With the closed beta phase of PlayStation Now still under way, Sony Computer Entertainment is gauging the reaction of testers to a new feature of the game streaming service that would give users the option to rent a ‘deluxe version’ of games.
In a survey sent out to PlayStation Now testers this week, Sony asked the following question:
Suppose a game rental was offered with an option to rent a “deluxe version” that included all available extra content (DLC) such as bonus missions, map-packs, in-game items, etc. Assuming it was a game you are interested in renting, how likely would you be to pay an additional 15% to rent the deluxe version?
Testers were then given options ranging from ‘Very Likely’ to ‘Not At All Likely’. It certainly seems like a great idea giving users the option to grab all the extra goodies, but the pricing structure for rentals has to be reasonable. It’s one thing paying an extra 15 percent, but 15 percent of what? Prices during the beta phase have caused some grumbling among the PlayStation community with rentals starting from $4.99 for 24 hours to $29.99 for 90 days. Sony said that it will be up to publishers to set their price points.
The open beta phase for PlayStation Now begins on July 31, 2014 and will open up access to a back catalogue of PlayStation, PlayStation 2 and PlayStation 3 titles at launch, with PlayStation 4 games added at a later date. Games can be streamed on a variety of devices, including PS3, PS4, PS Vita, mobile devices and BRAVIA TVs.