeling they will drop the price of PS plus and will introduce a new service including Gaikai and stuff @ the price of PS plus.

But i think Sony should keep online play free that is one thing which differentiated PSN from XBL.

I'd say most (if not all) of the top sellers would have it. It would all depend on the criteria that Sony pushes, should it be optional. For example, if using this service requires an initial fee, the publishers would have to be confident that they'd made the fee money back through re-registering used games. If the optional service was free for publishers to use, it comes down to "would you publishers like more money?" which very few would probably say no to.

I know how i would react :(

Ill react the same way i did with X1 Ill be extremely disappointed Pay to play i dont mind so much Cuz i didnt mind for paying for ps plus but Drm? Smh