PlayStation fans have been asking for years for an improvement to the free online PSN service. Not that there was anything wrong with being able to play online for free, but gamers demand the best and Sony is giving them what they want. Starting next week, June 29, the PlayStation Network will begin offering yearly subscriptions on top of the free model. It will be called PlayStation Plus and anyone who signs up gets a huge heaping of bonus content.

PlayStation Plus is designed to deliver premium content to PSN loyalists through free games (including PSOne Classics) and DLC, frequent discounts at the PSN Store, early invites to betas and demos, and free monthly episodes of their gaming web-show Qore. This all comes standard for anyone who signs up next week.

An added bonus is a new “try before you buy” approach to digitally downloaded games. From now on, when you see a game that interests you, download it and play it for free for one hour. After that hour, if you decide you want to purchase the game, all of your progress and trophies will transfer over. (Sweet!)

To keep up with the new customers downloading tons of new content, a background feature will be implemented that automatically push patches, demos, videos, and firmware updates to your system so you don’t have to think about it next time you hop on to shoot your treasure hunting friends in Uncharted 2.

Pricing for the new plan is quite modest and competitive. Sony will offer one-year subscriptions for $49.99 and three-months for $17.99. If you are among the first to sign up for one year, Sony will throw in three free months which makes it fifteen months for the same price. The first round of free content for new subscribers will be WipEout HD, Fieldrunners, Age of Zombies, and Rally Cross, as well as a free trial on inFAMOUS.

It is worth noting that all of the free games received through PlayStation Plus are only free during your subscription period, but it is still a pretty good deal all the same.