Why Playstation Plus is a great deal and every PS3 owner needs it

Playstation Plus was greeted with a wave of confusion and hesitation when it had its debut in the middle of 2010. Since then, it has easily become the best value in gaming for its 90 Million current members. Free games, early exclusive betas, and heavy discounts make up the most of the service, but it extends far beyond that.

I heard somewhere that people liked free games. Sure you pay $50 for a year of Plus, but you make back so much money in so little time that the service is an absolute no-brainer. If you sign up today, for instance, you get around 12 free games including LittleBigPlanet 2, Just Cause 2 and Gotham City Imposters. Just LittleBigPlanet 2 alone makes PS+ worth the price of admission, since the game retails for $40 anyway. Adding more deals throughout a full year makes the value go through the roof, and then keep going.

Playstation Plus works like Netflix and Hulu Plus, where you have access to your free games while you have an active subscription. At the very minimum, you’ll get 12 games a year, and that’s not counting specials that Sony runs often to give you more value for your money. Games that are discounted don’t work this way however, those are yours to keep even if the service lapses.

Discounts are awesome; especially when it’s on games you’ve wanted to play. I waited on the port of the original Crysis and it paid off. Instead of the $20 original price, I paid $9.79 with my PS+ discount. In the grand scheme of things, my membership price dropped along with the discount I received. Saving $10 here and there adds up quickly, couple that with the free games you receive, and you have a truly special service.

Gamers enjoy playing games before everyone else. So why wouldn’t they want to get access to special betas like Starhawk on a regular basis? Upcoming Betas like LittleBigPlanet Karting and Playstation All-Stars Battle Royale will let you decide early if you want to purchase the game, which can save you $60 if you’re not a fan. Again, that’s less than the cost of a yearly membership.

I could bore you with all the free avatars and wallpapers you get, but I’m sure you understand the value present with the Playstation Plus service. You get free games, huge discounts and exclusive betas all for $50 dollars a year, on top of the free Playstation 3 online experience that everyone gets.

As a current Playstation Plus member, I highly recommend everyone with a Playstation 3 to get in on the service. Sony also recently started including the Vita into its updates, which benefits owners of both.

When did you sign up for Playstation Plus? Are you currently a member? How would you rate the value that Playstation Plus represents? Let me know in the comments below.

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