Auto Update isn’t Locked to PlayStation Plus on PS4

SCEE’s UK and Ireland MD Fergal Gara spoke with VideoGamer about some of the changes PlayStation Plus subscribers would see on PlayStation 4 – as well as non-subscriber features on the next-gen system.

By now, you know that during E3, Sony announced the service would be required if users wanted to avail of multiplayer features in a PS4 game. Although, some of the elements of PS3’s PlayStation Plus won’t be behind a pay wall on PS4:

“If you choose not to subscribe we are still gating relatively little in many senses, so access to online catch-up TV and online movie services sit outside of the gate, for example. The social features of PS4 and PS4 games sit out of the subscription service… things like auto-updates on PS4 sit outside of PlayStation Plus, so we’re trying to be as balanced and as fair as we possibly can. If you choose to pay the subscription, yes, you get one important element of modern-day gameplay, but you also get fantastic value in games, including the PlayStation Plus Edition of DriveClub.”

Gara stated that the Gaikai streaming that touts a massive back catalogue of PlayStation titles may come under PS +, or may even require users to pay more. This hasn’t been decided, just yet.

The fact that the auto update function will now be free and video streaming services such as Netflix won’t require a subscription to PlayStation’s Xbox Live Gold equivalent (just like on PS3 and Vita), is definitely a positive.

With approximately four or five months before the console is available to purchase, there’s some time for SCE to give us more news on what the console has to offer.