You Won't Need PS+ for Free-to-Play on PlayStation 4

PlayStation 4 no longer provides free multiplayer, a feature that made the PlayStation 3 a must have. With the new console you'll be required to subscribe to PlayStation Plus if you want to play online. It's a great service which boasts free titles, extra features, video sharing and, now, online multiplayer. But what about the free-to-play games? What about Planetside 2 and DC Universe Online? 

Well, there's good news on this front, actually. Any free-to-play game released on the PlayStation 4 will be available to everybody, even those that don't subscribe to PlayStation Plus. That means that somebody buying into the PS4 just to play the likes of Planetside 2 will be able to do so without the need to shell out on an extra service they have no interest in. That's great news for people that this applies to, but it's better news for fans of these games. As two multiplayer titles available without subscription on a system that requires a subscription to play online, there will be a lot of players jumping on board just to avoid the $5 a month fee.

PlayStation Plus is definitely worth it and, in fact, the inclusion of Drive Club (a PS4 launch title and included with PlayStation Plus from day one) pays for a full years subscription right from the get go. However, if you don't want to stick your credit card details into the machine, or if you don't want to get bogged down with a subscription service, it's great to know that you'll still be able to play some of the games you know and love.

This was clarified by Sony's Shuhei Yoshida at Japanese gaming site Gamewatch.

"You will need it to enjoy online multiplayer.
This will also depend on the judgement by the publishers, and there will be some free to play titles that you’ll be able to play without needing a PS Plus subscription, like PlanetSide 2 and DC Universe Online."

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