Kotaku has translated the latest version of Famitsu magazine in which Sony Worldwide Studios' president Shuhei Yoshida explained the decision to charge for online play on PS4.
Yoshida commented that it would be "absurd" to maintain a free service given the "large investment of resources" Sony has dedicated to its online infastructure.
"The main pillar for the PS4 will be online play. We're developing many new ways to play and connect which requires a large investment of resources.
"Considering the cost, to try to keep such a service free and consequently lower the quality would be absurd. We decided that if that's the case, then it would be better to receive proper payment and continue to offer a good service."
While the PS4 may be built around a connected experience users never have to connect the console to the internet if they so choose. Xbox One owners will need to connect to the internet during initial installation.
Yoshida has said the subscription fees raised from PlayStation Plus on PS4 will be used to fund "improvements" in Sony's online infastructure.
Multiplayer services will remain free on PS3 and PS Vita and current Plus subscribers will see their subscriptions carry over to PS4. A Plus subscription costs $50 a year and offers access to cloud saves, automatic updates and free games every month for the duration of your subscription.
The instant game collection will be carried over to PS4 with the DriveClub Plus Edition being offered initially along with a number of indie titles.
Unlike Xbox Live Gold, which costs $60 annually, non-Plus users on PS4 will be able to access entertainment services like Netflix and free-to-play games without a subscription. Microsoft has not yet confirmed the pricing of Gold on Xbox One.
