PlayStation 4 (PS4) Day One Buyers: Are You a PlayStation Plus (PS+) Subscriber?

[Gradthrawn]

I'd be interested to hear the question Gradthrawn would use this poll to answer. I don't think it was tightly enough constructed to address any particular idea, and is more just an 'internet information' poll.

More idle curiosity than any solid question I was seeking to get answered. I wondered to myself if people who fully intend to buy these next consoles on day 1, are also the type who are already invested into the subscription based service model created by the respective platform holders. I thought that would be a forgone conclusion (of course they are, right?) but a forgone conclusion without any supporting evidence, ideally actual numbers, is not more than idle speculation. However, the results as they stand are far more mixed than I expected. I'm hoping for continued participation to get a larger data-set from B3D. A lot of this was spurred by some of the recent discussions/comments I've seen across various forums about not just simply wanting to wait before they buy (that makes sense) but they also didn't understand why anyone would by day 1. Which for me the reason was simple, because I want to. And I want to because I'm excited by these platforms.

because of free peer to peer gaming was such a big rallying cry for the ps3 fans. Its suprises me that people were spending money for ps + I actually don't know anyone irl that has ps+

Please don't fall into the Rangers mindset of grouping everyone into this "PS fan" or "contingent" group. It's makes discussion difficult. If you simply view it as individuals using free online play as a rallying cry, it should not be terribly surprising that there are other individuals, who also own a PS3, that disagree with them.

 

[Cjail]

I would bet Sony double PS+ subscriptions in the next year just by requiring it for multiplayer on PS4.
I've actually seen the adoption numbers and the projections, and it's surprising how low the numbers are given the value proposition.

Probably goes to demonstrate that unless you put something critical behind the pay wall, people won't get over the subscription barrier.

Really!
I am surprised to hear that.
XBL Gold most certainly has more subscribers than PS+ but I thought PS was doing great.

 

[temesgen]

I would bet Sony double PS+ subscriptions in the next year just by requiring it for multiplayer on PS4.
I've actually seen the adoption numbers and the projections, and it's surprising how low the numbers are given the value proposition.

Probably goes to demonstrate that unless you put something critical behind the pay wall, people won't get over the subscription barrier.

To clarify are you saying MP qualifies as something critical hence PS+ subs double or are you saying the number could be considerably higher if more was restricted?

 

[patsu]

The figure will also be distorted soon because of free PS+ subscriptions for new owners. Probably have to wait months to a year for the numbers to settle into some sort of trend.

Edit:
At some point, we should be getting Gaikai plan too. Not sure if it will be another PS+ tier.

 

[ERP]

To clarify are you saying MP qualifies as something critical hence PS+ subs double or are you saying the number could be considerably higher if more was restricted?

I'm saying that current adoption numbers are low and that placing multiplayer behind the paywall will probably be enough to have a large percentage of PS4 users subscribe resulting in at least doubling the current subscription numbers over the next 12 months.

 

[Inuhanyou]

For me, i just actually subbed to PS+ for the first time yesterday, and i've been an owner of a PS3 slim for about 3 years now. I just figured it was time since PS4 was coming up and i can cross over my subscription. But more than the free games you get, i especially like the discounts. Its much easier to swallow a lot of the price cuts they give you on games than what i saw PSN offering without the PS+ incentive.

I just impulse bought 4 games from PSN from that alone, and now have kingdoms of amalur, a game i never was going to buy for money, just cause it was free and now i get to play it for a year or however i have the sub. Not bad at all i must say. I would have gotten SOTC and ICO HD too if i didn't already own the disc version

 

[temesgen]

For me, i just actually subbed to PS+ for the first time yesterday, and i've been an owner of a PS3 slim for about 3 years now. I just figured it was time since PS4 was coming up and i can cross over my subscription. But more than the free games you get, i especially like the discounts. Its much easier to swallow a lot of the price cuts they give you on games than what i saw PSN offering without the PS+ incentive.

I just impulse bought 4 games from PSN from that alone, and now have kingdoms of amalur, a game i never was going to buy for money, just cause it was free and now i get to play it for a year or however i have the sub. Not bad at all i must say. I would have gotten SOTC and ICO HD too if i didn't already own the disc version

I've picked up a couple games here and there for 2 or 3 bucks that I otherwise probably would not have. Overall I have to say I've been pleased with the service, the value for me owning PS3, PS4 and Vita is pretty incredible.

 

[Phil]

I voted "I will buy on day 1 and I am not an active subscriber".

I guess that is not quite correct, because I did in fact subscribe just a couple of weeks ago (and I don't even know for how long I subscribed). I just wanted to get the free BF3 copy through PS+, but then ended up failing to download it during the month it was offered. Then, when I realized it, I ended up getting a disk copy instead (which I really haven't played beyond a few minutes, go figure..).

So in other words, I am one of those subscribers with obviously too much money that bought a subscription and has not gotten a single value out of it.

Anyway, I will be a subscriber with the PS4 simply because multiplayer is behind the pay-wall. I don't really mind about that, to be honest. I think the price is fair and I can see how additional revenue is important to keep the business healthy in todays market. I would also much rather pay for the service and hope in turn that I get a more consistent experience for it (without ads).

I didn't care much for PS+ on PS3 because I always felt Plus was created as an after-thought service with little value. I have high(er) hopes for it on PS4 since Sony has had plenty of time to gain experience with online services, look at how Microsoft does it and plan & execute it in a way that Plus on the PS4 will be a central part of the experience.

 

[Bigduo209]

I voted "I will buy on day 1 and I am not an active subscriber".

I guess that is not quite correct, because I did in fact subscribe just a couple of weeks ago (and I don't even know for how long I subscribed). I just wanted to get the free BF3 copy through PS+, but then ended up failing to download it during the month it was offered. Then, when I realized it, I ended up getting a disk copy instead (which I really haven't played beyond a few minutes, go figure..).

So in other words, I am one of those subscribers with obviously too much money that bought a subscription and has not gotten a single value out of it.

Anyway, I will be a subscriber with the PS4 simply because multiplayer is behind the pay-wall. I don't really mind about that, to be honest. I think the price is fair and I can see how additional revenue is important to keep the business healthy in todays market. I would also much rather pay for the service and hope in turn that I get a more consistent experience for it (without ads).

I didn't care much for PS+ on PS3 because I always felt Plus was created as an after-thought service with little value. I have high(er) hopes for it on PS4 since Sony has had plenty of time to gain experience with online services, look at how Microsoft does it and plan & execute it in a way that Plus on the PS4 will be a central part of the experience.

But in a lot of ways that is a good thing. Sony has observed what MS has done with XBLG, and created what has been a much more flexible service in terms of incentives and restrictions.

PS+ being what it is now is compelling as a "Netflix of Games", but I don't think that's something that would've occurred at the PS3's inception due to a lack of preceding content to offer. The PS4 will go through a similar problem, but of course will be reinforced by paid multiplayer to speed up PS+ adoption.

A PS4 without PS+ will still offer more value for just buying the hardware alone. You still get access to online chat, sharing gameplay, use third-party apps, and can play F2P/MMOs (publisher's/developer's choice). Unless you've subsequently bought into MS's ecosystem and/or Kinect, you'll be surprised by how many features you only get access to after paying $500 upfront.

The only weakness of PS+ not being around from the PS3's start? It's lower adoption rate. The service only just came into it's own in the last 2 years ago, and it hasn't had enough marketing presence or average consumer awareness to give it a numbers boost.

 

[liolio]

I've to say that I'm restricting my-self, at 399$ the ps4 is a great product.
If I find a job before Christmas (let hope ), it is going to be tougher to resist.