European PSN 'Welcome Back' package detailed

With PSN finally clambering back to its feet (slightly shakily, but it's getting there), Sony has announced the contents of its 'Welcome Back' package. Understanding how put out gamers have been with 24 days without access to PlayStation Store or online gaming, free games and more are being lavished upon each and every existing PlayStation Network user. Hooray! The content is slightly different to theUS package, so let's see what us European gamers can expect when the Store is back online.

According to Sony, all existing PlayStation Network members will be able to access the following from PlayStation Store when the service resumes in the near future:

Two PS3 games from the following list:

LittleBigPlanet
Infamous*
Wipeout HD/Fury
Ratchet and Clank: Quest for Booty
Dead Nation*

For those with PSP accounts, you will also be eligible to download two PSP games from the following list:

LittleBigPlanet PSP
ModNation PSP
Pursuit Force
Killzone Liberation*

*Note,for the German market, InFamous and Dead Nation will be replaced with Super Stardust HD and Hustle Kings in the selection of PS3 games. Also for the German market, Pursuit Force and Killzone Liberation will be replaced with Everybody%26rsquo;s Golf 2 and Buzz Junior Jungle Party in the selection of PSP games. Killzone Liberation will not offer online gameplay functionality.

But there's more!

PSN users will also receive:

  • 30 days free PlayStation Plus membership for non PS Plus subscribers*
  • Existing PlayStation Plus subscribers will be given 60 days free subscription.
  • For existing Music Unlimited subscribers, you will be given 30 days free subscription.
  • Sony is working on a Welcome Back offer in PlayStation Home and will share that when it is confirmed.

You'll have to claim your free content within 30 days of the store going back online. There are a few more minor terms and conditionsover at Sony's site, but that's the important stuff right there.

What do you reckon? Surprisingly generous, or simply not good enough? Let us know in the comments.

17 May, 2011

According to Sony, all existing PlayStation Network members will be able to access the following from PlayStation Store when the service resumes in the near future:

Two PS3 games from the following list:

LittleBigPlanet
Infamous*
Wipeout HD/Fury
Ratchet and Clank: Quest for Booty
Dead Nation*

For those with PSP accounts, you will also be eligible to download two PSP games from the following list:

LittleBigPlanet PSP
ModNation PSP
Pursuit Force
Killzone Liberation*

*Note,for the German market, InFamous and Dead Nation will be replaced with Super Stardust HD and Hustle Kings in the selection of PS3 games. Also for the German market, Pursuit Force and Killzone Liberation will be replaced with Everybody%26rsquo;s Golf 2 and Buzz Junior Jungle Party in the selection of PSP games. Killzone Liberation will not offer online gameplay functionality.

But there's more!

PSN users will also receive:

  • 30 days free PlayStation Plus membership for non PS Plus subscribers*
  • Existing PlayStation Plus subscribers will be given 60 days free subscription.
  • For existing Music Unlimited subscribers, you will be given 30 days free subscription.
  • Sony is working on a Welcome Back offer in PlayStation Home and will share that when it is confirmed.

You'll have to claim your free content within 30 days of the store going back online. There are a few more minor terms and conditionsover at Sony's site, but that's the important stuff right there.

What do you reckon? Surprisingly generous, or simply not good enough? Let us know in the comments.

17 May, 2011

Justin Towell

Justin was a GamesRadar staffer for 10 years but is now a freelancer, musician and videographer. He's big on retro, Sega and racing games (especially retro Sega racing games) and currently also writes for Play Magazine, Traxion.gg, PC Gamer and TopTenReviews, as well as running his own YouTube channel. Having learned to love all platforms equally after Sega left the hardware industry (sniff), his favourite games include Christmas NiGHTS into Dreams, Zelda BotW, Sea of Thieves, Sega Rally Championship and Treasure Island Dizzy.