The boss of Sony UK has shared that information with IGN, unfortunately the full interview is not out yet, so I don't know if it's worldwide or UK only.

Still it's great news.

http://www.ign.com/articles/2014/01/31/ps-plus-subscriptions-triple-following-ps4-launch

MP was free on PS3.

Umm.. since it's required now, that doesn't surprise me at all.

Probably because online multiplayer was free on the PS3.

Edit: Wow! My post was late by 2 minutes? Good heavens, there is no hope for my country's internet infrastructure -_-

It was optional on PS3.

someone a while back, did an analysis of sony's financials and some other statements made by sony and estimated ps+ subscriptions was around 3-4M.   i thought it was complete bullshit so i checked the math and you know what,.. it checked out. 

ps+ subscriptions on ps3 was pretty low.  they had to be or sony would be making a lot more revenue than they report.

Maybe he meant NEW subs

and this is why there is a pay wall... sadly enough...

because almost nobody outside the internet forums cares about ps+ and stuff like that. people pay if they have to to play online and not to get some games they didn't want at release or played already as used game.

if ps+ would be a success on ps3, online gaming on ps4 would be still free but it isn't because only now people will pay for it to play their cod, fifa or madden online. 

i remember that an analyst said something  like 3m last year so that he was at least not too much away. 

all this free games  is a huge topic in gaming forums but yeah, not really something the average gamer cares about.

It may be a bad example because the game is so old and a tower defence game but defence grid on xbox live has only ~1m people in the leaderboard and that with a huge number of people who pay for gold since years. not sure how many people were in the leaderboard before it was free but it shows that not many touched the game even fo free. not sure how people think millions over millions pay for  ps+ on ps3.

maybe someone has stats about how the leaderboard number of certain games increased after it went free on ps+ but i'm pretty sure numbers increase not much because not many pay for ps+ and even of those who do, many don't touch most games then.

edit: kitler beat me to the analyst stuff^^

One of those that jumped on board. Don't even game online, use it for all the games and discounts.