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PlayStation Plus Subscription Launched

Sony's online subscription service is now online.

The PlayStation 3 recently received its 3.4 firmware update, and with the patch comes the launch of PlayStation Plus, the online subscription service revealed at the Sony's E3 Press Conference. In case you've forgotten, a one-year subscription to the service will run you $50 and will net early subscribers an additional three months with the service for free. The full list of features can be found in our E3 article on the service, but what deals and specials will Plus subscribers have access to if they join the service today?
 
 
 Under 50 bucks?
 Under 50 bucks?

Plus subscribers will have access to a series of exclusive demos, PSN discounts, and "free games". These free games and deals will cycle every month, bringing in new games and new discounts. Here's the breakdown of this first month's offerings:
 

Subscriber Exclusive Demos

This demo coincides with the release of the downloadable version of inFamous on PSN. This is a very different demo of the game than was previously released, as it gives players access to a 60 minute timed trial of the full game. The "demo" version of the game, like other downloadable game demos, forces users to download the whole game and purchase an unlock. This means that this demo clocks in at 6.8 gigs.
 

Free Content

PSN Games

 

PS1 Classics

 

PlayStation Minis

 

DLC

  • Cuboid Booster Pack
  • Cuboid Bundle Pack
  • Cuboid Level Editor
  • Magic Orbz Booster Pack
  • Magic Orbz Jungle Pack
  • Mahjong Tale: Ancient Wisdom Booster Pack
  • Smash Cars Virus-Run AddOn
  • Warhawk Fallen Star Pack 
 

Premium Themes

  • Collision Theme
 

Avatar Items

 

Discounted Content

Games

 
It's worth reminding again that you only have access to "free games" for as long as you subscribe to the service; if you cancel PlayStation Plus, those games must be properly purchased in order to access them again. Also, I have sneaking suspicion that the free version of Wipeout HD might not include the Fury add-on, so if you're looking for "all the Wipeout", you'll still have to pay for that DLC.
 
Those are the games and the discounts, folks. Seeing what's currently available, are you PS3 owners clamoring to sign up for the service?
deadly_poloon June 29, 2010 at 2:37 p.m.
for £40 a year, I can see getting it, maybe just for those free games which seem a decent deal
phantomzxroon June 29, 2010 at 2:38 p.m.

could be good they just need a better showing then this
Andrelaon June 29, 2010 at 2:39 p.m.
Love how a post about DJ Hero dlc has more comments than this :)
Chris2KLeeon June 29, 2010 at 2:41 p.m.
Initial offers could have been more interesting. I'll wait and see how this progresses, but it's not gonna fly if all they offer up is one decent PSN game and great game pretty much every PS3 owner already has.
AndrooD2on June 29, 2010 at 2:43 p.m.
I'm interested, but they should have launched with better stuff than this. Something new maybe?
Zatoichi_Sanjuroon June 29, 2010 at 2:48 p.m.
PS3 Video editor & Uploader weren't part of the Plus service surprisingly and are free to all. Deep Colour HDMI addition is some major future-proofing to boot.
Redon June 29, 2010 at 2:48 p.m.
I either have everything or am completely uninterested in everything currently on the service.
CrazedJokeron June 29, 2010 at 2:49 p.m.
"Hey guys, let's give away this shit that we can't sell."
Cold_Wolvenon June 29, 2010 at 2:50 p.m.

I like that you get free games, what I don't like is having to purchase them if you cancel your subscription. There will have to be alot more content in future for me to purhase a subsciption.
TheKingon June 29, 2010 at 2:50 p.m.
No thanks.
PLWolfon June 29, 2010 at 2:51 p.m.
The free stuff pays for this subscription in spades, so I'm all over this.
tariqarion June 29, 2010 at 2:53 p.m.
seems like a waste of money to me.
nukesniperon June 29, 2010 at 2:55 p.m.
I'm just gonna wait until they strap a bunch more total content into the free stuff. Right now all that stuff makes PSPlus look really bland and limited.
PaleEyeon June 29, 2010 at 2:57 p.m.
I don't see anything that is grabbing my attention. 
Krakn3Dfxon June 29, 2010 at 2:59 p.m.
 I think the most exciting thing about this is the possibility of more full sized, disc based games coming to PSN.  It's probably worth another $30 to me to not have to pop in the Infamous disc when I want to play it.  More of this Sony, more of this.
thisironlungon June 29, 2010 at 3 p.m.
I am definitly down.
15 months of renting quality PSN games should be charged, and I expect some surprises from the PSN.
Scooperon June 29, 2010 at 3:02 p.m.
I don't see the point of this right now. You pay $50 dollars a year and.... you don't get anything that exciting or nessasary.
oddjobon June 29, 2010 at 3:04 p.m.
Going to wait until they offer better stuff
VladJasonDracon June 29, 2010 at 3:05 p.m.
bunch of junk.
CaptainFishon June 29, 2010 at 3:06 p.m.
I'm having trouble actually finding a contract of what exactly this service offers. In some places I hear the full game trials are only 2 a month, not the entire catalog of available downloadable games. Also you can only download them once? The whole thing seems weird, and I don't really want to see marketing hype and FAQs I want to see the legal contract that defines stuff like content expiry and the like. uk.playstation.com/playstationplus/ has a much more in depth look than it's US counterpart, and http://blog.us.playstation.com/2010/06/24/playstation-plus-your-questions-answered/ is also a lot deeper.  According to the latter, apparently the free games are available to you forever, even if they rotate off the Playstation Plus list. That information should be more front and centre.

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The online service used on the PlayStation 3, PlayStation Portable and PlayStation Vita. Membership is free and includes access to the social network PS Home.

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