By now most of you Playstation 3 owners out there have downloaded Firmware 3.40 and with it the ability to upgrade to the PSN’s new Premium Service, the aptly named Playstation Plus. Playstation Plus, for those of you who don’t already know, is a subscription service that will grant users access to a plethora of exclusive PSN benefit’s including, but not limited to, everything from free ‘rental’ game downloads, early demo access, beta participations and automatic download functions. A full year PS+ sign up will set you back $49.99/€49.99, a steep price you might think for the odd early demo, but judging from the offers currently available to members, Playstation Plus is an essential upgrade. The potential here is staggering. You really get a lot for your initial investment. This is a gift and a gift that will keep on giving.
In its first month of deals Playstation Plus offers EU users a free full downloadable copy of LittleBigPlanet. It lets you get a hold of Wipeout HD for free, try Infamous for 60 minutes, download a bunch of avatars and themes for free or save a couple of dollars/Euros on a download of Mortal Kombat II. And that’s just the start.
If like me, you own Warhawk but never bothered with its DLC, now is your chance to download the Fallen Star Pack for free and try an increase your trophy haul while at the same time revisiting a game that you probably stopped playing a good while ago. This has to be one of the coolest aspects of Playstation Plus as it gives you the incentive to go back and play games you probably haven’t played in ages, as well as trying games that you probably never would have touched at their regular PSN price tags. Sure, at the end of the day Sony are trying to tempt you into parting with more cash but these discounts will eventually no doubt pertain to more recognized PSN titles and not just Mahjong Tale and Magic Orbz.
From what we’ve seen of Playstation Plus so far, we are greatly impressed. When rumours of a premium PSN service first surfaced many months before its eventual announcement, everyone jumped the gun and just assumed Sony would start making us pay for stuff we’ve been getting for free for three years. This is not the case. Playstation Plus is not an essential purchase by any means, the PSN remains free and you can still reap it’s many benefits without a small Plus logo beside your avatar. But given the potential of Playstation Plus, it’s safe to say that should you want the PSN to give you the very best of everything it has to offer you, handing over €50 for this service is a no brainer.