Sony thinking about an online subscription game service?

This is just the faintest whiff of a rumor, but Sony Asia just put up a questionnaire in which it asks how interested PlayStation Store for PC customers would be in a "Monthly subscription plan (1 price for unlimited download)." That suggests that the company is at least thinking about a service that would let gamers play as many downloadable PS1 and PSP games as they want for a monthly fee -- although it's not at all clear if the service would be PSP-only or work on both the PSP and PS3, which would sweeten the deal considerably. Chalk this up as wishful thinking for now -- but those of you with PSN IDs may want to hit the read link and fill out the questionnaire.

[Via CVG, thanks L. Rawlins]

[Nando @ Jan 3rd 2008 4:01PM]

Hmm...How much per month, though?

[Joe_Templeman @ Jan 3rd 2008 4:18PM]

STOP THE PRESS!

Sony might be thinking about maybe, in the distant future, under certain circumstances, if there is enough interest and pending financial feasibility studies implement something that we know bugger all about!

Now thats news!

[Mystic @ Jan 3rd 2008 4:29PM]

Christ, why don't they think about making games for the PS3!!!!! I just got a PS3 for christmas and have already played through half of the games worth playing.

[cduran01 @ Jan 3rd 2008 4:41PM]

Last I heard, their receptionist and the night cleaning guy started working on this new game coming out sometime this spring......

What do you think? EVERYONE at Sony is involved in making games? Besides, this sounds great if it pans out. This will bring you just what you are looking for GAMES.

There are plenty of games coming this spring (not just the receptionists game) just hang in there and enjoy them as they come.

I've had my PS3 since launch and even I havent finished all the games I have that are "worth playing" (Heavenly Sword, Uncharted, Rachet and Clank, and UT3), I dont have that kind of free time (you know, with work and stuff).

[Kamalot @ Jan 3rd 2008 6:19PM]

cduran01: "I've had my PS3 since launch and even I havent finished all the games I have that are "worth playing" (Heavenly Sword, Uncharted, Rachet and Clank, and UT3), I dont have that kind of free time (you know, with work and stuff)."

You must not play much at ALL then. I beat Uncharted yesterday, and the whole game clocks in around 7 hours long. Ratchet & Clank is about the same and Heavenly Sword is only 5 hours long. Mass Effect, which I beat over the holiday break, has more gameplay in one DVD than the PS3's big 3 blockbusters rolled into one.

As someone who has all three systems, I can safely say that the PS3 gets the least amount of play time due to its anemic library. Sounds like, with such an amazingly busy lifestyle such as yours, that buying a game machine probably isn't a huge priority. Then again, you could spend less time posting and sneak in a bit more play time too.

[Digger @ Jan 3rd 2008 4:43PM]

DUGG!
http://digg.com/gaming_news/Sony_thinking_about_an_online_subscription_game_service

[L.Rawlins @ Jan 3rd 2008 4:49PM]

I still think 'Playstation Home to re-mortgage?...' would have been a better headline, but you've made my day airing my tip on Engadget, thank you Nilay.

[nathan.wong @ Jan 3rd 2008 4:45PM]

No thanks.

[JeffM @ Jan 3rd 2008 5:26PM]

Hey, I'd be interested in that, but they'd have to motivate me to buy a PS3 first...

[Andir3.0 @ Jan 3rd 2008 5:49PM]

I think you were just motivated a little...

To reword what you just said: "There's a reason I'd buy that if I had a reason to buy it."

[JeffM @ Jan 3rd 2008 9:54PM]

Exactly, a little.

This is a small incremental feature... not the type of feature that sells systems.

[Kamalot @ Jan 3rd 2008 6:14PM]

I'd prefer them to simply put up some demos of their Playstation Network games. On my 360, every downloadable game comes with a substantial demo. On my PS3, very rarely do their network games ever come with a way to try them. There are a bunch of titles out there that I'll never play simply because I can't try it first.

Not too big of a fan of subscription services cause I like to keep the games I pay for.

[eddyk @ Jan 3rd 2008 6:30PM]

This will eventually come, SONY can not continue to loose money taking care and upgrading gaming servers while Microsoft is making good cash will Xbox Live gaming subscription !!
When games are really great online (HALO3 ? Gears ? Forza ?) you just don't care subscribing.

[671GD @ Jan 3rd 2008 7:14PM]

Sony: Welcome to the club.

Nintendo: GET WIT DA PROGRAM!

[Andrew @ Jan 3rd 2008 8:12PM]

the "club"?

One company offering the service is a club... While PS3s Wiis and (most) PCs offer it up for free?

I wouldn't mind a subscription service, as long as they kept what they had. I think of my PS3 as more of a money saver, I'm not tempted to buy games that don't exist. And for reference, I'm not a MSFT fanboy, I never have nor will I own a microsoft product. Thankfully there are quite a few good games for Linux, and if I want a powerhouse 3D experience, I use my PS3.

Unfortunately I am stuck with windows at work, and so far have found Linux to be more reliable (not something I would hand off to users at the moment though...)

[TheCow5 @ Jan 3rd 2008 9:17PM]

XBox 360 was just the same when it came out, there was a lack of games and everyone said the very same thing.
In time I am sure they will have games to make everyone happy.
I don't think they will make the kind of money that XBox live is making for Microsoft.
I don't ever see Apple coming out with a game box and if ever they did it would only be Nintendo's competition.