Why PlayStation Plus is a better deal than XBOX Live Gold

You know, I was playing The Game Room on XBLA and I thought this would have been a nice thing to give to their loyal customers. Access to hundreds of old arcade games for free. Kind of a way to deliver a PS Home experience to the avatars. Instead, I see more typical Microsoft and the likes of Craig "Central Scrutinizer" Metcalf continuing to kiss Microsoft's behind over that practice. 
 
I definitely will try PS+ but not at this time as the free stuff isn't anything I want. At least you're getting a lot for your money. 
 
I'd love to see MS do the same someday. Giving away crap like Aeris Wing and Yaris isn't going to cut it any more. Then again, I've played a good 30 or so exclusive XBLA demos so far and only 'Splosion Man, KrissX, Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved 2, Outrun Arcade and maybe one other would be worth buying. Seems like there are too many me-too games on XBLA and nothing as amazing as Flower. 

" @Spoonman671: I said a decent game. Wipeout HD hardly qualifies (I'm still mystified why anyone finds it worth playing). But hey, maybe the Fat Princess content and Age of Zombies will make up for it :/  Hat is still firmly on my head.  Edit: And remember, they're only "free" so long as you're subscribing. As soon as your PSN+ membership ends, they are free no longer. "

" @Damien said:

Paid multiplayer is universally assumed for the next generation Sony console. 

No, it's not. "

" @Spoonman671 said:

" @Damien said:

Paid multiplayer is universally assumed for the next generation Sony console. 

No, it's not. "

I'm sorry but it is widely expected that Sony will charge for multiplayer next gen.  Do you think they just look over at the Xbox and see all those millions of dollars flowing in and don't want a piece of that pie?  They can't get away with it this gen because they harped on it as a feature over the competitor, but more likely than not,  next console cycle you're paying for multiplayer  on the Sony console. "

" Alright, so, I've been thinking a lot about this.  I have both a 360 and a PS3.  I love both systems, so please try not to paint me as a fanboy, here.  I am probably not as into multiplayer stuff as much as the average guy, but I do enjoy it every once in awhile.  PlayStation Plus and XBL Gold both cost $49.99 a year.  On XBL, that gives you access to online gaming (free with basic PSN),  Netflix (also free), and one free game, namely, 1 Vs. 100.  Where you have slightly more than no chance to win more games.  On Plus, you are actually paying for benefits. Exclusive access to betas and demos, which, sure, you could say are just as easily offered free to everyone, but so is online multiplayer.  New free games and stuff every month, and yeah, I know they go away when you stop paying for them, but since you're getting new stuff every month, and if you keep up the service, isn't it likely you'll get your fill of that stuff eventually?  If Microsoft started offering free games for Gold, people'd flock to it, regardless of whether or not you got to keep them after you cancelled.  Where I think the problem lies, is that nothing Sony's doing is essential.  There's nothing you need Plus for.  Which I think is a good thing.  It's an actual premium service, instead of Microsoft's policy of selling you the XBOX and making you pay for a part of it forever.  So really, for a guy like me with both systems, I'd rather pay that $50 to Sony and get something, and just use my ps3 for all my multiplayer and netflix and hulu plus needs.  For games like Halo, I think I could buy a month or two of service and be good, although I realize I may be a unique case here.  Really, at this point the only thing I need either service for is Hulu Plus, so if I'm going to pay $50 a year, might as well pay it to the guys who will give me something for it.  Even if it does go away when I finally decide to stop paying it. "

" @triple07 said:

" I disagree because with Xbox Live you are paying for better multiplayer like faster matching and better integrated friend lists and the like...."

I have had a 360 for years and just got a PS3 last November and I am continually baffled by the claim that XBL is any better than PSN. Could someone explain to me how this is so? The matching in my experience is not any better, faster, more accurate etc and IMO the friends list integration on PSN is just fine. "

The free digital download of LBP that you get to keep even if you cancel your plus subscription has me thinking that I might get it.  

" @Damien said:

" @Spoonman671 said:

" @Damien said:

Paid multiplayer is universally assumed for the next generation Sony console. 

No, it's not. "

I'm sorry but it is widely expected that Sony will charge for multiplayer next gen.  Do you think they just look over at the Xbox and see all those millions of dollars flowing in and don't want a piece of that pie?  They can't get away with it this gen because they harped on it as a feature over the competitor, but more likely than not,  next console cycle you're paying for multiplayer  on the Sony console. "

Damien, just because you believe something is true does not mean everyone agrees. Please cite some sort of statistic or other proof before declaring something universally, widely, or accepted at all by anyone other than yourself.   
 
As to your actual argument for Sony charging for multiplayer next cycle, I disagree. It was no accident that Sony didn't charge for PSN this generation, they did it to get an advantage over Xbox Live. If that advantage was deemed significant enough (in terms of extra console/game sales), then they'll use use it in the next generation, and the generation after, and so on until it stops being beneficial to them.  I'm not saying Sony won't charge for PSN next generation, I'm saying that it's a question Sony has to be asking itself, which we certainly don't know the answer to. "

Everyone chill the fuck out. Its been less than a week since the service launched. Give it a month or two and we can all bitch about it then.

Both are rip-offs, i don't see how discussing which rip-off is better would get us anywhere. Xbox Live especially, if i didnt have so many (irl) friends on there it would have been long gone by now.

Epic Fail. 

" I think the early demo access is their way of saying "we're just holding this demo for an extra week for the cheap assholes".  It doesn't matter what Sony gives you, Microsoft simply has a better overall structure. "

I will never pay for online multiplayer. I rarely use it and the only thing I use the internet for on my PS3 is demos. If you're into Playstation+, good for you. Go for it. 
 
I get my PSN for free and it does everything I want it to do. Yay me!

" Yea i haven't understood the ps+ complaining at all. They're not taking anything away from you by offering this so chill, If people wanna pay a subscription to get random free stuff every month then let them. It's kinda fun seeing what new free stuff/discounts you could be getting the next month. "

They're not making the service better (yet?) with PS Plus. They just give you free shit. Free shit is nice, don't get me wrong. Just seems kinda desperate.

pos3..........nuff said.

" They're not making the service better (yet?) with PS Plus. They just give you free shit. Free shit is nice, don't get me wrong. Just seems kinda desperate. "

" pos3..........nuff said. "

I don't have a PS3 but one thing I really like the sound of about Playstation's online service is the free online gaming. However, I still don't like the sound of Plus being the only way to get betas and demos that would otherwise be free and I wouldn't want to pay for a service where I lose everything if I stop paying that subscription.

" @CronoXtream said:

" pos3..........nuff said. "

Fanboy.... nuff said "

so ps+ is better because its useless? 
does ps+ make the online not blow? no? ok then

" @triple07 said:

" I disagree because with Xbox Live you are paying for better multiplayer like faster matching and better integrated friend lists and the like...."

I have had a 360 for years and just got a PS3 last November and I am continually baffled by the claim that XBL is any better than PSN. Could someone explain to me how this is so? The matching in my experience is not any better, faster, more accurate etc and IMO the friends list integration on PSN is just fine. "

How are those sweet lemons?

paying extra to play games on a console is like going to a hooker and her telling you its extra to get your balls cupped

"

Your logic doesn't make all that much sense.

 

Comparing XBL Gold with regular PSN has always been reasonable. But you're not 'getting more' for PS+ than Xbox Live, you're getting less  because regular PSN already has most of the features that XBL Gold offers with its service. Comparing the extra features offered by XBL and PS+, the latter clearly has far less to offer.

"

My thoughts on PS+: Its 50 freaking dollars a year. THATS NOTHING!!! I got it because, why the hell not? its only fifty bucks. 

I will NEVER pay for a beta or demo.

" @Nasar7 said:

" @triple07 said:

" I disagree because with Xbox Live you are paying for better multiplayer like faster matching and better integrated friend lists and the like...."

I have had a 360 for years and just got a PS3 last November and I am continually baffled by the claim that XBL is any better than PSN. Could someone explain to me how this is so? The matching in my experience is not any better, faster, more accurate etc and IMO the friends list integration on PSN is just fine. "

no vross game chat, trophies suck, allows games to make their own matchmaking (metal gear solid 4) "

" @KuribosShoe:   "

" @slyspider said:

" @Nasar7 said:

" @triple07 said:

" I disagree because with Xbox Live you are paying for better multiplayer like faster matching and better integrated friend lists and the like...."

I have had a 360 for years and just got a PS3 last November and I am continually baffled by the claim that XBL is any better than PSN. Could someone explain to me how this is so? The matching in my experience is not any better, faster, more accurate etc and IMO the friends list integration on PSN is just fine. "

no vross game chat, trophies suck, allows games to make their own matchmaking (metal gear solid 4) "

1.PSN+ has cross game chat 2. Whatever, subjective 3. Has no negative effect on the quality of matchmaking "

 Holy crap, 90+ comments? Way to angry up the fanbois honey.

at least online is free :D

If I could get an invite to Hulu Plus, I would go ahead and get Playstation Plus, too.  It's weird to want to give money to someone, and they'll only take it if I'm cool enough to get invited.

For anyone who has argued how Playstation+ isn't worth having because "don't care about the free games or demos and the only thing worth having is cross game chat" or something like that, you have just proven why Sony's online model is better than Microsoft's, not that Microsoft's is better.
 
You don't HAVE to pay for Playstation+... you've GOTTA pay for Live.

To make the two services as equal as possible, you have to pay for Live.

Where I live due to factors such as my xbox's geographical location the service is extremely poor, and the small $50 fee isn't worth it.