Playstation Network is the market platform for all online Sony consoles. Including PSP, PS3 and PS Vita, they all share the same wallet and same account.
They work in a traditional way where you download full games to play them directly from the storage device. It offers a large catalog of games and movies, but we will focus on games. They do have a major difference in that their licensing lets you play on many consoles.
The Pros :
One to rule them all :
The fact that the market is shared across all consoles makes it so you can add 50$ with a prepaid card on your PS3 and spend it on the PS Vita without any trouble.
User/Console purchase :
This one is the major advantage over any other digital distribution service. Transactions are bound to your PSN account, making them easily recoverable if you change your console. But the purchased content will be available to every user on your PS3 (because unfortunately, PSP and PS Vita support only one user). Since each format could be downloaded from a PS3 to later be installed via USB to a Vita or PSP, I was unable to test if games could be transferred with USB from any PS3 without my account to my PS Vita.
A little more explanation is required to understand the advantage here. I have two PS3s at home so my girlfriend and I can play together. Games on physical discs means I'll always have to buy two games to be able to play together. With PSN policies, I could buy the same game on PSN, install it on both consoles with my account, and when my girlfriend logs on her account, she can play the game as well. That saves me the price of one new (or used) game. Sony does limit activation of your PSN account to 5 consoles to prevent abuse and has banned consoles in the past for massive game sharing.
What you want, where you want :
Sony offers games in different formats: PS1 titles, Minis, PSP, PS Vita, PS2, and soon PS Mobile titles. Most of them can be played across different platforms . Minis for example, are playable on PS3, PSP and PS Vita. Buying the title on one console grants you the use on every other system. Sony also announced their Cross Buy offer where titles available to PS3 and PS Vita purchased on PS3 format (thus cannot be played on the PS Vita) will include a code to get the PS Vita version free. In fact, the Cross Buy features may also work for DLC and has been introduced with the launch of LBP Vita.
Building an almost free collection :
PSN Plus is a subscription-based service offered by Sony. Available to the PS3 and soon PS Vita, it offers an Instant Game Collection. AAA titles are constantly added, from PS3's Infamous 2 to Minis like Orbit, giving you around 5 new titles each month. A nice feature is that any title you delete can be re-downloaded for free as long as it was purchased while it was free, and that your PSN Plus subscription is active.
The Cons :
Good price gone bad :
Usually, the price of digital games are either equal or a little less than the digital title found on PSN. This is OK if you don't take in consideration that it costs more to make a physical copy on store shelves, and that retail stores make about 35% profit on the title. What has gone bad is that too often, when retail prices go down, PSN does not follow. Games at retail with a 20$ price tag can often be found at 50$ on PSN.
To tax or not to tax :
I remember my first transaction on PSN in Canada had added taxes. What troubled me is that the prepaid card I bought was also taxed at the store. Sony had confirmed receiving large amounts of complaints and decided, in Canada, to remove the taxes if you bought a prepaid card (which usually aren't taxed in most stores). If any of you buy on PSN using a credit card, please let us know if you get taxed on your content. I know taxes are still applied in other countries. So it remains unclear and taxes could come back anytime.
Where the f&+% is it :
Another bad thing, the market is not similar on all platforms. The user interface is different and the content as well.
The Interface is far from complete on PS Vita. Those using the PS3 are now used to have pictures or trailers of games, being able to add it to your cart before ending the transaction. Well there is no such thing on the PS Vita, so keep your Youtube opened to check games before you buy.
The Content could be explained in terms of platform format. You don't see what is not supported : Minis, PSP titles, PS1 titles, plenty are missing and will require that you buy it from your PS3 to install it with your USB cable to your Vita.
Update Oct 2nd: The store now has pictures for a few games! No videos yet.
