probably posted by a bitter 360 fan, whos had enough of PS3 owners that keep making a point about free online play.

Um, dude.  Probably not.  Paying for online games is a reality in so many realms.  I think you guys have been spoiled by the free GENERAL online play on the PS3.  But online subscriptions are something that you'd better get used to.  It's not a PS3 vs. 360 thing.  It has nothing to do with that.  It's a modern gaming thing.  All these great MMORPG games you hear about coming next year?  Yeah, subscriptions.  I hope you don't think games like The Agency are going to be non-subscription.  Trust me, YOU DON'T WANT TO PLAY AN MMO GAME THAT'S FREE ANYWAY.   Most any massively multiplayer game that isn't highly maintained (which costs money) sucks to play.  Get used to it....now.

OGH tells the truth. I would willingly pay for an MMO FPS with constant updates and quality servers etc etc.

I guess it depends what they plan - if it's FPS-style action like Resistance 2 or Killzone, without anything really added or maintained, then it'd be a bit rough - but then I think they wouldn't do it as no-one would go for it.  On the other hand, if it was maintained and evolved over time then there'd be a point, and it'd be good value.  Given Sony's view to online so far, I'd be surprised that they'd charge unless it was something pretty good (there's a lot of first-party games with free online play at the moment, after all)

I hope it's not true, once one game does it, they all will. 

@ OGH you are right but i aint gonna pay to play online however great you or they think the service will be, at the end of the day you will still get muppets online not taking it seriously, thus c0cking up the game, yeah yeah you can report them and take them out, but that doesnt help there and then. however well you think and they say these host servers are maintained you still get issues. I can see that paying for RPG games (which for some is there life) is a must as it is a journey and you expect it, but for a casual FPS i cant really see it, however big it is.

@5

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They won't do it if it doesn't work (as in--no one buys it), my friend. 

@4

I say it all the time...Don't assume that becuase you and your friends see things a certain way ("All my friends have 360's!" ... 'I don't want to pay for online" ..."I think the Wii sucks so it won't sell well" ... "Blu-Ray doesn't matter"), doesn't mean the rest of the world sees it the same way.

@6

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Have you ever played an MMORPG game like Everquest, World of Warcraft, Final Fantasy XI (my fav), and the like?  I know the subject started about MAG, which is a shooter, but what I'm saying applies to all.  MMORPGs have next to no server issues and gets new content constantly.  You are used to playing games a few weeks.  COD4 is an exception, not the rule.  MGS4, Uncharted, Heavenly Sword are all great, but they are gone and done now.  People play MMORPGs for years.  YEARS!

YE ONCE ONE GAME STARTS CHARGEING THAY ALL WILL YES I WOULD PAY BUT! THAY WOULD HAVE TO BE VALUE FOR MONEY AT THE MOMENT PS3 HAS NOT HAD ONE GAME THAT WORTH PAYING FOR (ONLINE GAMEING) THER WOULD HAVE TO BE SOME MAJER CHANGES TO GAMES IN FUTURE.SOMTHING ELS PISSIS ME OF ABOUT PS3GAMES LATELY THAY ARE TO SHORT BAR A FEW I MEAN 40POUND FOR LESS THAN TEN HOURS COME ON MOST PS2 GAMES LAST LONGER!sorry about spelling

@Odium

The Agency IS free,get your facts straight,this is NOT an RPG like Everquest and the like,sure it needs maintainance,but an online match in a shooter usually doesn't last longer than an hour(unlike MMORPGs which go on and on and on),i don't know how many of you guys are willing to pay for that.but i for one am not,Sony announced this game at e3,without ever mentioning anything about a subscription,they didn't announce this game as an MMO,they announced it as a shooter,and that's why they shouldn't charge subscription for it,why can't they just get in game advertisement to pay for server costs,i wouldn't mind seeing an ad of Coca Cola,while positioning a head shot.And i think it'll add to the fun factor,and the realism,subscriptions game related things imo,are never worth it.They could put in micro transactions like they are in the Agency,millions of other cheaper ways to avoid subscription.They just have to choose one.

@7 No i havent played everquest or wow but i know plenty who do and know what its all about. As i said in my edited post RPG's are a different kettle fish, for some they are a way of life, a journey, a full on time consuming addiction which i can see the need to pay for a GOOD service, but an FPS how ever big is a casual game to most, its not something you enter for the long haul GENERALLY.

@ PS3-The Machine

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No.  You get your facts straight.  They have not announced or committed their payment plan for The Agency yet and people (like YOU) are assuming it's free in their silence.  Look it up again.  I'm not doing it for you.  The Agency is an SOE game, so it's possible (but still unconfirmed) that they CHOOSE to make it free.  But The Agency is not the issue.  The issue is you and people like you have not accepted that online fees are coming.  You are in denial if you think that's not true.  Put it this way, if everyone charged online fees, would you stop gaming?  No?  Guess what.  Developers and publishers know that too.

*EDIT

I changed my mind.  Here you go below.  The Agency is "transation based" where they nickel and dime you.  Trust me "freeloader", you'd rather pay a set subscription.  Now all the people that don't care about money (like me) will just buy everything to make their character better while people like you get owned because they don't want to spend...but you wanted it that way, didn't you?  And remember, this is a SONY game.  Watch what other developers do...

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http://kotaku.com/390505/soes-agency-free-realms-to-support-real-money-trading

ppl dont listen 2 Odium_Generis_Humani all lies

we wont be paying money for online unless the online experiances is heavy or big like MAG (but hopefully its add supported plz)  and dont say this is the way in a year coz its not. PS3 r like pc they have free online and mandortery installs. so i take it u havent seen how many pc games have free online like counter strike

To be honest i think thats fair to do this........don't forget how many users will be online! They'll need guys watching the servers 24/7. So for this game i'd be happy to pay either a one off payment or subscription. It's only fair in the end. However I'd only expect to pay for online for games at the magnatude of this one.

Lol!  Sure, believe the guy with no punctuation.  Anyway, online fees are coming whether you read or believe my posts or not.  I'm trying to inform you, not win a contest.  Don't get mad at me because you're scared of what will happen.  I've said what I came to say.

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EDIT

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I just read that guy's post again and I need to clarify.  I'm saying subscriptions are coming, not a general online fee for the PSN.  I think he thinks I'm saying we will pay an "XBLive" sorta thing.  That's not what I'm saying and if he read more than just my first post and not reacted emotionally, he would have gotten that (maybe...I'm not to sure about you young guys' reading comprehension skills nowadays).

 If online fees will come, I will quit playing online, unless you can download the game for free in the first place. I will refuse to buy a game, then pay online, it's ridiculous, however big the game. 

As i said before if the news didn't come from sony it self don't listen to it.

Sure Bilbo.  Good on you.  You obviously have not played your first MMORPG, and therefore don't get it....

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For those of you who have not, there's nothing like it.  You actually save money because while you play an MMORPG,  you don'y play other games for months and months. You sometimes take small breaks to play big titles, but only ones that are worth tearing yourself away from what your are doing online.  All the things you hear about WOW and used to hear about games like "Evercrack" are true.  You know how people are talking about how they are going to go broke this Holiday season with all the PS3 goodies that are coming?  If you were into an MMORPG (that you liked) right now, you would not say that because you would not care what's coming out.  You actually miss out on other games when you have a subcription to a MMO that you like.

@16

Now THAT I agree with.  I love how Sony does not discuss rumors.

Sony DID announce MAG as an "MMO" shooter. Just in case anyone is unaware, MMO means Massively Multiplayer Online. Given the numbers of players planned for MAG, it is entitled to use "MMO". Everyone stating "If they do this, they'll do it for all other games".... your plain, good 'ol wrong in that assumption.

PSN is free, and for that amount of money, it's fantastic. But people need to get it into their head that it may not always be free - and even if the service itself remains free, there may be some aspects that you may well eventually need to pay for.

 

MAG is going to be a huge game (I mean in scope - not that it will necessarily be a great success), and will require some serious server power to be lag-free. Those servers come at a cost, and someone is going to have to provide that cash.

 

Sony have given us a heck of a lot for free, and it's totally unreasonable to expect them to keep doing so with every new game that comes out. If you like and enjoy a game, why wouldn't you want to contribute to it's upkeep and smooth running?

 

At least with game-based subscriptions, you choose if you want to pay or not - you're not paying for year-long access to something you may never use.

 

Sony don't have bottomless pockets, and can't afford Microsoft's (admittedly dubious) business practice of "just throw money at it, never mind about profit." If you want PSN to be as good and as successful as Live, there are some things you're just going to have to pay for.

u homos type too much

 @ 20 LOL

These are rumours, but I would happily stick to COD4 or Killzone 2 (if any good) or R2 and not pay for another FPS, however different it is.  I can't see the massive importance of HUGE battles anyway. I think Resistance 2 has the amount right, any more and it could be a waste of time anyway. 

If this is going to happen, then I'm going to stick with Warhawk, or get myselft R2....

Although I don't believe they will pay for it, no way!

360 charges and the online is no better than ps3 cod4 plays the same on both systems and so does madden 08 and so on.. so to simply say that if we pay whould make the online experience better is something that only m$ whould try to sell

@OGH

I beg to differ. I have played several awesome MMO's that are free. The point is that they generate thier revenue by people purchasing in game items. Therefore it has to be awesome to entice people to pay for special stuff.

@5

The slippery slope argument doesn't really work here. Mag sounds like an MMO. Most MMO's charge fees. Since MMO's have been around langer than the PS3 has (just a guess) saying all MMO's wil charge because of MAG is a fail.

 

Chances are you are going to pay monthly fee's for some of the MMO's that are coming to the PS3 but I am sure there are going to be a few that avoid it by offering special items or getting sponsers to offeset the costs.

@17
i dont care abou MMO's or RPG's but when you say that we dont play games for months and months thats not true. I've been playing COD4 for almost a year now and i dont think ill stop until i get Far Cry 2, Resistance 2 or Killzone 2

@Odium

Dude,calm down,no need to get so worked up.It's just a game,the fact is,you find MMOs (with subscriptions) fun,while i think they are a waste of time,you see,you said it yourself,that when u get sucked into an MMO you miss a lot of the big name games,which is a BAD thing,you wanna know why?The same time you spend on ONE MMO is at least double that of any other game you play,you get so sucked in,that you miss out on all the new awesome games,that actually offer variety,i love games,i don't think there's any other digital entertainment as enjoyable as videogames,but i also understand,that a game is not worth paying for each and every month,it's because i like variety in games,and i'm not willing to pour in 100+ hours into a game,just to reach level 2,i'd much rather prefer a game with a 15-20 hour single player,and a nice online(or if it's online only,then it should be like Warhawk,hectic,fast paced,and something that you'll play for an hour or so for a change of pace).That'll be fun in short bursts for a long time.If you didn't read my first post completely,then lemme repeat.THERE ARE TONS OF WAYS TO RECOVER SERVER COSTS WITHOUT THE NEED FOR A SUBSCRIPTION,those small micro transactions,or in game adverts,probably more or less cost the same as a monthly subscription,but the thing is the small ones ADD up to the cost of a monthly subscription,but when you're a subscriber,you gotta pay full price every time,even if you don't play it that much anymore,but when it's free (with micro transactions),you can pick it up any time and play without worrying about paying in advance.i wouldn't mind paying $0.99 for a new costume,but paying $10-15 each month just to get the right to play,sorry i'm out of that.You might think that one day the majority of games will cost subscription fees,but they don't NOW,so i'd rather pay less and get more,and not the other way around.Again,relax dude,i hope nothing in my post sounds rude(if it does,then i apologize in advance).

I aint paying to play online, BurnOut Paradise City has managed to keep the FREE updates coming, So others had better follow suit.

MAG is one exception to pay for because is huge game, don' t want Lagging, It really Massive, trust me u want some one keep eye on it.

I don't mean to be rude, but I think that Rauland is a complete f****** i****. 

OGH is right.

There aren't many people within this comment section who actually realise what BENEFITS paying a small subscription would/could bring to a game. Saying "my other games are free to play" has no relevance to this conversation.

omg...you guys are nuts....( goes back to playstation, laughing and slightly concerned about some peoples mental health)

Very few games survive with a subscription associated with it. No one really wants to pay out over and over for online play.... I understand that all the publishers wished they could have been Blizzard and hit gold with World of Warcraft - but that game is one of those "freaks of nature" kind of thing as the market wont support many subscription based products.

 

Reality is, we are getting spammed with game content already. With the exception of a few classics with increadible gameplay, about 95% of games get boring relatively quickly. The "average ones" that also keeps nagging for money get boring even faster - believe me. Once a few people figure out that a particular pay as you go title is not worth the $, news spreads through the forums like a virus and this kills off lots of new potential customers as the old ones start bailing out. You get left with a ghost town and the servers all start shutting down whether you like it or not. So subscription based games is a risky affair for both publisher & gamers.

 

Meanwhile, there is always another new shiny game about to be released and consumers being so fickel, are keen to spend their $ on new stuff than maintaining the old...

they better not charge for it ay, thats the last thing we need, if u put up this game VS the XBL, its almost the same thing, a game that could really challenge anything on other platforms when it comes to online, but "ohhh u have to pay for it" just like how u need to (basically atleast) pay for live, so it wouldnt hit MS as much,

 Seems a bit funny they aren't commenting.

They must know people wont be happy if they have to pay,so if it isn't true it'd be better to say it isn't true.

Not commenting makes me think it could be true.

Although technically an MMO, the number of players isn't that massive on MAG. Also, no matter how massive, its still a shooter. You walk or drive around, shoot things, they die. I think people don't want to pay for this because they believe it will be a similar experience to other FPS games with online multi. If they want money for this, it's going to have to be so epic and awesome that it will nearly collapse under its own awesomeness. That said, it fails for me in the payment case. The only thing I would consider spending a subscrip on would be the new Lord of the Rings, its gonna PWN. This one is on the outs if they want more money, I'll say it again: they should fund their servers by charging more for the base game and then charge all they want for the DLC which the online addicts will want.

I don't mind if there are subscription fees, if it helps with onine maintenence then its ok, ive played a few free online mmos and my favorite so far has been Maplestory for PC, but like they've said if its free it usually sux, but lets see what sony decides, besides i think by the time MAG does come out i might be interested anymore considering that im already tired of all the shooters, please bring us a GOOD MMORPG like FFXI or something with updated graphics, thank you and good night

The thing with MMO FPS or MMORPG's is that if you pay for an expansion, you will get a lot with that expansion.  Expect the stats system on MAG to be far more superior then any FPS game out right now.  Expect a clan system that is far more superior then anything out right now on consoles, (that isn't really saying much for the consoles at least).

I have played many MMORPG's and also PlanetSide and I can definitely say that even though there is a subscription fee, you get a lot for it.  While they do have to pay their staff for the maintnaince of the game, they most likely will give you other things.  Those things I have no clue what they are but I am pretty sure it will be good things. 

If something is unbalanced in the game expect it to be fixed within a week or two.  These games get maintained about 1 once a week with a new version of a download or something.  Within that download are many fixes and improvements.  It's not going to be like COD4 where they take forever to fix a problem or they just ignore it.

Expect the maps to be huge, there is obviously going to be helicopters and/or planes, along with ground vehicles because the maps will be huge.   you own spot on a website with all your in game info, kind of like Battlefield:BC but expect it to be more organized and a lot better.  Top knotch clan support.

There is going to be a lot in this game.  This game probably wont be for the casual gamer but more for the hardcore FPS fanatic.  This is a hardcore game guys.  IMO (just know body says anything against what i say)

@2, you're an idiot. I love playing every single one of my MMO's online. Warhawk is still incredible, and they release new content every so many months, for a price. But monthly charges, even yearly, is something that gamers don't deserve to go through.

Odiou tells a good point, expect (more) fees for games in whatever manner. BUT!!!!!!!!!!! Im suprised no one mentioned about price of the actual game, in a box on BluRay versus the subscription. If the BluRay costs the average 40 quid, and is multiplayer only, AND HAVE TO PAY A SUBSCRIPTION, what the h* ll did I pay 40 quid for?! I'll happily pay a small fee IF the BluRay costs pennies(think copies of WoW in HMV for £1!), but thats unrealistic.. So the alternative would be to sell MAG through PSN, save BluRay costs and make it download only? Somethin else worth thinkin about- Pay the usual price for the game, have no subscription, but introduce a shop to purchase upgrades(a la MGS4). Maps, clothes, weapons, weapon upgrades, and game modes would all sell in vase numbers, and in my opinion would benefit the player (Fresh items for cheap in regular updates) and developers alike (Cheap charges occurring more than high subscriptions would, plus it keeps em thinkin of new features to add, for us greedy gamers to buy!)... Just a thought...

obvisiusly free. Some xbox fan boy blaintly made that rumour up.

psn id: gingo.... i dont know if i would pay a yearly/monthly subscription for MAG but i definitely would for The Agency

The Survey (which is all it is) is probably just meant to ask if people WOULD pay. in the grand sceme of things a game like mag IS NOT worth paying to play online. Compare it to a Massively multiplayer online RPG, which is the standard measurement of worth in terms of games people subscribe to without argument. it is not a persistant environment that will see monthly updates interms of story and content. At most it is Socom or CoD4 with more players online.

 

It's not worth it, it's not even proven yet that the 256player set up will even work in a real world environment.

if sony wants ppl to pay for this they have to make sure that it stands out from the other shooter games first off make it a yearly payment i feel that is much better and make good DLC

Hey @ 3 all of those *whisper* theyre all rpgs

omg i rite the comment went 2 sleep woke up and looked on psu and there is so much riting on this post
anywayz serves do not cost that much anyway expample worms 2 server is still running... my point being is that a few games like MAG that r MMO may be subscription base but not games like resistance 2 or games similar 2 that 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PSN scroll down to features and read the first line it says

• All of the online services for the PlayStation Network are free, as is multiplayer gaming. Items that are not free include paid-for downloadable content and subscriptions to premium services, such as massively multiplayer online games.

multi-player free but MMO not free