Premium themes to be available for purchase on PS Store

by Alan Tsang { Oct 8th 2008 at 5:25PM }

Do you think those free themes for your PS3 are lacking a little spiffiness? Not to worry, Sony's got your back in the form of premium themes for your PS3's XMB. Beginning tomorrow, you will able to purchase premium themes from the PS Store for $0.99 - $1.99. Theme types range from NCAA College teams (such as the University of North Carolina Tar Heels one above) to "beauties on the beach." Of course, these themes will offer "special backgrounds, XMB icons" and for selected themes, even ... sounds! Sony plans to offer 6-10 premium themes each month -- you can view samples of the themes here. What are your thoughts, readers? Are you going to dish out some dough for special themes for your XMB or are you like us, perfectly content with the complimentary ones?

Tags: premium-themes, ps-store, ps3, psn

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)

moe24 @ Oct 8th 2008 5:53PM

im perfectly happy with the complamentary ones.... wtf is Sony trying to pull here? they say they are giving out invites to qore subsribers so more people can buy it and now themes wtf are u joking me?

STIEN @ Oct 8th 2008 5:28PM

i like the graffiti theme

Squirtforce @ Oct 8th 2008 6:09PM

I don't think anything beats the default theme of the wavy-whatnot! IT'S AWESOME. AWESOME TO THE MAXXX.

glitched @ Oct 8th 2008 6:25PM

I use the heavenly sword theme without the wallpaper but with the white/grey wavy background. Better sounds and cool color combo.

vahdyx @ Oct 9th 2008 12:52AM

The only one I like was the UNC one!

I wish they'd focus on user icons instead though

Jay. @ Oct 8th 2008 5:29PM

I'm fine with my free ones.
If I'm desperate theres always google.. or I can try making my own again.

azgjani @ Oct 8th 2008 8:47PM

I can't wait to see people publishing these themes out for free. I mean, even if they disable copying themes onto a USB hard drive, I'm sure there'll be people who will be able to copy these themes with their own little variation to it.

Anyway, it's stupid. Only an idiot would pay for a theme. Premium themes my ass. It sounds like they're overing porno themes lol

Dru @ Oct 8th 2008 7:57PM

I probably won't ever pay for themes and don't really like Sony setting the precedent, but at least there will always be free ones to d/l or create yourself. There are a few really good sites that have some incredible themes. This one consistently has something for everyone:

http://www.ps3-themes.com/

KiraXD @ Oct 8th 2008 11:29PM

lol.. pay for a theme on my PS3? yeah right... ill stick to creating my own(better than they publish)

Liquidxtension @ Oct 8th 2008 5:57PM

Really? premium or not I dont really think paying to customize your XMB is worth anything..

panickedthumb @ Oct 8th 2008 5:31PM

nothankyou.jpg

Seriously, I've never understood paying for themes/backgrounds on XBL, now I have a NEW platform to not understand it on!

Philip @ Oct 8th 2008 9:11PM

well if you own a franchise of nfl nba etc, wouldn't you want to make money off of it, sport themes aren't free, and i'm sure there will still be free gaming themes

Jack Tretton @ Oct 8th 2008 5:32PM

"This is so not like paying for themes on Xbox Live!"

Right, fanboys?

NightHawk @ Oct 8th 2008 5:35PM

1) you dont have to buy them 2) you can get the free ones which most of the time are way better than themes on the store(allps3themes.com or psu.com) and 3) GO AWAY YOU XBOT!!!!!!

Lars @ Oct 8th 2008 5:49PM

Wow, what an idiot. Whoever said that??!! Paying for themes is stupid, whether it's on 360, PS3, or anything. What's next, charging for backgrounds?!

This really bugs me, because I've enjoyed the themes Sony has offered, and I don't want them to start charging for them. But oh well, at least we still have PS3Themes.com and stuff. Or you can always create your own.

Skyflur @ Oct 8th 2008 6:57PM

Don't feed the troll kiddies.

spikeylee @ Oct 8th 2008 5:32PM

They do look pretty spiffy, but I'll stick with the free ones.

I'd think about it if these premium themes had animated wallpapers.

Popfrogs @ Oct 8th 2008 6:14PM

Seriously. The lowly PSP can animate the ribbon, why can't the PS3?

*disclaimer: I've had a theme applied for 2 years, maybe I forgot.

TinyTim121 @ Oct 8th 2008 5:33PM

Meh, i'm more than happy with the natural XMB to be honest...

Sure i like a change from time to time...but PS3 is for games or DVD's for me so yeah, kinda happy anyway

Daniel @ Oct 8th 2008 5:35PM

There are plenty of free themes, and you can always import your own free self-made theme. If you don't want to buy the premiums, then don't. Simple as that.

Even so, this post will go 3 pages of people bitching like it is suddenly required to pay...

Ted @ Oct 8th 2008 5:37PM

I might if there was a nice enough one.

kevin @ Oct 8th 2008 5:38PM

if they had a different layout or if it was somethin cool id buy one but they are the same stuff... you can get some free ones in alot of places.

prodigy_69 @ Oct 8th 2008 5:40PM

no thanks

R_man_5K @ Oct 8th 2008 5:41PM

I don't know about this. I download themes and use them for a day or two and then always end back up with the origional...

Maybe if they put up a Notre Dame theme I most likely would buy that.

pat1202003 @ Oct 8th 2008 5:41PM

I should have known this was going to happen. What's next Sony? Paying for wallpapers, paying for PSN avatars, or paying for demos (oh what they already do that with Qore)

Jerses @ Oct 8th 2008 5:50PM

i would pay for custome avatar.... 6 of my friends have the same icon as i do.

Kspraydad @ Oct 8th 2008 6:00PM

What do you THINK happened.

Sony offers the ability to upload user created themes (and provides instructions on how)...will continue to provide free and manufacturer themes and now has ADDED a new theme source, the Premium Theme.

There is ZERO reason that you can spin this as negative unless you're just trolling.

stacy daniels @ Oct 8th 2008 5:43PM

will never pay for a theme...even if it few pence.
what a joke!!

Steve Childs @ Oct 8th 2008 5:51PM

Have to agree, charging for themes strikes a little bit of desperation. That said, I can understand why there is a charge if they are of sports teams, as anything to do with a sports team is never free (Image rights etc...)

Think Adrian @ Oct 8th 2008 5:44PM

If there will be new themes with moving background - perhaps. I downloaded some but prefer the original background, but with a cleaner icon pack.

TONY C @ Oct 8th 2008 5:59PM

well there goes the neighborhood.

the only way i am paying for a theme is if it is animated. then i'll think about it.

Jerses @ Oct 8th 2008 5:45PM

ill wait till someone make those ones for free...install them and not use them. I like the icons from the home theme...but the background always mess up everything...they should make animated themes like when you put a bluray and the background is moving...but that will make in game xmb more slow

Fraser JK @ Oct 8th 2008 5:46PM

Themes have to be FREE, WTF is this? Give me a Mac version of the theme creator and I'll make 1-10 quality themes every week...

Ok, a bit exaggerated but meh! You get ma point!

zaxonzaxon @ Oct 8th 2008 5:49PM

Do they have trophies?

devilmaker @ Oct 8th 2008 5:54PM

Hah!!! Good one, I liked that. lol.

Gambit07 @ Oct 8th 2008 5:50PM

If it something that looks truly amazing, I'll pay a buck for it... is it possible to use the PSEYE as your background?

Popfrogs @ Oct 8th 2008 7:07PM

I think so...if you can take pictures with it in the XMB or somewhere else, and store it on the hard drive, then you can go into your photos and make it a background.

I've never tried this, good question.

Gambit07 @ Oct 8th 2008 7:58PM

I actually mean background as the live video... that would be cool.

Dirty @ Oct 8th 2008 5:51PM

This is a slippery slope.

Deviation @ Oct 8th 2008 5:56PM

No it's not. There are still plenty of free themes and you can still make and share your own - unlike the situation on the 360 where every theme has to be monetized. And the free themes will keep coming over the PSN as well - developers like using them as promotional materials.