An example of a complete head scratcher for me is that they are looking to offer up DC online as a free game...so I'm really curious to see what this subscription model is going to be...if for nothing more than to see if they can possible squeeze more out of M$ to provide for XBL.

Cmon really? M$ are the smart ones. Certainly from a business stand point. Sony missed the boat by a mile. Live not only has more features and alot more content, plus handles more people online smoother. It has loads more people on it. Sony should have charged from day 1. Because that would have been business sense. Instead they lose alot of money maintaining something with no cost replenished. How long do you honestly think a service like Live could go on being as good as it is and have as much content as it does without cost being recooperated?

PSN must be a big black hole for money right now, and my bet is shareholders will not like that one bit. Sony will have to have charges eventually to keep PSN afloat. Because PS3's price is now lower meaning less money will be recooperated. It's business. £48/ year for Live is easily askable and a damn fine price. To think Sony made a good move by making theres free is silly. From a business model point of view it would not last being free.

And to many ill informed people, demos are free on Live. Gold members just get them 1 week earlier.

@selnor

Do you honestly think Sony provides PSN for free. LOL. Come on, do some research. True it is free for the owners of the PS3. But for companies to put games and demos on PSN, Sony charges them. They also make money off of costumers who buy/rent from the PS Store and Home. Sony is definitely making money off of PSN. I doubt they are going to change their model any time soon. Besides, that is definitely one of the draws to the PS3. Being able to play online for free, just as you would on any PC.

@heruamon

I'm sure DC will be handled just like Free Realms is. Free to play, but it just costs money for the top of the line items and equipment within the game.

^^^ And WoW has 12 million subs...and WAR, and LOTR, and others are making money for P2P games. So consumers are mroe than willing to pay for it. M$ provides dedicated servers, and over the years, has had a riddiculously high uptime rating.

I find it funny that people are B-E-L-I-E-V-I-N-G and "Trey 4 life" and all the people saying they support PS 100%, and how there Xbox's broke 10 times and they know 20 people that traded in 360's for Slims, they say all that but they wont pay $5 a month  for there company. LOL

^^^ LOL...it's not even $5 a motnh if you're smart...it's like $3 a month...

My suggestion is that they buy one less bag of doritos and soda and get their membership paid for. Then get out an do some running to begin the thinning of America...lol.

why is this discussion still going? didn't Kaz alrdy cleared things up that PSN will still be free online and the subscription is for the premium version such as Qore etc?

I really want one thing to be cleared up. One says MS provides dedicated servers, while others say that they are p2p, but that some companies (like EA) put up their own dedicated servers?

about the MMO-subscriptions: I remember reading a study that micro-transaction-mmo's are apparently the way to go nowadays...

We don't know WHAT'S going to be free or paid...sure, I do think all the  stuff that is already free will remain so, but for all we know, any future upgraded capabilities might be part of premium...kinda like games that let you get a certain level, then tell you...pay me bitch...if all your friends cross over...you're left like the dodo...Stealth subscriptions.  I'll remain a skeptic until I see some details...thank you very much.