Sony considering a premium PlayStation Network

Sony is now weighing the option of offering a premium PlayStation Network subscription model to customers, but it depends on whether or not PlayStation 3 gamers are interested.

The online multiplayer gaming feature will remain available for free, but the new premium features may greatly enhance a gamer’s experience.  According to the IPSOS Online Research survey, cross-game voice chat, cloud-based storage, free access to PlayStation 1 games, and online music and video services would be available.

There are four possible subscription packages, with yearly costs ranging from $29.99 up to $69.99.

Other possible perks include Hulu TV support, discounts, demo sharing, loyalty reward programs, and access to Facebook Connectivity.  It’s unknown which features would be available with each subscription model.

Sony still hasn’t publicly disclosed if it will launch a premium PlayStation Network subscription, but if gamers are willing to pay for additional features, then it’s certainly possible.

I think the most appealing possible perks for a paid membership will be full one-hour video game trials — offering excellent previews to other PS3 titles, along with PSOne Classics games and PSP minis.

Additional details regarding the possible premium subscriptions can be found at Kotaku, which originally broke the story.

There have been numerous rumors Sony would launch an offering similar to Microsoft’s Xbox Live — but the $69.99 per year charge is still more than Xbox Live — and Microsoft gamers have proven to be extremely loyal.

If you’re a PS3 gamer, are you interested in a premium subscription to the PlayStation Network?  If so, what kind of features would you like to use?