ps-plus
Latest
Transistor, Yakuza 4 heading to PlayStation Plus next month
Sony has revealed next month's PlayStation Plus lineup, announcing that subscribers will receive free downloadable copies of Transistor, Yakuza 4, and more starting next week. Featured PlayStation 4 freebies for next month include Supergiant Games' Bastion follow-up Transistor and Alien Trap Games' side-scrolling action game Apotheon, while PlayStation 3 owners can expect to see Sega's open-world crime drama Yakuza 4 and Eidos Montreal's first-person stealth game Thief. The PlayStation Vita will host Jaywalkers Interactive's Kick & Fennick, and Cellar Door Games' roguelike platformer Rogue Legacy will be freely downloadable across the PlayStation 4, PS3, and Vita. All featured games will be available as free downloads for PlayStation Plus subscribers after the PlayStation Store updates on February 3. [Image: Sony]
PSN Store Update: Alien Isolation, Diablo 3, more
In a last-ditch effort to get in your wallet before the end of the year, the PlayStation Store has a number of good deals on games this week. Among the many deals for PS4 players at the moment, Alien: Isolation is $35.99 ($29.99 for PS Plus members), while the game's season pass is down to $14.99. Additionally, Diablo 3: Ultimate Evil Edition is $39.59 ($35.99 on PS Plus), Escape Goat 2 is half-price ($5, $4 on PS Plus), Metal Gear Solid 5: Ground Zeroes is just $6.80 and Assassin's Creed 4: Black Flag is $25 ($20 on PS Plus). As for Vita, players can download Danganronpa 2 for $27.99 ($23.99 on PS Plus), Nidhogg for $10.49 ($8.99 through PS Plus), Thomas Was Alone and Stealth Inc. for $3.99 each as well as Lone Survivor: The Director's Cut for $5 ($4 via PS Plus). A number of games, such as Nidhogg and Thomas Was Alone, are Cross-Buy compatible, so those with multiple systems only need to pay once to access each version. That includes Flippfly's Race the Sun, which is down to $6.99 at the moment across all three PlayStation platforms ($5.99 on PS Plus). Head over to PlayStation Blog for a full list of the current deals. [Image: Sega]
PlayStation Plus' free games totaled more than $1,300 in value per subscription this year
Sony would, of course, like you to see its PlayStation Plus service as a bargain, but how much value does it really add to your gaming life? Well, according to data compiled by UK publication Push Square, quite a lot, actually. After combing through the 2014 selection of games offered as part of the service's Instant Game Collection, Push Square reports that Sony offered $1,349.29 worth of games in North America, and £960.64 worth of games in Europe. Now, there are some caveats to this data. While the games themselves are free to add to your collection and free to play while you have a current PS Plus subscription ($50 for a year in the US), once your subscription lapses you'll lose access to said games. Push Square's numbers also do not separate games by system, so you only got the full, $1,349.29 value of games if you owned a PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, and a PlayStation Vita. Still, considering that the average monthly Metacritic score (factoring in all games) was 79 for the US and 78 in Europe, as well as the fact that PS Plus also grants subscribers access to discounts, giveaways, Share Play and online multiplayer on PS4, it's not a bad deal. And that's how you (possibly) saved more than $1,200 in 12 months on your game collection. [Image: Sony]
PlayStation Plus subscriber count adds up to 7.9 million
7.9 million users are signed up to PlayStation Plus, a figure Sony said was a factor behind the success of the company's games division last quarter. Chief Financial Officer and Executive Vice President Kenichiro Yoshida divulged the subscriber count during Sony's investors call, following its earnings release last week. When asked about the PlayStation division's prolific second quarter which saw an 83.2 percent year-on-year improvement in revenue, Yoshida first put down the momentum to Destiny and FIFA 15, noting both games contributed "quite significantly." He then added that "at the same time" the PS Plus subscription service had reached "7.9 million members."
Resogun sets course for PS Vita
Arcade-style shooter Resogun will receive a PlayStation Vita version, developer Housemarque confirmed via Twitter today. The Vita port will be handled by Climax Studios, which developed the PS4 and Vita versions of another Housemarque original, Dead Nation. While no release date for the Vita version was given, the developer noted that "more details on the port will soon be released by Sony." Resogun launched alongside the PS4 in November 2013 as a free download for PlayStation Plus subscribers. The game's first major "Heroes" expansion arrived this past June and added new survival and demolition modes to the shooter. The DLC launched shortly after a free update for the game patched in a ship editor and local cooperative multiplayer options. [Image: Housemarque]
PlayStation Plus fees increase in multiple regions
PlayStation Plus subscription fees are on the rise in various regions, Sony confirmed. "We slightly increased prices for PlayStation Plus in South Africa, Ukraine, Russia, Turkey and India regions due to various market conditions," a representative told Joystiq via email. "Currently, price adjustments are not being planned for PS Plus in the SCEA [North American] region." The confirmation follows a report from iAfrica that stated subscription costs were due to rise within 24 hours of email notifications sent to PS Plus subscribers. The emails reportedly stated that "the price of a three month subscription will rise from R145 to R219" as of today ($12.88 and $19.46). The change represents a 51 percent increase in the three-month PS Plus prices. Additionally, a second email seemingly noted a change in the annual PS Plus costs in South Africa from R489 to R749 ($43.45 to $66.55, a 53 percent increase). [Image: Sony]
How PlayStation Plus went from maybe to must-have
When PlayStation Plus was announced in 2010, it was difficult to understand why PlayStation 3 owners would feel motivated to pay for a premium tier to the service they had been enjoying for free. Four years later, the Instant Game Collection has provided plenty of incentive to pony up the annual PlayStation Plus fee, thanks largely to how the team behind the Collection decides what games are made available. "There is a lot that goes into finding the right mix of titles for each month's Instant Game Collection, but the goal is to deliver a solid lineup that has something for all different types of gamers," John Koller, vice president of platforms marketing at Sony Computer Entertainment of America told Joystiq. Koller says a major goal in determining the PlayStation Plus lineup is to retain current subscribers and grow new subscriptions through making the service a "no brainer" for owners of PlayStation platforms. "We look at a variety of different things to deliver a lineup that will provide amazing shared experiences, including the most popular genres for our members and fan requests."
'Share Play' passes the controller to a friend in this fall's PS4 update [Update]
Sony announced that system software 2.0 will arrive on PS4 this fall. The firmware update will add a new feature known as Share Play, which allows PlayStation Plus members to invite any friend to play their games with them in a cooperative, pass-the-controller fashion. What's more, those that join their friends on Share Play don't need to own or download the game. Update: PlayStation Blog described Share Play as a "virtual couch," allowing users to play cooperatively together in addition to the aforementioned pass-the-controller method. The system update will also add a dedicated YouTube app and the ability to upload gameplay clips to the popular video platform, a feature Sony announced back at E3 in June. The What's New section of the console will also receive an upgrade with friend-of-friend suggestions and a real name search function.
PSN Tuesday: Sniper Elite 3, July's PS Plus freebies
PSN this week gets a bunch of goodies for PS4, PS3 and Vita, and a sneak peek at the free games heading to PS Plus in July. PS4 gets Sniper Elite 3, Puddle and Guacamelee Super Turbo Champion Edition, and PS3 has Sniper Elite 3, ConstantC, Dynasty Warriors: Gundam Reborn and El Chavo Kart. Vita this week gets Ubisoft's "playable poem," Child of Light. In July, PS Plus members can snag Doki Doki Universe, Muramasa Rebirth, Vessel, Dead Space 3, Strider and Towerfall: Ascension for free. [Image: 505 Games]
Terraria on Vita goes free for PlayStation Plus members this week
The PlayStation Vita version of 505 Games' Terraria is this week's featured addition to the PlayStation Plus Instant Game Collection, launching tomorrow as a free download for service subscribers. Inspired by Mojang's Minecraft, Terraria presents its survival-oriented gameplay from a side-scrolling perspective, giving players innumerable options when it comes to crafting items, equipment, and weapons from collected materials. The PS Vita port boasts touchscreen controls and Cross-Save functionality with the PlayStation 3 version, and supports up to eight players in its online co-op multiplayer mode. Tomorrow's PlayStation Store update also introduces a lineup of discounts for Plus subscribers, pricing Thatgamecompany's Flower at $3.49, Vita roguelike Sorcery Saga: Curse Of The Great Curry God at $12.59, and PS3 car combat game Twisted Metal at $5. [Image: 505 Games]
PlayStation Plus to offer 2 free games for Vita, PS3, PS4 each month
Sony is adjusting its Instant Game Collection schedule for PlayStation Plus starting in July, promising to dish out six free games per month. The games will be divided evenly among its three active platforms, two for each of PS4, PS3 and Vita, and will all debut on the first Tuesday of every month, lasting until the first Tuesday of the following month. Current freebies on PS Plus that had a "nice, long stint" will be gradually phased out in the coming weeks. The House of PlayStation also announced the six games that will be free for the month of June, starting next Tuesday. PS4 owners will have access to Trine 2: Complete Story and PixelJunk Shooter Ultimate, PS3 players can download NBA 2K14 and Sly Cooper: Thieves in Time and Vita owners will get Terraria and Mutant Mudds Deluxe for the month. Sly Cooper: Thieves in Time is Cross-Buy eligible, so Vita owners will be able to download that game as well. [Image: Sony]
Joystiq Discussion: Are you playing on PS Vita?
"Honestly, Vita owners are the ****ing best," said Chris McQuinn, designer at Drinkbox Studios, in an April interview with GamesIndustry International. McQuinn's team has put their impressive talents to work multiple times on PS Vita, pumping out inspired games like Mutant Blobs Attack and Guacamelee. Some might say, though, Drinkbox would have been better off bringing its vivid slapstick adventures to Steam or home consoles first rather than a handheld with such sluggish sales. McQuinn disagrees. There may not be many Vita owners out there compared to PC players or iPhone owners, but Vita owners are proven game players. "People rag on the Vita so much, and I think people who rag on the Vita don't understand, at least from a business perspective, the purchasing power of Vita owners. Vita owners are serious purchasers of games. It's an amazing system." He's not wrong. PS Vita's blend of inputs, both traditional button controls and multi-touch surfaces, has proven revelatory in myriad games, from Sony and Media Molecule's Tearaway to scrappier independent productions like Roll7's OlliOlli. Those are just two games in what's become one of modern gaming's most quietly impressive libraries. For the classically minded player, Vita's got HD remasters like Final Fantasy X HD as well as a treasure trove of PS1 and PSP games on tap. For the modernity obsessed, it hosts a who's who of independent gaming, from Hotline Miami to Luftrausers. That's not to mention its handful of big budget originals like the sublime Gravity Rush. For all its merits, though, Vita's rough reputation persists. Why? Why is there a perception that Vita doesn't have any games when it's flush with new games and classics alike? For those that have resisted its wiles, why haven't you picked one up and what would convince you to take the plunge? Take the poll and discuss in the comments. Are you playing on PS Vita? [Images: Drinkbox Studios]
Puppeteer, Surge Deluxe go free on PlayStation Plus
PlayStation Plus subscribers are set to receive a pair of free games this week as part of Sony's ever-growing Instant Game Collection, including quirky PlayStation 3 favorite Puppeteer and PS Vita puzzler Surge Deluxe. Puppeteer, originally released at retail in September of last year, is a side-scrolling adventure game presented in the context of a wood-and-strings puppet show. Our own Susan Arendt awarded it 4.5 out of 5 stars, calling it "an excellent example of the 2D platform genre" and "a brilliant production." Surge Deluxe, a PlayStation Vita exclusive from Velocity Ultra developer FuturLab, challenges players to harness electrical energy and earn points by drawing lines between like-colored blocks. Both of this week's featured additions will be free to download for PlayStation Plus members starting tomorrow. [Image: Sony]
PS Plus Europe in May: Stick it to the Man, Puppeteer, Muramasa Rebirth
Stick it to the Man is the next PlayStation 4 offering for Plus subscribers in Europe, starting next week on April 30. The eccentric 2D adventure is due in North America on May 6, which perhaps suggests a later start for May's stateside batch of Plus, or possibly a different PS4 game. We will have to wait and see. Returning to Europe, there are four other games entering the PS Plus service at the end of April, including two on PS3 and two on Vita. The first of the console offerings is performer plaformer Puppeteer, while the second is first-person robber Payday 2. The latter is a neat addition for subscribers who downloaded the first Payday last summer. The Vita newbies are two very different games hailing from Japan, namely hand-painted 2D adventure Muramasa Rebirth and cutesy sports sim Hot Shots Golf: World Invitational. That's Everybody's Golf if you're European, but Loads of Fun no matter where you're from. As ever, five games in means five games out: Make sure you grab Mercenary Kings, Pro Evo 2014, BioShock Infinite, Hotline Miami and MotoGP13 before Plus drops them on April 30. [Image: Ripstone]
Castle of Illusion free on PlayStation Plus this week
Mickey Mouse tackles a remade 16-bit classic this week on PlayStation Plus, as the PlayStation 3 version of Sega's Castle of Illusion is this week's featured entry in Sony's Instant Game Collection. Developed by Sega Studios Australia, Castle of Illusion expands on Mickey's classic platformer with new exploration elements, 3D platforming sequences, and retooled boss encounters. The result retained the playful spirit of its inspiration, earning 4 out of 5 stars in our review. The PlayStation Plus version of Castle of Illusion also includes a downloadable copy of the 1990 Sega Genesis edition of the game, previously available exclusively for pre-order buyers. PlayStation Plus members can download Castle of Illusion for free starting tomorrow, and the bundle will remain available through April 28. [Image: Sega]
Newegg offering one-year PS Plus memberships for $40
Online electronics retailer Newegg is offering a $10 discount on PlayStation Plus subscriptions via its eBay store, discounting a one-year subscription to $39.99. PlayStation Plus subscriptions, normally priced at $49.99 for 12 months, entitle users to a rotating bundle of free PlayStation 3, PS Vita, and PS4 titles from Sony's Instant Game Collection, with new games arriving weekly. This month's additions include Batman: Arkham City, Mercenary Kings, and Velocity Ultra, among other featured games. [Image: Sony]
PS Plus weekly: Stealth Inc. free for subscribers starting tomorrow
Curve Studios' sneaky puzzle-platformer Stealth Inc. A Clone in the Dark is set to join the PlayStation Plus Instant Game Collection this week. Both the PlayStation 3 and PS Vita versions of the game will be available as free downloads for PS Plus subscribers starting tomorrow. Originally known as Stealth Bastard, Stealth Inc. features more than 80 levels in which players must avoid detection and outwit deadly traps while searching for an escape. An enhanced version, Stealth Inc. Ultimate Edition, hit the PlayStation 4 last month, bundling the core game and all previously released DLC in a single standalone package. PlayStation Plus subscribers also get a 20 percent discount on the upcoming PlayStation 4 version of Strike Suit Zero: Director's Cut this week, dropping its price to $15.99. [Image: Curve Studios]
PS Plus Weekly: Mercenary Kings, Batman: Arkham City free to download
This week's PlayStation Plus lineup has something in store for both longtime PlayStation 3 fans and PS4 die-hards, offering up Batman: Arkham City and the debuting console version of Mercenary Kings free of charge. Mercenary Kings, developed by Wizorb creator Tribute Games, melds the run-and-gun gameplay of the arcade classic Metal Slug with an online cooperative multiplayer mode and an in-depth item-crafting component. Tomorrow's PlayStation 4 release marks the first time Mercenary Kings is available on a console platform, following up on its Steam Early Access debut last year. Batman: Arkham City, originally released in 2011, finds the Dark Knight trapped in a walled-off section of Gotham City filled with classic villains and other miscreants. The downloadable PlayStation Plus version of Arkham City includes the Catwoman Bundle Pack, which adds a series of exclusive story missions and in-game collectibles. Both games will be available for PlayStation Plus members in North America starting tomorrow. Other PS Plus games premiering in April include Castle of Illusion, Stealth Inc, and Velocity Ultra. [Image: Tribute Games]
Thomas Was Alone, Unit 13 free on PlayStation Plus this week
Sony expands its Instant Game Collection this week with Thomas Was Alone and Unit 13, which will be released as free downloads for PlayStation Plus subscribers starting tomorrow. Mike Bithell's Thomas Was Alone, available for both the PlayStation 3 and PS Vita, takes a gang of quadrilateral shapes through a series of puzzle-platforming levels bridged by clever narration. The PlayStation Vita-exclusive Unit 13 serves up tactical third-person shooter action, debuting in 2012 as SOCOM series developer Zipper Interactive's swan song. Both games will be released as free downloads for Plus members after the PlayStation Store updates tomorrow evening. Thomas Was Alone is a Cross-Buy release, and Plus subscribers will receive both the PS3 and Vita versions with tomorrow's update. [Image: Mike Bithell]
PS Plus weekly: Lone Survivor Director's Cut scares you for free
Lone Survivor: The Director's Cut is this week's free game for PlayStation Plus members. It's the gift of intense survival-horror and psychological thriller madness that keeps on giving, mostly when you're lying alone in bed, in the dark, and you spy one shadow just a tad darker than all of the others. Lone Survivor has players attempt to escape a city overrun with a terrible disease, and they must make choices that shape the game – play it without resorting to violence or shoot everything you see, take drugs or stay sober, travel alone or collect potential allies along the way, watch your sanity or go mad. Did that shadow just move? The Spring Fever sale is still on, and Plus members get extra discounts. Towerfall: Ascension and Vessel launch with sales tomorrow, $12 and $8, respectively. Segments of the Call of Duty franchise are also on sale this week, along with Ethan: Meteor Hunter. [Image: Jasper Byrne]