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S.T.A.L.K.E.R Call of Pripyat review (MyGaming)

Pes 2010

Sony has swiftly swooped on a rumour which suggested that the PlayStation Network (PSN) would lose its free to use status.

PS3 fans are quick to point out that while Microsoft charges a premium for Xbox Live Gold’s multiplayer service, the PSN gives its users the same functionality gratis. The rumour stemmed from a comment made by a Sony representative at a media conference.

Chairman of Sony Computer Entertainment Kazuo Hirai confirmed that the PSN would soon provide a “new revenue stream from subscriptions”.
“SCE will further increase sales by offering users new entertainment through the combination of hardware, software, peripheral and PlayStation Network. Especially in the online area, we are studying the possibility of introducing a subscription model, offering premium content and services, in addition to the current free services,” Said Kazuo.

This comment has generated a significant amount of controversy, with many headlines going up suggesting that the PSN is headed the same way as Xbox Live.

However, it appears that in fact Sony will not be making its online service subscription based. Instead, the company will be adding extra features, the use of which will require users to pay a ‘premium service’ fee.

Kazuo later confirmed that online play and other features that are currently free to use will remain as such, with new features being introduced that will require users to pay a monthly subscription. While gamers would obviously like to see the service remain free, in fairness, the operational costs of the PSN are likely to be extremely high, and many would say that this has been a long time coming.

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