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.

UPDATE: All first-party PSOne games included in the new PS Plus in Taiwan (an NTSC region) appear to be based on the PAL 50hz versions, I've confirmed.https://t.co/hT1Hj048cN pic.twitter.com/t3CxGqv9ua

— Andy Robinson (@Andy_VGC) May 23, 2022

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

Source

 

[rantex92]

PS3 can run psp? Is that native or emu?

via emu for sure but idk if its sony´s inhouse emulator or provided via cfw

 

[Armadillo]

so PAL has a higher "resolution" so to speak, it's not all bad right?

Still bad. A lot of PAL games don't use the extra res, so you just get black bars instead.

 

[leon315]

Do those ps1 games support ONLINE multiplayer?

 

[Deleted member 194275]

...but Sony will never be able to compete.

I disagree, nowadays anything sony put out will sell, no matter what alternatives are available and how better those alternatives are

 

[CoolMe]

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).

That makes sense actually, and probably they went with PAL versions instead (less work for them).. And they don't care if they run slower than they're supposed to, hoping people wouldn't notice..

So NTSC has 30 fps vs 25 fps
BUT only 525 scan lines vs 625

so PAL has a higher "resolution" so to speak, it's not all bad right?

It's not that simple actually.. While the resolution is indeed higher with the PAL video standard.. in the context of PS1 games, it's not not fairly utilized, as most games are made for and from NTSC monitors and tvs, devs program and work on NTSC screens, since most games released for the system are either made from JP or NA (both use NTSC)..
So when it's time to release the NTSC version (either the Japanese or NA variant) it runs how it should and it was programmed to play.
But unfortunately for the PAL folks, they get a slowed down version so it can work and display properly on their 50Hz tvs, and the higher resolution wouldn't matter here because those extra pixels could not be used (since games were made for NTSC tvs) so they show up as black bars instead, on the top and lower part of the screen..
An optimized PAL version of the game that runs fine at 50hz, can and was done during that era, but since it requires time and programming from the devs for it to be achieved, most of the time it was skipped..

Most of the time devs (during that period) didn't make a 60Hz option for PAL games, and they only started doing that during the Dreamcast, PS2, Xbox era or so, and even then, it wasn't always included..

 

[KennyAtom]

I disagree, nowadays anything sony put out will sell, no matter what alternatives are available and how better those alternatives are

That is true, though I should specify in something.

Compete in actually good services? No. Compete in people buying their stuff? Yeah, they're good at competition there.

 

[CoolMe]

Tekken 3, 2D fighting games, or any shmup on the PS1 are unplayable with the 50hz refresh rate of the PAL versions. For people who don't know anything about this whole NTSC/PAL thing, it will affect their enjoyment while playing these games, whether they like it or not, and without them realizing..

 

[rdurbin]

Sounds familiar. They did the same thing on PlayStation classic mini console. Many of the games were PAL instead of NTSC

 

[duwen]

Tekken 3, 2D fighting games, or any shmup on the PS1 are unplayable with the 50hz refresh rate of the PAL versions. For people who don't know anything about this whole NTSC/PAL thing, it will affect their enjoyment while playing these games, whether they like it or not, and without them realizing..

That's a bizarre statement and one that implies PAL consoles should never have been a viable commodity at any point in time.
I live in a PAL region so a lot of my gaming (pre HD era) was the PAL versions of games (although I've always been into buying a playing import titles over localized versions, as much for the improved framerates as for the covenience of earlier releases and titles that just never got a PAL release).
You're also not taking into account games that were developed in PAL territories. Titles like Tomb Raider and Wipeout were produced in a 50Hz environment, so they were either developed to run correctly (at the same speed as the 50Hz version) when localized for NTSC markets or they technically run too fast... in most cases the former was true.
Even if you go back to the 16bit systems, any developer that cared about their product ensured that titles were corrected for differing refresh rates.

 

[Attila13]

The promised 700 titles included the PS3 ones too, which won't be available in many countries because the PS3 streaming has a very limited list of supported countries. So that is the reason. But as far as I remember, those countries where streaming won't be supported won't have to pay the full price on the highest tear, so at least that's a thing.

 

[CoolMe]

Titles like Tomb Raider and Wipeout were produced in a 50Hz environment, so they were either developed to run correctly (at the same speed as the 50Hz version)

Well those are more the exception rather than the rule.. And i did say in the post before my last that PAL games could run pretty well if they were made with that in mind, but it was seldom the case..

Even if you go back to the 16bit systems, any developer that cared about their product ensured that titles were corrected for differing refresh rates.

I was talking about PS1 games specifically.. Still, it wasn't "always" the case and games weren't always optimized properly for the PAL region during that era either..

 

[rdurbin]

I just counted them on my hk acc. 208 games on extra tier, 17 additional on deluxe/premium tier. Essential tier has the ps collection of 20 games. These do not include the monthly games you get on essential nor the game trials on deluxe/premium. Hopefully its better when it launches in us

 

[SG854]

https://cis-india.org/telecom/knowledge-repository-on-internet-access/tv-standards#:~:text=NTSC is the video standard,frames are transmitted per second.

Quick Facts:

• NTSC is the video standard commonly used in North America and most of South America.
• PAL is the video standard which is popular in most of the European and Asian countries.
• The difference between NTSC and PAL is the transmission of number of frames per second. In NTSC, 30 frames are transmitted per second. Each frame is constituted up of 525 scan lines.
• In PAL, 25 frames are transmitted per second. Each frame consists of 625 scan lines.
• Second, the power frequency used in NTSC is 60 Hz. While in PAL, the power frequency is 50 HZ.

So NTSC has 30 fps vs 25 fps
BUT only 525 scan lines vs 625

so PAL has a higher "resolution" so to speak, it's not all bad right?

Video Games didn't really take much of the extra resolution and often appeared squished on Pal.

I would take frame rate over very small resolution bump any day.

 

[SG854]

https://cis-india.org/telecom/knowledge-repository-on-internet-access/tv-standards#:~:text=NTSC is the video standard,frames are transmitted per second.

Quick Facts:

• NTSC is the video standard commonly used in North America and most of South America.
• PAL is the video standard which is popular in most of the European and Asian countries.
• The difference between NTSC and PAL is the transmission of number of frames per second. In NTSC, 30 frames are transmitted per second. Each frame is constituted up of 525 scan lines.
• In PAL, 25 frames are transmitted per second. Each frame consists of 625 scan lines.
• Second, the power frequency used in NTSC is 60 Hz. While in PAL, the power frequency is 50 HZ.

So NTSC has 30 fps vs 25 fps
BUT only 525 scan lines vs 625

so PAL has a higher "resolution" so to speak, it's not all bad right?

Also NTSC is 60 fps and PAL is 50 FPS. Not 30 & 25. It's a 10 frame difference not 5 at the end result. Which is hugely noticeable since games were designed with NTSC displays and slowed down to 50. Music sounds off also

 

[SilverWah]

I'm so glad I'm saving for a Mister fpga set up instead.

 

[Glyptofane]

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.

 

[godreborn]

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.

Remember when Sony claimed over 100 psp compatible games for the vita in USA, then only made available 9 games? It was up to users to figure out what actually worked.

 

[codezer0]

Sony learns nothing, and silences critics by banning their accounts. And water is wet.

More up, at 6.

 

[codezer0]

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 arrogance

#FTFY

 

[codezer0]

Worst part is, it doesn't have to be.

Unlike Microsoft, Sony made a point to own the hardware IP for every generation of console. We the gaming public *know* they use their own in-house emulation or just steal from the community anyway.

They have no valid excuse for such a turd of a delivery.

Would be cool if they just released a PS5 that let you insert any of your ps1, PS2, or PS3, or ps4 discs haha. I'd buy that in a heartbeat. That's a pipe dream tho I suppose