Playstation Plus Discussion Thread - FAQ in first post

From here : http://blog.eu.playstation.com/

PlayStation Plus; Check Out What It’s All About
Posted on 15 June by James Thorpe – PlayStation Network Product Manager

Hi Everyone, you may have heard in all the E3 hype that we are launching a new premium subscription service called PlayStation Plus, so I just wanted to give you all a quick heads up on what you can expect to get from this great new service so you have all the info before launch on the 29th June.



The first thing to note is that PlayStation Network is still free to join and all the current features will remain free. PlayStation Plus will be offering you a service above and beyond this, including loads of content and exclusive, member-only, PSN features.

Video Trailer :
http://www.viddler.com/explore/PSBlogEU/videos/519/

From 29th June you’ll be able to purchase a 1 year or 90-day membership from PlayStation Store and instantly get your hands on the following premium features. Plus, if you sign up for a 1 year membership between 29th June and 3rd August, we’ll also throw in a free downloadable copy of the award winning LittleBigPlanet.

Games:
As a member you can expect to get your hands on at least four games a month at no extra charge. Each month there will be a selection of one PSN game, two minis and one PS one classics available on PlayStation Store for you to download. You also get premium avatars and dynamic themes each month, many of which are exclusive to members.

Talking of exclusive, there will also be discounts available on loads of PlayStation Store content, just for members, so make the most of them as these will change each month as well.

Finally, wherever possible we’ll be making sure that members are included in some selected demos and beta trials before they go live to the public so you can be the one to tell all your mates about the next big game they ‘must’ get.

Just the games, avatars and themes alone are worth at least £200* per year, so even before the other benefits, this service is great value for money

Full Game Trial:
This premium feature gives you the chance to try PSN and Blu-ray disc titles before you buy them in a whole new way. We are not talking normal demos of selected parts of a game here. With Full Game Trial, you can download the full game and play it as if you owned it for approximately one hour, depending on the game, before you decide if you want to buy it or not. So you can check out the online modes, play against friends or anything else you’d normally do with a game.

The other great thing is that your progress and trophies from the trial will all be unlocked if you buy the game so no need to go back and start again.

Automatic Download:
We wanted to offer members the speediest service possible so sign up and you can set your PS3 to automatically receive the latest game updates for all the games you play, PS3 system software updates and even have game demos sent directly to your PS3 without lifting a finger.

Just set the time you want to receive them and your PS3 will automatically wake up and download everything, ready for when you next want to play. No more waiting to play your favourite game because there is a new patch or having to remember when the latest system software is launching, let your PS3 do the work.

Details of this great new service, including a list of content available for the first 2 months will be on playstationplus.com between now and the 29th, but don’t forget to get on the Store and sign up before the 3rd August to get the added bonus of a free copy of LittleBigPlanet.

It would be great to hear what you guys think of this new service and I’ll be back one here on Wednesday morning to try and answer any questions you have.

Cheers,
James

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FAQ section:

What is Playstation Plus [PS+]?

PS+ is a subscription service from Sony Playstation. You pay monthly, quarterly or yearly to become a member. While maintaining member status you get the following...


How much does it cost and are subscriptions stackable?

Subs are stackable and there are often deals. So if you see a good deal, say 15 months for the price of 12, feel free to purchase a year or two extra. As of May 2013, the price of a subscription is

90 days @ €14.99

1 Year @ €49.99


Instant Games Collection

Get top rated games every month for your PS3 and PS Vita. Some months vary but there could be up to six free games each month. Some of the games released on IGC are Little Big Planet 2, Infamous 2, Motorstorm Apocalypse, Hitman: Absolution, Sine MoraJoe Danger 2 : The movie


Money Saving Discounts

Each month there are hundreds of euro off many titles. What's not to like?


Exclusive access to game demos and betas

Get access to demos and betas a few weeks before the general population. Bask in their envy.


60 minute full game trials

Most recent games are available for digital download. A lot of them are available to download and try out. These are not demos but the FULL GAME. Play as you like for up to 60 minutes. After your 60 minutes are up you will have to purchase the game to continue. If you choose to purchase the game, you can continue where you left off. Your save game remains intact. Regardless on whether you chose to purchase it or not, any trophies earned are yours to keep forever. The 60 minutes starts from when you first run the game. The clock doesn't stop ticking if you close the game before 60 minutes. You can only download these once.


Free Themes and Avatars

Every month you get a selection of free themes and avatars. I'm struggling to get excited about that.


Online Storage for games saves

Save all of your game saves in Sony's cloud space. You get 1GB for PS3 saves and 1GB for PS Vita saves. Wow. Upload and download as you wish. Be warned, some games even have DRM on these saves and limit when you can upload, download or use after downloading. From personal experience, Deus Ex: Human Revolution has such DRM.



Automatic software updates

Trophy synchronisation, game update data, video files and the latest system software update data can be automatically downloaded and installed according to the time period you set.


When are new games released for IGC?

Most games are refreshed every month. Old games fall off and new games are added. In it's first year Little Big Planet 2, Infamous 2 and Motorstorm Apocalypse were available for the full 12 months. they are due to be replaced in June 2013.

Sony usually announces what is going to be available up to 1 month in advance. Usually games are added on the first Wednesday of the month.


What happens if I stop being a member and, more importantly, if I re-subscribe at a later date will I still have access to all of my old games?

If you don't renew your subscription, you lose access to everything you had with PS+. You can no longer avail of cloud saves, automatic updates, discounts and you can no longer play any free games that you downloaded while a member. If you PURCHASED something while being a member, that is yours to keep forever. Upon renewal of your subscription you will get access to your PlayStation Plus games. We recommend you take advantage of automatic renewal to ensure you don't miss out.


Does PlayStation Plus have an age limit?

You must be 18 years old to purchase a PlayStation Plus subscription.

Where can I see how long I have left on my PlayStation Plus subscription?

You can see how long your current subscription has to run by visiting PlayStation®Network > [Account Management] > [Transaction Management] > [Services List] > [PlayStation®Plus] on the PlayStation 3 system's XMB Menu.

If I subscribe now, will I get all the old games?
No. You'll just get the games currently available and the ones available going forward.

Do I have to download all the games now?
No. all you have to do is add them to your trolley and go through the checkout process so they're in your download list. So even when they're gone from the IGC, you can still download them whenever you want (as long as you're subscribed).

I only have a Vita/PS3 so I don't need the games for the other system
Even if you only have one of the consoles, add all the games to the download list anyway. You never know, you may be tempted to get the console later on with all these games to play on it.


More Info

Sony Playstation Plus

PSN Store Online

Official PS+ FAQ

Official PS3 Blog

The Sixth Axis