PlayStation Plus services changes format beginning in June, free games announced

Sony has announced changes in how they will be distributing free games on their PlayStation Plus service, and there will be two free games per platform in a monthly release.

What does that mean for the future of the service and how does that change from what it's like now? Currently, one to two games are released every Tuesday, and a new PlayStation 4 game is generally released at the beginning of the month. In this new format, that means two free PS4 games will now be available.

The move is great for both sides. Sony doesn't have to mess with releasing a free game on a weekly basis. Gamers won't have to wait until they see a game they like on a list that's released at the end of the previous month.

In the past, Sony would release the full list of games being released for the following month. Now, instead of those being staggered through each Tuesday, gamers can just pick them all up on the first Tuesday of each month.

Here's the full installment of games for both the United States and Europe in the month of June:

PS4

• Pixeljunk Shooter Ultimate
• Trine 2: The Complete Story

PS3

• NBA 2K14
• Sly Cooper: Thieves in Time (US)
• Lone Survivor (Europe)

VITA

• Terraria (US)
• Mutant Mudds Deluxe (US)
• Dragon's Crown (Europe)
• Surge Deluxe (Europe)

Constant stables of the Instant Game Collection, such as Uncharted 3 and XCOM Enemy Unknown, should be picked up before its too late. Those games that have been free for almost a year now will likely be taken off the service fairly soon.

It's a bummer to see Dragon's Crown not on the US shores, but don't be surprised to see that as a free game this summer. I bought it while on sale on the PSN, and it doesn't disappoint. 

I'll definitely look to pick up the NBA game as I skipped out on it this season (although it would have been better as a PS4 freebie) and since I could never get into Terraria on my mobile Android phone, perhaps I'll get into it on the Vita.

Driveclub game director confirms game will run in 30 FPS, 1080p

Driveclub has been given the official release date of October 7th and there will still be a free PlayStation Plus verison of the game headed our way. Now, the game director has confirmed that the game will run in 30 frames per second in 1080p.



Evolution Studios' Paul Rusthynsky said in an interview with VG247 that while a higher FPS was the goal for the PlayStation 4 exclusive, ultimately this was the best way to display the game.

“As we’ve got more familiar with the hardware, and also, looking at what we wanted from the game, we decided that 1080p, 30 frames per second is absolutely the best thing, because what that allows us to do is to deliver the most detailed cars in-race that you will ever have seen.

Rstchynsky noted that Infamous: Second Son also ran with 30 FPS, and that's why the game looks so good. Photos of Driveclub also look really promising, giving us belief that if that's what Evolution Studios is trying to pull off in-game, then it's no surprise that the game will be running at a lower FPS rate.

While some people may be put off that on the lack of fluidity that 60 FPS games offer, there's plenty of other games that run in 30 FPS and it certainly doesn't hinder the experience. Gamers also need to be aware that even though PS4 received positive publicity from having 3rd party games run in 60 FPS, that doesn't mean all games will.

Infamous: SS hasn't received negative reviews because of it's frames per second, and neither will Driveclub. The frame rate issue is about as overrated as regular television's refresh rate. 60Hz? 120 Hz? Who gives a sh*t.

PlayStation Update for 4-22-14: Octodad flops onto PS4, old-school RPG on Vita, free Pixel Junk,

Note: PlayStation Plus prices listed. If you have a PS console and you don't have a PS+ subscription, you're wasting money.

New Releases

*Projected price

PS4

• Cel Damage HD - $8.99 (Digital, Cross Buy)
• Octodad: Dadliest Catch - $11.99 (Digital)

PS3

• Cel Damage HD - $8.99 (Digital, Cross Buy)
• Defense Technica - $14.99* (Digital)
• Soulcalibur Lost Swords - FTP (Digital)

Vita

• Cel Damage HD - $8.99 (Digital, Cross Buy)
• Demon Gaze - $39.99 (Digital/Retail)
• Starlight Inception - $19.99* (Digital)
• The Walking Dead: Season 2 - Episode 1 - $4.99 (Digital)

Classics/Imports

• None

Demos

• Defense Technica - PS3
• The Walking Dead: Season 2 - Episode 1 - Vita

PSN Discounts

DC Comics blowout sale:

• Batman Arkham Asylum - $12.59
• Batman: Arkham Origins (PS3) - $25.19
• Batman: Arkham Origins Blackgate (Vita) - $12.59
• Injustice: Gods Among Us Ultimate Edition (PS4/PS3) - $25.19 (Vita) - $12.59
• Lego Patman 2: DC Super Heroes - $12.59
• Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe - $12.59

Instant Game Collection

This week's free game is PixelJunk Monsters Ultimate HD for the PlayStation Vita.

Have a great week everybody!

Rumor: Driveclub hitting PlayStation 4 with June 12th release date

Sony's latest exclusive on the PlayStation 4, Driveclub, could be available on June 12th, backing up a previous report announced earlier this year.



Explosion reports that the game has a release date of June 12th, 2014, according to Dell's website. That date coincides with a different report from Italy's Official PlayStation Magazine.

The PlayStation 4 exclusive racing game Driveclub is apparently going to be released sometime during June. The news comes from the Official PlayStation Magazine Italy, which reveals that the game will indeed be released that month.
Not too long ago Sony confirmed that more news on the game’s release would be coming soon. This reveal would actually fall in line with what Sony officially confirmed earlier.

Nothing has been confirmed by Sony or developer Evolution Studios on the release date.

Driveclub has been a troubled exclusive on the PlayStation 4, getting knocked back from its original release at the new console's launch. A free version of the game (not the full game) was going to be available for those that subscribe to the PlayStation Plus service. Instead, Knack was chosen to be the free game after this game got pushed back.

PlayStation Update for April 1st: MLB 14 The Show, free Mercenary Kings, Spiderman sales

Nearly all the Major League Baseball teams opened up regular season play on Monday, letting us know that spring is finally here and the newest edition of MLB The Show is finally out. Well, for anyone that doesn't have the latest PlayStation console.



Let's dive into everything new this week on PlayStation. NOTE: All prices reflected with PlayStation Plus subscription.

New Releases

PS4

• Mercenary Kings - Free (Digital)

PS3

• Batman: Arkham Origins Blackgate (Deluxe Edition) - $19.99 (Digital)
• MLB 14 The Show - $59.99 (Digital / Retail)
• Ragnarok Odyssey ACE - $39.99 (Digital / Retail)

Vita

• MLB 14 The Show - $59.99 (Digital / Retail)
• Ragnarok Odyssey ACE - $39.99 (Digital / Retail)

Classics

(Digital only)

• Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Summoner - $10.99 (PS2)

Demos

• Batman: Arkham Origins Blackgate (Deluxe Edition) - PS3
• EA Sports 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil - PS3
• FEZ - PS4 / PS3 / Vita

The highlight this week will be a toss-up, whether you're into sports games or not. If so, Sony exclusive MLB 14 The Show makes its debut on PS3 and Vita. May 6th is the current release date for the latest baseball entry to ship out to the PS4.

For those that are waiting for the game to come out next month, or can't stand baseball, the arcade platformer, Mercenary Kings, is free with a PS+ subscription to tie people over.

PSN Discounts

This week's newest discounts are mostly focused on The Amazing Spiderman, in preparation of the next installment, The Amazing Spiderman II, that's coming out later this month.

• The Amazing Spiderman (PS3) - $17.99
• The Amazing Spiderman (Vita) - $19.99
• ASM DLC Bundle - $4.49

All of the following ASM DLC is available for $1.79 each.

• Lizard Ramapage Pack
• Oscorp Search and Destroy
• Rhino Challenge
• Stan Lee Adventure Pack

Finally, a game that's not apart of ASM, Obscure: The Aftermath, is available for 50 percent off at $5.



Instant Game Collection

There are two new games added into the IGC for PS+ subscribers. First, those that either have a PS4 or don't must claim their title of Mercenary Kings. The arcade shooter that resembles a throwback to the Metal Slug series is an absolute must-own for fans of the genre or those that are looking to kill some quick time without getting deep into a AAA title.

Not tired of super heroes yet? Batman: Arkham City is free on PS3. The classic by Rocksteady that's received rave reviews is now available. An interesting time unlocking this game considering a deluxe edition of the newer Arkham Origins was dropped today. Anybody that has a PS+ subscription and needs to get their Batman fix should just skip right past Origins and pick up the much better City for free.

PlayStation Plus: April's free games include Mercenary Kings, Batman: Arkham City

Sony has officially announced all the free games that will be available in North America in April, including some new games and the latest, best Batman game.


According to the PlayStation Blog, the tradition of adding a new PlayStation 4 game to the Instant Game Collection each month continues with Mercenary Kings. This was much anticipated after this was both confirmed in the Asian markets and rumored for European release.

The other games will be Batman: Arkham City for PlayStation 3, Stealth Inc. A Clone in the Dark for PS3, Castle of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse for PS3, Velocity Ultra for PS Vita, and Pixeljunk Monsters Ultimate HD for Vita.

It's a slightly old list of games, with the exception of Pixeljunk, but it's one of the bigger varieties of games that we've had with the service lately. Arkham City is a definite must play to those that didn't catch the game yet. I'll be excited to play Stealth Inc. myself.

What are the games you recommend or will be trying out when they get released in April?

PlayStation Plus: European list for April may have been leaked, includes Mercenary Kings

The list of games for PlayStation Plus in Europe may have been leaked by a source that has a good reputation for getting the titles correct, and it includes new PlayStation 4 title Mercenary Kings.


Video Gamer (via Gamepointsnow) lists the five games that will likely be on the European PS+ list for April, and one of them could easily be worldwide:

According to the blog, the line-up includes Mercenary Kings on PS4, PES 2014 and Sly Cooper Thieves in Time on PS3, and Hotline Miami and MotoGP 13 on PS Vita.
Not a bad selection by any means.
Mercenary Kings has also been confirmed as the PS Plus free game on the Asian store.

Since Mercenary Kings has been confirmed for the Asian store and now leaked for Europe, it's highly possible that the game will be a freebie in North America.

Don't know what Mercenary Kings is? It's a 2D arcade side-scrolling shooter, in similar taste to the Metal Slug series. The game is developed by Tribute Games, who also released Scott Pilgrim vs. the World: The Game.

That's two reasons why this game is extremely high on my list in games to own on the PlayStation 4. As a Metal Slug fan and with how much I enjoyed Scott Pilgrim, it's going to be hard to resist biting the bullet for Sony's next-gen console until the Black Friday season.

PlayStation Update for March 25th: FEZ finally comes to PlayStation, BioShock sale, and free Monster Hunter

Lots of role-playing and strategy games are on the list in this week's humongous PlayStation update. Let's get right into it.


New Releases
(PlayStation Plus prices listed)

PS4

• Dynasty Warriors 8: Xtreme Legends (Complete Edition) - $59.99 (Digital/Retail)
• FEZ - $9.74 (Digital, Cross Buy)

PS3

• BlazBlue: Chrono Phantasma - $40.49 (Digital price, $49.99 Retail)
• Cabela's Big Game Hunter: Pro Hunts - $29.99 (Digital/Retail)
• Deception IV: Blood Ties - $59.99 (Digital/Retail)
• Dynasty Warriors 8: Xtreme Legends - $39.99 (Digital/Retail)
• FEZ - $9.74 (Digital, Cross Buy)
• The Witch and the Hundred Knight - $49.99 (Digital/Retail)

Vita

• Deception IV: Blood Ties - $39.99 (Digital/Retail)
• Destiny of Spirits - Free-to-play (Digital)
• Dynasty Warriors 8: Xtreme Legends (Complete Edition) - $39.99 (Digital/Retail)
• FEZ - $9.74 (Digital, Cross Buy)

Classics (Digital only)

• TNN Motorsports Hardcore TR - $5.99 (PSone)

Demos

• Conception II: Children of the Seven Stars - Vita

FEZ will be the biggest highlight of the week. Created by the disgruntled Phil Fish, who tried leaving the gaming industry behind by leaving Twitter, then coming back like they all do, FEZ is a puzzle platformer that is solved using both 2D and 3D worlds. 

Yes, looking at a game that was released almost two years ago as a new release highlight should be frowned upon, but it's a critically-acclaimed game that's received visual upgrades and should be played by those that haven't touched it yet.

Other highlights include the latest installment of BlazBlue and the expansion to Dynasty Warriors 8. Chrono Phantasma is now available on PS3, and at the PS Store it's about $10 less than at retail. Xtreme Legends is an expansion that's also released as a full retail game (including DW8) for PS4 and Vita.

PS Store Discounts

FEZ is on sale for $9.74, over $3 less than the retail price. For those that don't own Xbox or haven't picked up the game on Steam (or the Humble Bundle), then you must live under a rock. Or, if you must reel in more trophies or just like games on your PlayStation devices, it would be wise to pick this game up now. This sale only lasts until next week.

Sony's Spring Fever sale also includes BioShock. Both of the original games are just $5.00 for PS+ members. Here's the prices for the DLC of BioShock Infinite:

• Burial At Sea: Episode 1 - $7.34
• Columbia's Finest Pack - $2.44
• Clash in the Clouds - $3.49

Instant Game Collection

This week's free game for PS+ members is Monster Hunter Freedom Unite for Vita. There's been plenty of Monster Hunter clones that have been apart of the IGC, such as Gods Eater Burst and Soul Sacrifice, but finally, those that aren't into the Monster Hunter clones are finally getting the real thing.

MHFU is originally a PSP game that retails at $13.99 on Amazon. As far as value goes and how much time you can spend with a game, there is over 500 hours of gameplay on this thing.

Have a great week, everybody!

PlayStation update for February 18th includes Strider, Rayman Legends for PS4, and two new free games on PS Plus!

Still excited about your PlayStation 4 purchase? For the second straight week, there's a lack of not only exclusive content, but content made for the new-gen console altogether. However, for those that have been anticipating the remake of Strider or the re-release of Rayman Legends, they're in luck!


For those that don't care about PS4 just yet, there's additional releases along with a free game on both PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Vita.

Here's the full list of new retail and digital games:

PS4

• Strider - $14.99 (Digital)
• Rayman Legends - $39.96* (Digital / Retail)

PS3

• Strider - $14.99 (Digital)
• Earth Defense Force 2025 - $47.99* (Digital / Retail)
• Forest Legends: The Call of Love - $11.99** (Digital)

Vita

• Gunslugs - $1.99*** (Digital)

Other (Digital only)

• Neo Contra (PS2 classic) - $9.99**
• Mr. Driller (PSone classic) - $5.99**
• Tomba! 2 (PSone import) - $9.99

*Retail price found on Amazon as of this posting on Monday night.

**Suggested price that it will be on the PlayStation Store (subject to change).

***PlayStation Plus launch price.

Strider is, without question, the biggest release of the week. Reviews won't be available until the Tuesday launch day, but it has been confirmed that it will come out at the usual $15 mark for old remakes like this.

The most promising recent retro indie release for the Vita is Gunslugs, and it will be 50 cents off on Tuesday for PlayStation Plus members for a total of just a couple bucks. I haven't dove into the other new releases on Sony's portable system, but Abstraction Games, the team that helped bring Knytt Underground and Hotline Miami to the Vita, is working on this game. I'll be downloading my copy ASAP.

Here's a couple pricing notes: First, Forest Legends is published by Alawar Entertainment. I believe the price will be $11.99, the same as Twisted Lands: Shadow Town, that was released under the same publisher for the PS3.

Secondly, I'd highly recommend not purchasing Earth Defense Force 2025 at the moment. The price will likely be $50 on the PSN store. Considering the game was available for just $43 at one point during the preorder period, it won't take long for the title to reach $40 or less.

The only discount is Gunslugs, so let's move on to the Instant Game Collection. There are two free games available this week.

A couple of games by Capcom, who previously released Resident Evil 5 for free with PS+, are available: Remember Me on the PS3 and Street Fighter x Tekken on the Vita.

RM received mixed but positive reviews. It's a platformer with a uniqueness to manipulate enemies' minds. Definitely recommended for both sci-fi and platforming fans. SFxT is recommended for those that aren't tired yet by fighters on their Vita.

Have a great week everyone!

Image credits: Flickr

First impressions: Payday 2 on PlayStation 3

There's nothing more boring than watching the standard, cliche heist movie. It's over 90 minutes of watching actors work out a gameplan with witty dialogue, knowing that everything will work out in the end no matter what snafu they get into during the attack.


Mercifully, Payday 2 takes all that garbage out. Everything is planned out at the beginning, leaving just the execution as players step into action in first-person perspective.

The heist simulator has all the seriousness of an actual heist before it happens, but then it resembles a more cartoon-like atmosphere in action. Players can absorb multiple bullets in normal difficulty heists, and some of the masks that are available can reach the ridiculous.

There's a lot of details in the environment, but the game can get bogged down at certain places or when there's too many things going on at once. Nearly every time I head to the bottom level of the safe house, the game pauses for about 5 seconds without a loading indicator.

Enemy police and hostage NPCs take a design hit to keep the FPS level. They lack fluid motion when chasing after the robbers, especialy further away. There's no animation when tying up hostages, leaving little satisfaction as the ring meter circles around the action being done.


Despite some performance shortcomings and having armor as strong as a tank, it's fun to pull off all the objectives, keeping the police at bay while stealing jewlery, robbing a bank, or sabotaging certain areas. There's nothing too complicated to get tasks done, simply a press-and-hold of a trigger button while not getting shot at.

There is no campaign mode or main story to the game. Missions are selected via the Crime.net computer in the safe house, and players can practice with using tools and their arsenal with unlimited ammunition during down time; a welcome addition.

The game is basically pick-up-and-play. Players can selct to play online or offline, although playing it with team AI is equivalent to a 5-year-old picking up the controller. They'll barely take down enemies and they won't aid the player in stealing loot and throwing it in the back of a van.

Methods on how to do a heist aren't completely explained, which is why I opted for the offline mode in the first couple of runs. But it's worth looking like a dumbass and trying to figure out certain methods to do a heist while playing with humans instead of bots.


The problem with some heists is that while players can be sneaky, there's not enough penalty to just get in the building that's being robbed, putting on the mask, and going to town. It takes a long time for the health bar to go down, but perhaps this isn't the case in harder difficulty leves (which I haven't played yet).

Payday 2 may tire in repetitiveness, but it's a game that's better taken in small doses. There's a lot of value to come back and play as four different levels of skills can be unlocked and plenty of weapons and gadgets can be obtained and upgraded. Some items or upgrades are a lot of cash, but the harder the difficulty of the heist, the bigger the payout.

The verdict: Three out of five stolen bags of cash. The game is for first-person shooter fans that love multiplayer, and don't want all the stealth that's involved in similar games. Just don't expect a graphical beast or any form of a campaign mode. Which could have bogged this down into a boring heist movie anyway.

Payday 2 is developed by Overkill Software and published by 505 Games. The PlayStation 3 version has received positive cumulative scores of 70 percent on GameRankings and a 74/100 on Metacritic It's currently available for free on PlayStation Plus' Instant Game Collection for a limited time.

Image credits: Flickr

Over half of PlayStation 4 owners subscribe to PlayStation Plus

Over half of the world that picked up a PlayStation 4 in 2013 have signed up for PlayStation Plus.


From Sony CEO Kazuo Hirai in a fiscal year conference call transcript by Seeking Alpha (via Polygon):

"All the 4.2 million PS4s that have already moved into the hands of consumers, more than half of the people that have now gotten their hands [on] the PS4 have actually signed up for PS Plus service, which bodes very well for us," said Hirai in a conference call to discuss the earnings for the third quarter of Sony's 2014 fiscal year, according to a transcript from Seeking Alpha.

This could be misleading. Polygon brings up a good point that nothing confirms whether these subscribers just signed up for the 30-day free trial or have spent money on a month, 3-month, or 1-year subscription.

The good thing for Sony is like similar free trials, the subscription won't just go away. If the subscriber doesn't cancel the free trial before the 30 day are up, it will roll over to a $17.99 3-month sub. More than likely, lots of these subs will roll over.

Still, this is a good sign for the service. The $50 per year rate nearly pays itself in a month (nearly doubles it worth this month alone in free games). Every PS owner should have the subscription, and a higher attachment rate will give subs even more benefits.

Image credit: Flickr

PlayStation Update for February 11th includes Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII, lots of Far Cry, and actual new Vita games!

There's plenty of reasons why no gamer should abandon their PlayStation 3, and Sony gives us a ton of reasons with new games and incredibly valued bundles.

[Image credit: Flickr]

Well, one of those bundles are.

First, here's the huge collection of new releases this week:

PS3

• Borderlands 2 and Dishonored Bundle - $30 (Retail)
• The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim and BioShock Infinite Bundle - $30 (Retail)
• Far Cry Classic - $10 (Digital)
• Far Cry Compilation - $40 (Retail, exclusive)
• Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII - $60 (Digital / Retail)
• Zombeer (Digital)

The Last of Us: Left Behind (Digital only, exclusive) will be released on Friday. Demos of Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2, Far Cry Classic, Oddworld: Stranger's Wrath HD, Skullgirls Encore, and Toki Tori are also available.

Vita

• Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc - $40 (Digital / Retail)
• Toukiden: The Age of Demons - $40 (Digital / Retail)
• TxK - $7.99 (Digital, PS+ launch price)
• Fort Defense (Digital)

Other (Digital only)

• Blowout - PS2 classic
• Pac-Man World 20th Anniversary - PSone classic
• Wolf Fang - PSone import

The bundles are an interesting combo release between 2K Games and Bethesda. Some of the value is diminished with both BioShock Infinite and Borderlands 2 being free with PlayStation Plus. The BL2/Dishonored bundle is definitely not worth it when both cames have been found for less than $10 seperately, but anyone that picks up the Elder Scrolls V/BSI bundle will come away with countless hours of entertainment that's definitely worth $30.

Also, it's finally to see some good releases for Vita. Both are worth a look and the reviews are promising. Don't let the confusing, hard-to-say titles steer you away!

There's not many discounts this week for PlayStation Plus subscribers. Blood Knights has a two-dollar drop to $7.99 while DrawSlasher slashes it's price over 50 percent to $2.75. Both the Blood Knights and TxK discounts are only available this week.

[Image credit: Flickr]

Coming into the Instant Game Collection is Payday 2. The follow-up to Payday: The Heist (which was also free on PS+ at one point) was well received by many. Here's more on the game from the PlayStation Blog:

PAYDAY 2 is an action-packed, four-player co-op shooter that once again lets gamers don the masks of the original PAYDAY crew – Dallas, Hoxton, Wolf and Chains – as they descend on Washington D.C. for an epic crime spree. The new CRIMENET network offers a huge range of dynamic contracts and players are free to choose anything from small-time convenience store hits or kidnappings, to major league cyber-crime or emptying out major bank vaults for that epic PAYDAY.

The first Payday was very fun, and I haven't had the time to check up on the sequel. I'll give first impressions later this week.

Friendly reminder: Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed and Telltale Games' Poker Night 2 are leaving next week, so get them while you can.

I can feel the frustration for PlayStation 4 owners. Better days will be ahead for new releases and deals.

Have a great week everyone!

February's free games for PlayStation Plus subscribers: Remember Me, Metro: Last Light, and more

Those that still haven't subscribed to PlayStation Plus may finally cave in after Sony released their list of free games their offering in February for the PlayStation platforms.

The PlayStation Blog announced the games for North America on Thursday. Here are the games that will be available, spread out through the entire month..

• Outlast (PS4, previously announced)
• Remember Me (PS3)
• Metro: Last Light (PS3)
• Payday 2 (PS3)
• Street Fighter X Tekken (Vita)
• ModNation Racers: Road Trip (Vita)

New games will be available every Tuesday, but no official dates are ever announced.

Next month is an unbelievable deal; all of those games are quality titles that didn't receive much attention when they were released. There's an abundance of fighting and racing games for Vita owners that have subscribed to PS+. I haven't played MNR: RT yet, but that's likely the weakest offering in the batch. Especially with Sonic All-Star Racing Transformed was available for free recently.

For those that haven't purchased a PS+ subscription, think of it this way. If these games were all purchased on Amazon today, that total price would be $119.92. PS+ is $50 a year. It's an unbelievable service that offers a wide variety of titles; for those that purchase PlayStation for that variety like myself, it's a must have.

Worst case scenario, players can always download the games they already purchased for back up when they're available for free, or they can just sell their physical copy for a little cash to put into the PS+ subscription price.

Next month has my full attention. What game are you looking forward to the most?

Image credit: Flickr

The Elder Scrolls Online does not require PlayStation Plus to play

Future owners of The Elder Scrolls Online that worried about needing to pay two subscriptions to play online with the PlayStation 4 will be happy to hear that they won't need a PlayStation Plus subscription.



ZeniMax Online Studios announced on the PlayStation Blog (via Gamespot) Tuesday that all PS4 owners will just need to pay the monthly subscription through the company themselves, the same way PC and Mac users have it.

"A PlayStation Plus membership is not required to play The Elder Scrolls Online," game director Matt Firor said on the PlayStation Blog. "PS4 players will only be required to pay the same monthly subscription associated with The Elder Scrolls Online that PC and Mac users will pay--nothing more."

To compare, the monthly subscription for ESO is $14.99 and PS+ is $49.99. PS+ is required on the PS4 to play games online, but it looks like Sony won't force customers to purchase the subscription if they have to pay a separate monthly charge.

In contrast, Microsoft forces all gamers to have an Xbox Live Gold account to play any Xbox One game online, and as of right now they aren't letting up that restriction for ESO.

The PlayStation 4 edition of ESO will be released later this year.

Image credit: Flickr

PlayStation Update for January 28th includes Tomb Raider update for PS4, Final Fantasy sale, free Smart As on Vita

The new Tomb Raider update for PlayStation 4 finally hits stores, PlayStation Plus subscribers get a game that will test their intelligence, and the expected Final Fantasy sale hits the United States in this edition of the PlayStation Update.


Image credit: Flickr

First, here's all the new releases this week for all the PlayStation platforms both at retail and PS stores.

PS4

• Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition - $59.99 (Digital / Retail)

Vita

• Dragon Ball Z: Battle of Z - $31.99 (Digital; PS+ launch price)

PS3

• Dragon Ball Z: Battle of Z - $59.99 (Digital / Retail)

Digital only

• Cyber Sled - PSone Classic
• The Firemen 2: Pete & Danny - PSone Import
• Mark Davis Pro Bass Challenge - PS2 Classic

It's disappointing to see that the TR update is released at full price. The game is only 10 months old, but graphical upgrades don't justify bringing up the price to full retail when this same game can be found everywhere for about $20 or less since last fall. At the very least, Square Enix could have given those that purchased the game on PS3 a discount.

At least the PS4 houses the definitive TR: Definitive Edition.

Also, a potential steal is here for both Dragon Ball Z fans and Vita owners. There hasn't been much national buzz on the game, but there can't be much sacrifice on the Vita version that will sit at nearly half the retail price of the PS3 and Xbox 360 versions on Tuesday for PlayStation Plus subscribers.

Image credit: Flickr

Speaking of the PS+, here's the full list of Final Fantasy games on sale beginning Tuesday. This is the same sale that began a while back in Europe. All the old FF games are nine dollars are less; those that are thinking of getting Final Fantasy XIV should also note that both standard and collector's editions are on a massive sale. Both retail at $40 and $60, respectively.

• Final Fantasy Origins - $5.39
• Final Fantasy III - $8.99
• Final Fantasy IV: The Complete Collection - $8.99
• Final Fantasy V - $5.39
• Final Fantasy IX - $5.39
• Final Fantasy XIII-2 - $8.99
• Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn (Collector's Edition) - $32.39
• Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn (Standard Edition) - $21.59
• Final Fantasy Tactics: The War of the Lions - $4.49
• Dissidia Final Fantasy - $8.99
• Dissidia Duodecim Final Fantasy - $8.99

Usually a FF sale hits annually, and it's a good time for those that like to complete collections or are looking for a long RPG to make the winter months shorter. The highest recommendations: FF IV, FF IX, and Tactics for those that enjoy the strategy elements; War of the Lions is a PSP re-release of the PS original.

This week's free game in the Instant Game Collection for PS+ subscribers is Smart As. From the PlayStation Blog:

Join the brain gaming revolution! Use cutting-edge touch, tilt and camera controls to prove how smart you are in the first ever socially networked brain game on PS Vita. Solve math, memory, logic and word puzzles, crack augmented reality challenges and sharpen your rapid-fire reflexes to storm up the online leaderboards and show off your scores to the world via Facebook and Twitter.

Finally, here are a couple of other discounts:

• Curve Studios Mega Bundle - $13.49
• Ethan Meteor Hunter - $4.89

I don't know about any of those games, nor do I have an opinion. Have a great week!

Sony releases fix for PlayStation crash error, some users still have problems

Sony has released a fix to eliminate error code CE-34787-0 on the PlayStation 4, but some users are still having trouble getting their system to work properly.


From Digital Trends:

According to Sony’s support, the error code CE-34787-0 signifies that the “Application has crashed.” The “official” fix is to first close the application and then install the latest firmware update. If the problem continues, Sony suggests “back up your saved data, and then go to [Settings] > [Initialization] and choose [Initialize PS4].” This is the same advice Sony is giving on the forums, yet complaints continue to come.

Joystiq first reported the error that caused many PS4 consoles to contain corrupt saved data. Some users have complained about pouring in hours in hours on popular titles like Assassin's Creed IV and Battlefield 4 and not being able to use the data.

Some issues have gotten severe enough that consoles aren't even booting up, running into that error before the user can operate the unit.

Opting for an extended warranty, especially with brand new technology, is often the right move. Another is purchasing PlayStation Plus even for those that don't plan to play online much. The benefits that PS+ gives in game value is in addition to special features like putting game saves on the cloud. In this instance, backing up saves is tremendous news for those that have to delete and reloading apps.

Image credit: Flickr

PlayStation Update for January 14th: Assassin's Creed Liberation HD, huge discounts on Killzone and Tales of Xillia

Had problems on the latest releases, sales, and free games? Sony offers up its biggest week of 2014.


There's too much on here to have a normal introduction, so let's get into it. Here are the new releases this week.

PS3

• Assassin's Creed III: Liberation HD - $19.99
• The Raven: Legacy of a Master Thief - $29.99
• Guacamelee! Bundle Fantastico - $19.99 (includes PS3 and Vita version, Costume Pack and El Diablo's Domain DLC, official game soundtrack, all 3 themes, and 10 favorite avatars)

Vita

• Age of Zombies! - $4.99
• Doodle Devil - $5.99

PSone

• Double Dragon - $5.99

The HD remaster of Assassin's Creed III: Liberation is a terrific deal for those that missed out on the Vita edition. There will be a review of the game later this week, but this was a surprisingly good portable game and probably exceeds the fun Assassin's Creed III was on consoles.

Also, the bundled edition of Guacamelee! is a terrific buy with all the stuff included. Action platform fans must pick this game up.

Everything else is probably stay away, especially the PSone release. Double Dragon is based on the movie as a fighting game, and a very mediocre one at that.

PlayStation Plus

If none of the new releases satisfy, the new addition to the Instant Game Collection will. Bioshock Infinite is now free for PlayStation Plus subscribers. The retail price has fallen to around $20 these days, but the game was highly acclaimed when it was released last March.

Finally, if all that's not enough, Sony has 14 PS3 and 14 Vita games all on sale. Here's the full list of games (along with the list of discounts and price changes not included on this post). That's not enough to get you to click? Some discounts are at Steam-level shocking. Here are some of the highlights (prices reflect PS+ amount):

• Crysis 3 - $5.00 (original: $14.99)
• F1 2013: $20.99 (original: $59.99)
• Far Cry: Blood Dragon - $3.75 (original: $14.99)
• Puppeteer - $7.00 (original: $39.99)
• Rain - $3.75 (original: $14.99)
• Tales of Xillia - $10.00 (original: $39.99)
• Killzone: Mercenary (Vita) - $9.00 (original: $35.99)
• Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker (Vita) - $6.99 (original: $19.99)
• Pixeljunk Monsters: Ultimate HD (Vita) - $3.75 (original: $14.99)
• Sly Cooper: Thieves in Time (Vita) - $6.75 (original: $26.99)
• Soul Sacrifice (Vita) - $9.00 (original: $35.99)
• Spelunky (cross-buy) - $3.75 (original: $14.99)

Image credit: Flickr

'Outlast' free on PlayStation 4 with PlayStation Plus in February

The PlayStation 4 version of Outlast will be free for all PlayStation Plus subscribers this February.

Outlast is developed by Red Barrels, and they announced on Facebook that their survival horror game would be free on the PS4 edition only

This game will be a port of the PC release last September. On the Gamespot review, Outlast received a 7 out of 10, citing "beautiful, ominous environments" and the "absence of weapons requires smart uses of hiding spots" in a "fascinating story told through documents and notes." However, some bad notes on the game include a lack of variety in enemy encounters and "nonhuman enemies are not as scary."

I think this is a good move for Sony to make it free exclusive to PS4. While it's not a system seller, it will be another game that will be released for free on the new console.

Image credit: Flickr

PlayStation Releases this week (1/7): Don't Starve for PS4, free Devil May Cry for PS3

A couple of free games are available for PlayStation Plus subscribers, and there's a huge load of price changes and add-ons for multiple games for all the PlayStation platforms.

First, here's a look at the new release list:

• Don't Starve (PS4) - $14.99 (PS+ Free)
• Tiny Brains (PS3) - $19.99 (cross-buy)
• Twisted Lands: Shadow Town (PS3) - $11.99 (demo available)
• StreetKix: Freestyle (PSP) - $11.99 (PS+ $10.79)
• Furmins + Bonus World (Vita) - $6.49

It's a pretty light week for new releases. Obviously, the biggest release of the week is Don't Starve, and that will be free for all PS+ subscribers that own a PS4 console.

Don't Starve is a port from the PC game released last May. Marty Sliva of IGN reviewed the game and both loves and loathes the approach of the unique Minecraft clone's ability to "never hold [a player's] hand."It received a 7.0 on IGN's 1-10 rating scale.

Klei Entertainment's stylish take on Minecraft's formula through the lense of a roguelike drops you into the gorgeous wild and immediately abandons you to figure out how to survive on your own. Some adventurers will view this freedom as a liberating canvas on which they can express their patience, creativity, and bravery, but this complete lack of direction or goals beyond simply staying alive prevented me from ever really bonding with Don't Starve.

In this week's Instant Game Collection, PS+ subscribers will not only receive Don't Starve on PS4, but they'll also get DmC: Devil May Cry on PS3

Plenty of games received permanent retail price changes. Here are some of the highlights:

• Dark Souls: Artorias of the Abyss Add-On - $9.99
• Lego Lord of the Rings (PS3/Vita) - $19.99
• Saints Row IV - $39.99
• Dokuro - $2.99

There's only one sale, and that's Earth Defense Force 2017 Portable, discounted from $39.99 to $14.99.  I explored deeper into the title, and it was a six-year-old port of an Xbox 360 game released last year at this time. It's a 3rd-person arcade shooter that looks like a fun romp for a time waster, but in Polygon's review, the bugs in the game will probably get me to stay away.

A slew of add-ons and themes were also released. Add-on ighlights include the Illustrious Pirates Pack for Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag (both PS3 and PS4), multiple LittleBigPlanet 2 (and Karting) costume packs, a free Stadium Pack in Pro Evolution Soccer 2014, and the Anime Pack in Saints Row IV.

PlayStation Plus Update for New Year's Eve: IGC adds Urban Trial Freestyle, but no sales

There are no scheduled sales for PlayStation games this week, but the Urban Trial Freestyle will be added to the Instant Game Collection for Vita owners.


UTF is, for the most part, a clone of the Xbox 360 exclusive, Trials HD. It's developed by Tate Interactive and was released back in February this year on both PlayStation 3 and Vita.

Don't expect a full-fledged adventure in the stunt-bike game. While Chris Carter at Destructoid had some fun with it and didn't become frustrated playing the game, some points were a bit tedious.

You'll trek across 40 levels, and unlock five minigames as you complete each set of stages. Well,technically there are 40 levels, but you replay the same maps multiple times to complete either the stunt or timed requirements. Fundamentally, the way you approach the repeat level is different, given the varying requirements for each set of parameters, but the repetition of exact maps is still somewhat jarring.

Interestingly enough, both games are nearly identical on PS3 and Vita, but they don't support cross-play or cross-buy for those that happen to have the console edition already.

That wraps it up for the PS+ update this week. According to the PlayStation Blog, there are no new sales this week. Don't forget that this is the last week to pick up Contrast on PS4 and GRID 2 on PS3.

Image credit: Flickr