Reader Brenna sent us PDF files containing the Sony survey, which begins with the following bit of text:

Sony is considering offering a premium PlayStation Network subscription in the future. The subscription offering would provide new premium features you could choose to pay for and are in addition to the features currently available for free such as access to online multiplayer gaming (current features would remain free).

Following the introduction is a series of definitions of terms such as Token Wagering - a set number of tokens given to subscribers per month that can be used to be on games and exchanged for PSN content - and Cloud Storage Space for Games, which would allow players to save their game online rather than on their hard disk, protecting their data.

Other notable services listed as potential premiums include loyalty reward programs, automatic updates, member-exclusive Facebook Connectivity, an online music service and music video service, Hulu TV catch-ups, member-only game content, discounts, demo-sharing (sharing exclusive member-only demos from your full games with friends), and Netflix without a disc.

By far the most attractive premiums are full title trials, which give the user one hour access to full PlayStation 3 games, and free access to PSOne Classics, PSP minis, and premium themes.

The list also indicates that some eagerly awaited features could be subscriber only, such as cross-game voice chat. Having waited so long for the feature, I doubt fans would be particularly happy to have to pay for it.

The chart below details four potential plans, with three costing $69.99 a year or $9.99 a month - more than an Xbox Live Gold subscription, and one running $4.99 a month and $29.99 a year.

We've contacted Sony for comment on the survey, but have yet to hear back as of press time. Just keep in mind that companies regularly test the waters by sending out questionnaires like these, and they by no means represent any concrete plans on Sony's behalf.

It seems as if they simply want to gauge customer reaction to the various plans and features. Your reactions, please?

How good is Vagrant Story? At a time when Square was releasing Final Fantasy VII through Final Fantasy IX, Vagrant Story was the only original PlayStation game to receive a perfect score from Japanese video game magazine Famitsu. That's how good it is.

The game, which actually takes place in the Final Fantasy Ivalice setting used in the tactics titles and Final Fantasy XII, follows the story of Riskbreaker Ashley Riot as he investigates the link between a cult leader and Duke Bardorba of Valendia. It's a solo dungeon crawler that relies on weapons crafting and modification rather than the random shopkeepers scattered across most RPG worlds.

It's an exquisite experience, and according to the latest European Square Enix newsletter, forwarded to us via Kotakuite Emilia, it's coming soon to the PAL PlayStation Network.

Way back at the dawn of time (better known as the year 2000), a certain video games company called SQUARE made a game called VAGRANT STORY, which stormed the charts, became a genre-defining classic and, amongst other things, garnered a perfect score from Famitsu magazine - so pretty much business as usual for character design god Akihiko Yoshida. But the great news is that SQUARE ENIX are bringing it to the PS3 and the PSP on the 12th November!

Note that Square Enix has clarified since the newsletter was released that the date given is incorrect, and the title is coming soon. Hopefully this means we'll be seeing the game released in North America soon as well. It's a PSone Classic I would purchase without hesitation if I didn't have the original sitting on a shelf behind me.

In addition to pumping out re-ratings for titles like Tomb Raider and Bloody Roar, PSone Classics already released, there are also new appearances from PlayStation era highlights like Um Jammer Lammy and Oddworld: Abe's Exodus. Good news, especially for the nostalgic PSPgo owner.

Here's the latest list of new PSone Classics candidates. Watch for them on a PlayStation Store update near you.

• Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain
• Cool Boarders 3
• International Track & Field
• Oddworld: Abe's Exodus
• Oddworld: Abe's Oddysee
• Pandemonium!
• Syphon Filter 2
• Um Jammer Lammy

Dino Crisis, Resident Evil 2, and Resident Evil 3: Nemesis have of course been in the ESRB.org database for a good long time, but they've each sprouted an additional system under their listings. The PlayStation 3 now joins the previously listed platforms, which one would assume indicates a pending release as PSone Classics. Capcom has already mentioned the games as being scheduled for the PSone Classics treatment, so perhaps the updated listing means they'll be hitting soon.

I for one hope they are getting the PSone Classics treatment soon, as I never did finish the original Dino Crisis and would like to give it another go before admitting I am scared of dinosaurs.

Update: Yes, we already mentioned this. Yes, I feel like a tool for forgetting. Yes, I updated the post to reflect the correct info.

Latest ESRB Ratings [NeoGAF via TheSixthAxis]

Final Fantasy VII, originally released on the PlayStation in 1997, hit the PlayStation Store on June 2nd. Over 100,000 downloads in a fortnight is a nice haul for Square Enix and Sony Computer Entertainment, considering the classic Japanese role-playing game was released at the premium PS one Classics price of $9.99 USD.

Sony announced today it will continue its plans for more PS one releases, confirming Wild Arms 2, Mobile Light Force (aka Psikyo's shooting game Gunbird) and Spec Ops: Stealth Patrol as upcoming, undated releases.

That includes PlayStation system sellers Metal Gear Solid and Resident Evil: Director's Cut, both newly rated for release on the PSP and PlayStation 3. Those two blockbusters look to be joined by Spec Ops: Covert Assault, Spec Ops: Ranger Elite and Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six, all seemingly destined for PSone Classics status.

Sony has promised that more titles would be added to the library of downloadable PlayStation games "shortly." The company was recently rumored to be planning an onslaught of downloadable classic software titles in tandem with the release of a new PSP model, allegedly dubbed the PSP Go!

ESRB Game Ratings [ESRB - thanks, Komrade K!]

Gamasutra procured a list of the top ten most popular PSone Classics in the PlayStation Store for North America, and the results really aren't that surprising, especially the top two spots. Street Fighter Alpha and Castlevania: Symphony of the Night top off the list, two third-party titles atop a sea of originally Sony-published titles. Crash Bandicoot shows up three times in the top ten, with his original outing taking the number three spot. Twisted Metal 2 and Spyro the Dragon come next, followed by Crash 3 and 2, Wild Arms, MediEvil, and Hot Shots Golf 2. 2 Xtreme came nowhere near making this list, a sign that all is right in the world.

Unfortunately the list doesn't also contain sales numbers for each title, which would shed a greater light on the whole PSone Classics situation. We've dropped a line to Sony to see if that info is available. In the meantime, head over to Gamasutra to see their analysis of this top ten list.

Top 10 Most Popular PS1 Games In PlayStation Store [Gamasutra]

You know the drill, seek out the 108 Stars of Destiny to aid them in overthrowing the corrupt government and navigate plenty of menus while doing so. Also, do your best to forget that awful "localized" cover art. Konami reps say the game is available on the PlayStation Store right now, but I'm far away from my PlayStation 3, so I'll have to trust 'em.

Price to you is just $5.99 for the playable on PSP and PS3 PlayStation game. Much cheaper than trying to score a copy off eBay.

Yes, that's a PlayStation 2 game; the original PlayStation release was titled Rayman 2: The Great Escape. That either means one of three things: someone erred on the submission side, there are some title revisionists at Ubisoft, or Sony's going to start releasing PlayStation 2 games for download via the PlayStation Store, starting with Rayman 2: Revolution. Yes, that last one sounds suspect.

Regardless, we're checking in with Sony while setting our graphical bar low enough to play through Medal of Honor whenever that's made available.

ESRB Game Ratings