Let's Talk - Sony's PS Plus Price Hike

I am a man who is more than willing to pay extra when a product or a service warrants a price increase. Say for example if Sony were to actually do something to combat the cheating pandemic on the PS4 by adding in proper console grief report options with replies back from said reports that aren't copy & pasted BS I'd be happy to fork over $59.99 for a years subscription of PS Plus. Sadly Sony, and their PSN division has neglected the PSN's online integrity, and have deliberately went out of their way to make reporting PSN cheaters, hackers, and modders a near impossibility. How have they done this you say? Well, for starters they completely removed their official website's only viable complaint form. The only real option we had as gamers to voice our complaints. Not only have they done this, but their only social media support outlet spouts out unsympathetic answers to gamers' burning questions directing them to the official website's feedback form which has absolutely nothing to do with reporting a problem or a player. When it comes to on console grief report options Sony's PSN moderators have made it a point to beat around the bush with report options, and make said report options so vague that anyone in this world would be hard pressed to understand what a wronged PS4 player is complaining about. They basically give legit gamers the run around, and do NOTHING about the cheating issues at hand. At least not anything effective. Sure, they slap a serial number with a hashtag on a reply with the same copy & pasted message saying thank you, and a minute later that they have processed your report. By the way how the hell does anyone investigate, and deal with a complaint within a 1 - 5 minute time span?

This brings me back to the initial comment I made at the start of this article regarding a warranted price hike. I find it laughable that the quote from Sony explaining away the price increase was partially for them to be able to continue to offer the gamer "quality service". It's gotta be a joke. Seriously. Since my early adoption of the 500GB PS4 (which I'm still pissed about) I've only seen an incline in problems with the PSN. I've been directly hacked out of my PSN account through console, and have even been DDOS'd numerous times while gaming on the PSN. The lack of security, and the lack of care about security on the PSN from Sony is utterly mind boggling. They continuously ask for more money through new DLC options, and price hikes yet they do not give the gamers the quality experience that is deserving of such a subscription fee. It might as well be free as it is on the PS3 without the proper support for PS4 adopters in place.

I think what bothers me most of all about the PS4, and Sony's gimme-gimme-gimme!!! approach is that they have sold more PS4 consoles than Microsoft. They cry about expenses, but it's apparent hardly any of the money they've been making on sales is being put towards better (more secure) servers, or better PSN moderation. Or even a better PSN experience. In fact I find it very difficult to believe that Sony is in any financial position to need a price hike on PS Plus subscriptions. Come to think of it exactly where is all of Sony's money going? I personally think they need a new think tank team, and a proper moderation team. I also think they need to invest in some proper servers, and security. Will it happen? I highly doubt it.

With that having been said I do have a conspiracy theory in mind about all of this nonsense. One that couples greed with end of the world scenarios, or rather NWO scenarios. Have you noticed how greedy developers, content creators, and retailers have become? In general? It's as if they know something is gonna happen economically, and in that knowledge they are making huge strides towards getting your money. Kickstarters have blossomed, the PR push for pre-order sales of products that may never see the light of day come election 2016 are of a prime concern to publishers, and console creators are rushing out new versions of new-gen consoles that have not been out all that long. I sense a desperation. A deep breath before a final exhale.

Never in my time as a gamer have I seen the industry in such a mad hurry. Everyone, and their mother is grasping for straws. Grasping for new ideas that seem innovative in the mind's eye, but when released are a sham not worth the money it took to design the game, or product. Lies! Mountains of MF'ing lies! And most of the time there's no excuse for it. Not one itty bitty excuse. The developer simply rushed like a madman to get sh*t out, and get your money. That's all. Not only that, but in their rush they spent valuable time keeping their product hush-hush so that gamers would be none the wiser. Deception, Desperation, and Greed. Three bedfellows of the worst sort.

With each passing generation of gaming consoles we've drifted ever further away from that golden age of gaming that once was. At this point I fear through bad business practices, and social media cover-ups that the gaming industry will soon breathe it's last breath. Perhaps in 2017 after the 2016 election results rears it's ugly head, and the world is plunged into chaos. All I can say is don't readily buy into something you know isn't factual, certain, or gonna last for the long haul. Invest your money wisely. Maybe go retro, and bypass the need for paid gaming subscription. Do something other than pad the pockets of these industry tyrants.

I'm gonna close on that note. I wish I could tell you different. That all I said was a fabrication of the truth, but I'm afraid it isn't. Something is amiss in the industry, and dollar signs is all some people are seeing.