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Why do I have to pay for PSN
- Thread starter jagjagger
- Start date
Because running servers cost money. Paying for the hundreds of servers needed across the world costs money. Paying the staff to monitor and maintain them costs money. Paying for the electric bills on the servers cost money. Paying to fix them costs money. Making a profit to put into R&D and upgrades to the equipment costs money. They offset the annoyance of having to pay now with PS+ deals on games like cheaper price and free games, so over the course of the year if you take advantage of that, you actually can save money. Also, they give you free cloud storage with PS+ to upload game saves and stuff so if your console dies, you just have to reinstall the games and download the saves. For 60 bucks, you really do get good value. If you don't like it, don't subscribe to it.
If I'm not mistaken, Sony does not actually previous the server's used for online games. This is the responsibility of the studio that publishes the game. Please correct me if I'm wrong, and if you do, please reference some sources instead of word of mouth, which is likely why my understanding is wrong, if I do turn out to be wrong.
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Alex_68
Member
Sony owns the database of all PSN accounts and provides to join them while playing in multiplayer sessions. Also delivers games patches and updates.
It is of course a pure commercial stuff, but it has its costs. I am also not so happy to pay 60 a year for the PSN+. All in all though, it's 17 cents a day, so it's fair enough for me. You're free to subscribe it or not, it doesn't change a lot for your gamer experience.
What really sucks imo, is the micro credit system that they put inside the gameplay, and the so-called Season Pass. If you fall in the trap, you may pay up to 100 US$/EU for a game.
It is of course a pure commercial stuff, but it has its costs. I am also not so happy to pay 60 a year for the PSN+. All in all though, it's 17 cents a day, so it's fair enough for me. You're free to subscribe it or not, it doesn't change a lot for your gamer experience.
What really sucks imo, is the micro credit system that they put inside the gameplay, and the so-called Season Pass. If you fall in the trap, you may pay up to 100 US$/EU for a game.
And that's how EA pays for their servers
Or their executives hefty salaries 
I never said their servers were used for online games. Like Alex said, they hold the databases for all the user names and points your account to the correct game's server. It still requires a lot of servers to store and handle that kind of data. There's more to it than that but I read how this all worked too long ago to remember for sure and I'd rather not give misinformation. I do know Sony took a massive hit in the PS3 generation and it couldn't sustain itself monetarily without charging (from what I remember, Sony never really profited from the PS3. Last cost I saw, they just started selling the PS3 at a profit when they made the Super Slim after the PS4 came out, and I think it was only a couple bucks profit margin per console).
Am I really the only one on here that isn't bothered by it? We had a good ride on the PS2 and PS3 while our counterparts on the Xbox have been charged a subscription since the original Xbox came out. The gravy train was bound to run out eventually. And 60 bucks isn't bad. It's the cost of one game and Sony gives discounts and free games. Something Microsoft never did until Sony started doing it. You can easily make up that cost by taking advantage of it.
Alex_68
Member
Nope, I'm not bothered either, I'm just not that happy. Same when I pay my bills for electricity, water, methan, telephone, kids school, car insurance, etc. With the difference that the latest mentioned are somehow obligatory if we want to live in a decent way, while PS+ is not.
So, my Italian friend, what you're saying is paying bills bothers you
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Alex_68
Member
Uhm well... if you like to pay bills, I can send you mine all together... all in all we are allies.
:rofl
:rofl
Hahaha. This amuses me because you actually took the time to put this togetherUhm well... if you like to pay bills, I can send you mine all together... all in all we are allies.
:rofl
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wonderings
Member
Would not say I am bothered by it, just used to free from Sony. It was actually one of the selling features when I bought my PS3. I do not play a lot of games online so it was nice to not shell out anything for the few times I a year I would go for online play.
I pay for it now for PS4 as it is not a huge fee and I can afford it without thinking about it. Preference, free, obviously. They do need to maintain servers and what not so I get having a fee. They are a business as well so they need to make money and profit.
Dmadman72
I Shall Finish The Game
Here in Canada PSN falls under the "Necessities act" of 1692. In my country most things are free if the can be used as a Source of heat. As computers, Gaming systems, satellite receivers and even TV falls under that category as the all produce heat. PSN helps the system produce just enough heat to heat the igloo without melting any structural walls. PlayStation is also the console of choice for seal hunters due to all the sharp edges eh. Seriously though at the end of the day people want to get paid. I have yet to meet anyone that does anything without expecting something in return.
