(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Pachter on PS3 online play: Sony “isn’t so profitable that it can afford to be magnanimous forever”

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The rumours of a pricing structure for PSN, and exactly what that might entail, have been snaking around the internet for quite a while now – with no official word from Sony. Talking to Critical Gamer however, Michael Pachter of Wedbush Morgan Securities seems to think that the death of free online play on PSN is inevitable.

In answer to our question regarding a paid – for PSN service, Pachter was quick to put in that he ‘really can’t say’ what Sony will do. Pachter being Pachter however he was happy to give us his educated guess, which amounted to a charge for online play on the PS3 being an inevitability:

It seems to me that online game play can bear a monthly subscription (something as affordable as $50/year)… Free online play is a good marketing tool, but I don’t often hear consumers say “I bought a PS3 because PSN is free”… more often, I hear people say “I bought a 360 because of Xbox Live”… Sony gives a ton of value for free, but the company isn’t so profitable that it can afford to be magnanimous forever.

These comments certainly allow for a ‘premium’ PSN service that complements, rather than replaces, the free one currently running. Perhaps we shouldn’t be surprised if a compulsory subscription is announced for online play on the PS3, however; Michael Pachter certainly wouldn’t be…

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I know this sounds like bad news to most of you out there but I see it as good news. Imagine being able to keep your PS3 with PSN being equal or better than Xbox Live. That I would definitely pay $50 a year for.

(post your opinions below)

This will effect many people, i have a few mates who aint aloud to get xbox's because of the monthly fee.

I bought a ps3 for the free online, thats why im never on my xbox.

Yeah, i would rather move to xbox and play, than pay for ps3.

All of you who said that they will go back to Xbox if PS3 ever gets online subscription are not thinking right. If PS3 ever starts a monthly/annual fee like Xbox 360. That will improve the PSN store by 110%. The only reason why Xbox live "beats" PSN is because people pay to play which demands exclusive stuff.

exactly right.

If this happens, I will regrettably sell my ps3 and get a decent gaming computer. What's the use of paying for a subscription on a console when you are limited in content that is given?

If they start charging they better upgrade the shitty ass online service which is quite amazing for free though

Console gaming is not limited in any way. The only thing we dont have is a "world of warcraft"/mmorpg type of game for console. And if you wanna upgrade your computer very year for about 300-500 dollars or more a year...well you must sacrifice a lot unless of course your very wealthy. My point is that console has very type of game as any other platform. Maybe not the exact game for every platform. Oh my mistake console doesn't have a mouse or keyboard.

i wanted a ps3 just for the free online.