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PlayStation Plus revamp launches in Asia; uses PAL versions of PS1 classics, only has a fraction of its promised 700 titles

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Sony has been slowly teasing new details of its reformed PlayStation Plus subscription, just shy of its official launch. Now, the service is live in Asia, and users have reported some first-hand information about what players can expect when it finally rolls out in their territory. Last week, an explanation and guide to the service was posted on the official PlayStation Blog, detailing the games, features, and other relevant information to better clarify the subscription tiers. In it, around 740 games were featured as being included within PlayStation Plus's highest-paid tier--bundling PS1, PS2, PSP, PS3 streamed games, PS4, and PS5 titles, though it was noted that they wouldn't all be available at launch. The full lineup for Asia's deluxe tier, which does not offer the PS3 games, only amounts to a little over 200 titles playable as of the service going live. There is no word from Sony as to when subscribers can expect the rest of the games listed to arrive. On the other hand, certain classics like Wild Arms and Kurushi were never listed, yet arrived on the PSN store.

Players are also noticing that despite being in a region where NTSC 60hz is standard, PS1 classic games are their PAL variants, much like they did with the PlayStation Classic retro console. It appears that first-party games like Ape Escape, Hot Shots Golf, and Wild Arms run at 50hz arbitrarily, while other titles such as Syphon Filter and Tekken 2 run at 60hz.



The PlayStation Plus relaunch will staggered release, with the next region being Japan, set for June 2nd. Those in North and South America can expect to try the service out on June 13th, while Australia, New Zealand, and Europe will get it shortly after, on June 23rd.

Will original PlayStation and PSP games from the PlayStation Plus classic game catalog offer trophies?

Some original PlayStation and PSP titles may offer trophies such as Ape Escape, Hot Shots Golf, IQ Intelligent Qube, and Syphon Filter. This feature is optional for developers.



Can I transfer game progress from the time-limited game trials included in the PlayStation Plus Premium/Deluxe plan if I decide to buy the game?

Yes. Any trophies and game save data from the trial period will carry-forward if you purchase the game.

If I earned trophies after trying out a time-limited game trial title through PlayStation Plus Premium/Deluxe, and decide not to buy the title, can I still keep my trophies?

Trophies earned during your time-limited game trial through the PlayStation Plus Premium/Deluxe plan will remain on your PSN profile, even after you complete the trial and decide not to purchase the title. If you decide to purchase the title at a later time, you can continue to earn trophies where you left off.

Will game progress from the PlayStation Plus games catalog be transferred between PS4 and PS5 consoles if I choose to finish the game on a different device?

If you are playing a downloaded game from the PlayStation Plus games catalog, the save data will be saved to your PS4 or PS5 console, depending on the console you are playing on. You can manually upload your game save to PlayStation Plus cloud storage and download it to either a PS4 or PS5 console.

If you are a PlayStation Plus Premium member and you are streaming a game from the PlayStation Plus games catalog, the saved data will be automatically stored within the PlayStation Plus Game Streaming Storage and you can pick up and stream on another device without taking any additional steps.

Will DLC and add-ons work with downloaded games from the PlayStation Plus catalog?

Yes. You can purchase DLC and add-on content for the games you download from the games catalog through PlayStation Plus. If your membership expires, or if the content leaves the service you’ll also lose access to the DLC and add-on content associated with that game. Once you resubscribe to the service or decide to purchase the title, you’ll be able to use your purchased DLC and add-on content again.

Please note, DLC and add-on content is not supported when streaming a title.

When I’m offline, can I play games I’ve downloaded from the games catalog offered in PlayStation Plus Extra or Premium/Deluxe?

Yes. However, when playing a downloaded game from the game catalog in PlayStation Plus Extra and Premium/Deluxe plans, you’ll need to connect to PSN every seven days to validate your PlayStation Plus membership and maintain your access to the game.

Please note, this step is only required for game catalog titles in the PlayStation Plus Extra and Premium/Deluxe plans. It does not apply to the monthly downloadable games available through PlayStation Plus Essential.

With this service change, will I have to redownload any games that were previously acquired via PlayStation Plus and PlayStation Now?

For PlayStation Plus games you have previously redeemed to your PSN account, those games will still remain as part of your game library as long as you are a PlayStation Plus member. There are no changes to your PlayStation Plus benefits.

For games you’ve previously downloaded from PlayStation Now’s game catalog, if the titles are also available for PlayStation Plus, you can continue to play and your progress will continue to save. Similar to PlayStation Now, if the content is no longer offered on PlayStation Plus, you won’t be able to access the titles when they leave the service. If the title is available on PlayStation Store and you decide to purchase it, you’ll be able to access your save data again – just make sure you don’t delete your saved data.

When this transition takes place, are there any titles previously available to stream or download via PlayStation Now that are not available with the all-new PlayStation Plus?

The game catalog offered through PlayStation Now will continually change up to the transition of the all-new PlayStation Plus game catalog offering. PlayStation.com will be updated with the game catalog lineup when the new PlayStation Plus launches in your region.

What’s the difference between playing a downloaded game and a streamed version of the same game through the PlayStation Plus Premium plan?

Games downloaded from the all new PlayStation Plus games catalog can run locally on your PS4 or PS5 console at their native graphic quality and sound output modes, so the quality can increase up to 4K if the title, console, and your TV supports it. Downloaded games with PS VR support are also playable using your PS VR system.

Additionally, some online features, such as add-ons and online mode, will only be accessible through the downloaded version of the game.

The PlayStation Plus Premium plan offers streaming in select markets, with resolution options up to 1080p. The quality will vary depending on your internet speeds and bandwidth, requiring a minimum of 5 mbps or 15 mbps for 1080p.

What are the minimum requirements to stream games through the PlayStation Plus Premium plan on PC?

  • Windows 7 (SP 1), 8.1 or 10
  • Core i3 2.0 GHz
  • 300 MB of available storage
  • 2 GB of RAM
  • Sound card; USB port
However for optimal performance, the following specs are recommended:

  • Windows 7 (SP 1), 8.1 or 10
  • 3.5 GHz Intel Core i3 or 3.8 GHz AMD A10 or faster
  • 300 MB or more of available storage
  • 2 GB or more of RAM
  • Sound card; USB port
What controllers can I use to play games streamed on PC through the PlayStation Plus Premium plan?

DualShock 4 will be compatible with games streamed through the PlayStation Plus games catalog on PC.

*Availability of Classics, Game Trials and Game Catalog varies over time and plan. See https://www.playstation.com/Plus for details and updates on PS Plus offerings. PlayStation Plus is an ongoing subscription subject to a recurring subscription fee taken automatically (at the then-current PS Store price) at the frequency you choose at purchase until cancellation. Terms apply: play.st/psplus-usageterms
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KitChan

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duwen said:
As for PAL being the standard in Asian Countries... Japan is definitely NTSC. I think Hong Kong is PAL (pretty sure it was when I was there), so Taiwan may also be a 50Hz territory - in which case, Taiwan getting PAL PS1 games is a non-issue (although in the 'HD age' there's no reason for the standard to not be the version sporting the superior framerate).

I understand why they'd go with the PAL versions, seeing as they're generally the region with the most languages catered for, but to just 'sell' that version, untweaked/corrected to 60Hz, is kinda lazy.
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The article claims Taiwan is NTSC. Also, Taiwan was never part of the British empire.
 
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sombrerosonic said:
A..are you stupid? PAL is used mostly in Asia (As well as secam) so it is most likely the primary resolution that they use.
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Most people at this point in time are using HDMI TVs that support 50/60 hz (pal/ntsc) regardless of how cheap the product is. Yes, they can automatically switch it too(shows up in the top corners of the tv every time it refreshes to inform you what source(aka what input source you plugged into) is being output at x refresh rate. Been common since the PS2/OG Xbox era.
 
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duwen said:
so Taiwan may also be a 50Hz territory - in which case, Taiwan getting PAL PS1 games is a non-issue
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Not according to the tweet linked in the article

The only that makes sense imo is the language one, as usually PAL games include more languages. Personally even tho I live in France where we had PAL games, I would sometimes use NTSC roms despite the langage not being the same but it depends. If it's a game of my childhood with voice acting I would like to remember and stuff ... Yeah I would go back to pal, otherwise I would take the 10 frames even tho I really don't notice it (when it's done well games aren't slower like Sonic 1)

When it comes to emulation, the most important thing to keep in mind is choice. With so many different versions and at the age of internet where we can know about all these different versions, you've got to give the choice. Sony clearly chosed the solution of laziness : release everything as PAL so they have more languages and call it a day. It's at least as lazy as what they've done with the Playstation classic. They don't care about people who would prefer playing this game in NTSC or stuff, it's just sooooo complicated !!
 
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duwen said:
As for PAL being the standard in Asian Countries... Japan is definitely NTSC. I think Hong Kong is PAL (pretty sure it was when I was there), so Taiwan may also be a 50Hz territory - in which case, Taiwan getting PAL PS1 games is a non-issue (although in the 'HD age' there's no reason for the standard to not be the version sporting the superior framerate).

I understand why they'd go with the PAL versions, seeing as they're generally the region with the most languages catered for, but to just 'sell' that version, untweaked/corrected to 60Hz, is kinda lazy.
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Most of Asia is 220-240V/50Hz and PAL. Japan is something of an anomaly with its strange dual-frequency grid and a lot of stuff built to US technical standards as a result of the US occupation after WW2 (although the split frequency grid predates this and originated as a result of Tokyo getting their initial generation equipment from Germany and Osaka getting theirs from the US).

HK was 240V/50Hz/PAL as result of being a British colony and Taiwan was mostly underdeveloped when the KMT moved there after being ejected from Hainan - since at this point the US was the only major country that still recognized the ROC as being "China" basically all the stuff they got to build up the infrastructure was from the US and complied with US specs.

Having said all that, the "Asia" models of the original PlayStation were NTSC:J, so it's pretty strange they chose PAL from that perspective.
 
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DJPlace said:
DLC and add-on content is not supported when streaming a title...


still could not fix that... this is why PS3 streaming or streaming any games sucks.
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It's not impossible either, Microsoft does it. Outer Worlds on Cloud recognized DLC after I purchased it for example.
 
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Harsky said:
Not sure if this is the reason but did they choose the PAL region because it offers more languages options so that it can be sold more around the world compared to an english only option (unless the US 60HZ version also contains more language options as well).
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No most games in the 99% of games in US/Canada were english only, that trend changed during the ps3 era.
 
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Glyptofane said:
There's simply no good justification for this PAL shit in this era. So I guess the PS Classic was not some sort of fluke then? Just an unbelievable level of incompetence.
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And why can't Sony include both? Nintendo offers multiple region versions why can't Sony do the same. If I'm paying for premium service I expect to get premium service. It's Laziness. These companies are horrible a game preservation & giving the consumer what they want and non official emulation is the best we have.
 
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Honestly, I haven't really been following this. Still, it is bad enough there's no free online, nothing I read has shown anything as good as Game Pass.
 
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sombrerosonic said:
Also isnt Hong Kong NTSC-J
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The actual video standard used for TV transmissions in Hong Kong was PAL on system B, same as the UK. The early consoles were typically PAL, the 16 bit systems were a mixture (sometimes the PAL and NTSC versions were being sold by the same importer) and by the time the CD based consoles came out they were pretty much all NTSC.

It's always been a confusing market because it's a free port and anyone can import and sell anything that's not actually explicitly prohibited, and being fairly close to Japan a lot of the stuff that ended up here was Japanese.

So although the official consoles starting from about the Saturn and PlayStation were indeed NTSC:J, that was never actually the video standard used in HK.
 
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CeeDee said:
Damn, and here I thought the new PS+ sounded like it could be a good deal for a second there. Never mind!
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But it's going to have the worst possible version of Wild Arms!

I was originally hoping they'd have The Legend of Dragoon as well, but if it's the PAL version it would probably be more or less impossible to nail the timed hits.
 
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The issue with PAL and NTSC differences is when you're playing retro games from the type you're not familiar with, and it feels...off. music, physics, speed of gameplay, etc. can all be a bit different if the 50hz/60hz difference wasn't accounted for. You can youtube many examples. Some games it matters not at all, some games it's night and day.

Won't complain until it's PAL here in the states. It's not an issue till it's an issue.
 

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