Free games have multiple values to Sony/Publishers/Developers.

• Advertising of a Series, usually a few months before a new entry arrives. This was done for several titles since PS+ started the whole thing. I know that because of plus, I will assuredly buy a sequel to Sleeping Dogs if it happens, a game I would have never purchased on my own as I'm not usually into the GTA formula.
• Encourages you to buy more games around release. This is because if Game A becomes available on Plus but you own it on disc, you can then sell that game to Gamestop and put it towards the next big game. I've done this for quite a few PS3/Vita titles. This is effectively speeding up the Buy-Trade-Buy process which lessens the hurt developers get from the used game market.
• Developers get some kind of payment for their games being available on plus. I think they make a guestimate percentage of how many copies they would have sold regardless, this is garanteed profit in their hands right now, which works really well for indie titles that might have struggled to sell with no advertising budgets

Felt the same way when i got my first PS3. I've gotten use to it over the years, The PS4 is better on the online front then what it was, but still find myself prefering the Xbox one. I gotta work with both and try to not to be to biased, just like the Live system better. Guess it has alot to do with interface as well.

But it was the answer to your question. Hate the truth huh?

Well they won't be having this problem this gen, with the superior console and superior online infrastructure, Sony is set for a new high!!!

Sure, the OP is correct:

When it comes to milking your customers, it's way more effective to even charge for basic, essential features than only charging for more or less unnecessary, "luxury" features like great games, as Sony did last generation.

What's funny though is that certain Xbox fans actually seem to be almost proud of being milked by their favourite video console manufacturer.

So your comparing a dial-up ,crappy, no support driven online service in europe to Xbox live? And in the US 'sega/net' as it was know, which lasted only 11 months to Xbox live? Like i said try again!

I am more than happy to be "milked" by M$ knowing when I go to play a game that is years old with a friend the servers will still be up and running because of their cloud service. I tried to play Homefront a few months back with a friend and was upset to find out the servers had been shut down. 

I had a big laugh at some comments on this thread.
I hope every Gold members keep being happy with the games they get for gold.
I only have 3 Months on PS+ and I had for free: Uncharted 3, Borderland 2, Gravity Rush, Uncharted Vita, Outlast, Resogun. Devil May Cry, Bioshock Infinite.
Bought both Dissidia games for less than $20.

Do what with old-ass games? Oh yeah, NOTHING, since I have already played them or don't give two shits about them. And who says I may even like these miserable 2 games? What If I don't like one of them, what if I don't care for any of them? The more the merrier, in the end, it's the same for me, I need to be paying to get something, and I'm getting a lot less even if it's "permanent" with Xbox Live. I have no use for permanent crap like "DEFENSE GRID" either.

PS+ is fabulous, but they have been giving those free games to a relatively small number of subscribers. Maybe 1 or 2 million?

The games MS has been giving were available to maybe 20+ million users. You even had access to the free games if you used a Live Gold pass for a few days of access.

I'm curious to see if PS+'s larger userbase impacts the software publishers choose to make available. Also, will Sony work as hard to get so many free games given it brought in few subscribers. Hence, there is no real incentive for Sony to keep bringing great games. The masses care more about playing CoD online then getting Bioshock Infinite for "free."