Rumour: Cloud Based Saving For PS+ Users in FW 3.6

Kovacs 65 Comments

Reported this morning over at Kotaku, speculation is rife that PlayStation Plus users are about to exclusively get one of the most requested PSN features – cloud based game data saving.

The concept of cloud-saving is simple. You still save your progress on your PS3, but at a scheduled time, save data is uploaded and synchronised into Sony’s cloud. You lose your save file? You can easily download it from the online repository.

Allegedly called “Online Saving,” the feature will only be available to PlayStation Plus subscribers and is set for release as part of Firmware 3.60. There is no further speculation as to when the updated Firmware will be available.

There is a snag. Though this obviously sounds like a fantastic idea of safe-guarding save data that users are currently unable to back-up due to certain save files’ copy protection, paradoxically, as the cloud supports these save files entering the cloud, developers will have the choice of “opting out” and preventing such files from being “cloud-able.” Which really defeats the purpose of the whole thing if you ask us.

We’ve contacted Sony, and though we expect the standard reply of “How’s your Dad doing these days? Oh, and no comment on the secret stuff,” we will update this article if we hear anything more.

Source: Kotaku

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65 Comments

  1. It’s getting a bit annoying that while PSN may remain free, all the new additions are going to be PS+ based.
    And I don’t exactly see the point in Cloud Based storage for Saves. Anyone ever heard of a USB Stick?

    • It’s mainly for the copy-protected save files. You can’t backup those on a USB stick (sadly).

      • Still, I wouldn’t pay £40 a year just to protect a couple of saves…

    • there are a lot of free features on ‘free’ psn, and it makes total sense they would add features to psn+. if they don’t people who have it will complain, and if they do, people that don’t have it will complain. people that have it are the paying customers, and new features may get non-customers to buy it.

      And yes, we have heard of usb sticks… and that is a hassle compared to cloud based saving. reduction of hassle is a huge benefit to most people.

  2. I really hope this is more than just a rumour!! Why some developers think that making the save game “copy-protected” is a good idea is beyond me (it’s not!). Especially for games like Dragon Age or Demon’s Souls, you can easily loose several hundred hours of game progress if your PS3 breaks.
    I wonder how much space each user will have for cloud backups. Most saves seem to be around 300kb-1MB, but some are up to 10MB (e.g. Dragon Age, Fallout 3/NV). My echochrome2 save game is even 102MB (maybe due to all the replay movies).

    • my harddrive died the week after i platinumed demon’s souls. i was so happy i platinumed before it happened, i was happier than i was sad, despite losing my saves (i was actually able to restore a back up to pre-ng+). Oh, and same with Dead Nation — i had platinumed that just before DS, and those saves were lost as well.

  3. Would certainly be a great selling feature for Plus.

    • Is £250 worth of free content every year, Autopatches not already enough?

      • Basically, no. I mean sure the amount of free and discounted DLC you get equals way more than the subscription costs. It’s once you take into account the stuff that you either already have or don’t even want.

        Then there’s other things like the fact that the ‘auto’patching could be implemented much better. e.g. I fold when not using my PS3, this means I have to turn off my PS3 every now and again, just so it will turn back on and download/install updates. Surely the PS3 could check for updates and download/install them in the background.

  4. Im umming and arring about renewing plus. if this is introduced, then I will be renewing my supscription

  5. Making cloud saving an ‘option’ for ALL PS3 users would make the console more appealing than its competitors

  6. This would make me become a plus subscriber, but only if the saves were permanently re-storable rather than having to be a constant plus subscriber to access your saves every time.

    Because I can’t backup my saves, and I’m convinced it won’t go perfectly, I refuse to upgrade my HDD even though I could desperately do with the space.

    • So when your subscription runs out, would you be able to reinstae your game saves. Would you have to purchase another subscription to access your game saves…if so, i don’t like it…

      • I bet you’d be able to download them, but just not be able to upload new ones.

    • I’d think that you’d have to keep your subscription going, as if you don’t resubscribe, your not paying for the service anymore.

      With regards to the HDD upgrade, there’s really nothing to lose. You backup your current internal HDD to an external one, switch the internal HDD with a larger capacity one, then restore the backup.

      As long as it’s the same PS3, then even copy-protected saves should be transferred too. Plus you’ll still have everything on the old drive. Just be sure to buy the correct size drive. If you were to decide to upgrade you might want to hold off upgrading until the 3.56 FW ‘stopping HDD switching’ issue is sorted (apparently only affects newer PS3s).

      • The issue shouldn’t affect me because I’ve got an original 60GB. Another problem of mine is that I’ve not got a big external drive as I’ve just never needed one. If I can get work to buy me one I might upgrade the HDD, I’m just not 100% sure it’s worth it now even though HDDs are super-cheap……I should’ve done it about 18 months ago really.

  7. I hope this is true. The cost of PS+ is worth it for this alone. Should be much easier to upgrade your ps3

  8. ARRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHH. I just bought a new slim today, damn it.

    • I don’t see how you buying a new slim is related to this!

      • Maybe they meant to comment on the ‘firmware stopping HDD switching’ article.

      • f i had known this was coming out, then I would of just waited a little while and then I could of downloaded all my saves.

  9. This would be interesting. I think this would also help stop those who cheat for trophies by editing their save files, right?
    Or maybe not, if it’s done offline…

  10. I think “cloud-based saving” should be made possible ONLY if Sony makes it so that every game & developer has to allow it.

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