General / Off-Topic Questions about PS+

[Old Duck]

For reasons beyond the scope of this post, I may be letting my PS+ membership expire in December. I've got a couple of questions related to this, and perhaps one of you knows the answers:

1) Do I keep all the PS+ free games that are currently in my library? If so, do they need to be installed on my PS4, or can I download them even after PS+ has expired?

2) Is my cloud storage purged when PS+ expires, or does Sony keep that data archived in case I rejoin PS+ at a later date?

3) Will Sony "miss me" and try to coax me back with special discounts? If I do let PS+ expire, it won't be for forever.

4) How often does Sony run their "everybody gets free PS+ for the weekend" promotionals?

 

[stormyuk]

For reasons beyond the scope of this post, I may be letting my PS+ membership expire in December. I've got a couple of questions related to this, and perhaps one of you knows the answers:

1) Do I keep all the PS+ free games that are currently in my library? If so, do they need to be installed on my PS4, or can I download them even after PS+ has expired?

2) Is my cloud storage purged when PS+ expires, or does Sony keep that data archived in case I rejoin PS+ at a later date?

3) Will Sony "miss me" and try to coax me back with special discounts? If I do let PS+ expire, it won't be for forever.

4) How often does Sony run their "everybody gets free PS+ for the weekend" promotionals?

1. No, you won't be able to access them without a PS+ subscription or play any of them, even if downloaded. You can play stuff you "purchased" with PS+ discounts though.

2. My guess is it will still be there but not accessible. (I would download them to the console just to be safe)

3. I doubt it. I have a couple of other accounts which have never been coaxed into PS+.

4. Hardly ever, I think I can only ever recall one or two in the years I have been on PS.

 

[Kamiyoda]

For reasons beyond the scope of this post, I may be letting my PS+ membership expire in December. I've got a couple of questions related to this, and perhaps one of you knows the answers:

1) Do I keep all the PS+ free games that are currently in my library? If so, do they need to be installed on my PS4, or can I download them even after PS+ has expired?

2) Is my cloud storage purged when PS+ expires, or does Sony keep that data archived in case I rejoin PS+ at a later date?

3) Will Sony "miss me" and try to coax me back with special discounts? If I do let PS+ expire, it won't be for forever.

4) How often does Sony run their "everybody gets free PS+ for the weekend" promotionals?

Cloud saves will persist for 6 monthes and then they will be deleted without PS+

Duck amswered the rest fine though.

The only reason I kniw the answer to that is because of the whole thing with Ninetendo inatantly deleting your cloud saves when your sub ends (Microaoft is just free to use regardless)

 

[Old Duck]

Thanks everyone. While not "good news", I can easily live without these features for the next few months. The biggest thing I will miss is Overwatch, which is my primary reason for having PS+ these days. It's really too bad Sony went the "pay to play" route.

Speaking of, is multiplayer still free on PS3?

 

[Rade Konn]

Just make a new user and get a 14 day trial (all users get ps+) in the ps store.

 

[stormyuk]

Speaking of, is multiplayer still free on PS3?

Yes.

 

[Old Duck]

I'm assuming all the social tools go away without PS Plus. In other words, I'll "disappear" like Marty McFly

That's okay, "We’ll always have Paris this forum.”

 

[TatankaPrime]

I'm assuming all the social tools go away without PS Plus. In other words, I'll "disappear" like Marty McFly

That's okay, "We’ll always have Paris this forum.”

Not entirely.

We maintain a PS4 account for my wife's cognitively disabled brother who lives in another state. For readily apparent reasons, we like to keep a tight handle on his online console activities by restricting the ability for others to contact, friend, or invite him to social groups. Even without PS+, we are able to see him come online and he is able to chat with us because we are on each other's friends list. We tried to manage access using parental controls, but it's just too big a hassle when the physical console is 1300mi away.

He's also able to play F2P multiplayer games like Fortnite, Warframe, and DCUO. I also know that some MMO games also do not require PS+ for multiplayer. ESO and FFIV fall into that category. I can absolutely confirm the five games mentioned because we've played those with him within that last three months.

 

[Old Duck]

He's also able to play F2P multiplayer games like Fortnite, Warframe, and DCUO. I also know that some MMO games also do not require PS+ for multiplayer. ESO and FFIV fall into that category. I can absolutely confirm the five games mentioned because we've played those with him within that last three months.

Really? I had read some games don't require PS+, but I thought perhaps they had their own subscription fee (like ESO used to in the early days). If anything, I thought it was PS+ fees that caused these games to go F2P... Huh! I'll have to research which games fall into this category. I wonder how they get away with this when other games require PS+ for multiplayer?

 

[TatankaPrime]

Really? I had read some games don't require PS+, but I thought perhaps they had their own subscription fee (like ESO used to in the early days). If anything, I thought it was PS+ fees that caused these games to go F2P... Huh! I'll have to research which games fall into this category. I wonder how they get away with this when other games require PS+ for multiplayer?

Basically, Sony said at the start of the PS4 lifecycle that all F2P games would not be subject to PS+ restrictions and they've never gone back on that. Everything in the free to play category on the Playstation Store can be played without a PS+ subscription. This includes Fortnite, Warframe, DCUO, Star Trek Online, Neverwinter, Paladins, World of Tanks, Planetside 2, H1Z1, War Thunder, Defiance, and Orcs Must Die. You're also not locked out of any of the social functions of those games for not being on PS+. You often get free stuff or item/service discounts in many F2P games if you are also a PS+ subscriber.

FFIV doesn't require PS+ because you are already paying a monthly sub for the game.

I was incorrect about ESO. You do need a PS+ subscription now after they removed the monthly subscription. Turns out the better half was playing ESO retail with PS+ on and he was playing with the ESO trial, which does not require PS+.

 

[Old Duck]

Basically, Sony said at the start of the PS4 lifecycle that all F2P games would not be subject to PS+ restrictions and they've never gone back on that. Everything in the free to play category on the Playstation Store can be played without a PS+ subscription. This includes Fortnite, Warframe, DCUO, Star Trek Online, Neverwinter, Paladins, World of Tanks, Planetside 2, H1Z1, War Thunder, Defiance, and Orcs Must Die. You're also not locked out of any of the social functions of those games for not being on PS+. You often get free stuff or item/service discounts in many F2P games if you are also a PS+ subscriber.

I had no idea! Ironically I just deleted Fortnite and H1Z1 to make room for RDR2, thinking I won't be able to play those. And while I'll miss Overwatch, Paladins offers a similar experience.

That said, Ive been in a single-player mood lately. The one thing PS+ does give in this regard is some good sales, so I'm loading up my hard drives now on these types of games (just grabbed the first two Tomb Raider games for an amazing price).

Regarding ED, while I currently play in Open, 99% of my experience is equal to playing in Solo, so I won't be missing anything except seeing hollow squares at Jameson.