Sony Announces Important PlayStation Plus Changes

Sony has introduced a three-tiered PlayStation Plus service that includes a massive catalog of hit titles as well as the ability to stream games.

PlayStation Plus is one of the most popular membership programs in the gaming industry, for many gamers. Sony had stated that it had 48 million subscribers as of December 31, 2021, however, PlayStation Plus has stayed fairly stable for the recent decade.

Some publishers are now launching their own subscription services that provide gamers access to the ultimate version of games on day one, indicating that the industry has experienced remarkable changes in recent years. Furthermore, many fans expected Sony to make big modifications to PlayStation Plus during the PS5 generation, given the growing popularity of Xbox Game Pass. Sony has officially released a makeover of PlayStation Plus after months of speculation and speculations.

In a recent post on the official PlayStation Blog, Jim Ryan, President, and CEO of Sony Interactive Entertainment revealed the improvements. According to him, PlayStation Plus and PlayStation Now will be combined into a redesigned service with three subscription tiers: PlayStation Plus Essential, PlayStation Plus Extra, and PlayStation Plus Premium. The essential tier includes monthly games, unique discounts, cloud storage, and online multiplayer access, just like the current PS Plus model. Its price stays intact, but the number of monthly games will be reduced from three or four to two.

The Extra tier allows fans access to a library of up to 400 PS4 and PS5 games, as well as all of the Essential tier's advantages. Sony promises to include big titles like Death Stranding, God of War, Marvel's Spider-Man, Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales, Mortal Kombat 11, and Returnal on launch, and it will cost $99.99 per year. More first-party and third-party titles will be added to the library on a regular basis, according to Sony.

All-new PlayStation Plus launches in June with three flexible membership options.

First details: https://t.co/2KXcEp7XWs pic.twitter.com/jAU9Do3CfE

— PlayStation (@PlayStation) March 29, 2022

The Premium edition is a step up from that, with a few additional features. It brings the total number of titles in the lineup to 340, as well as the option to stream PlayStation games. Users also get access to a library of PS1, PS2, and PSP games, which they may watch or download. Finally, it offers free trials for a limited time and costs $119.99 per year. The PlayStation Deluxe tier will be discounted in regions where streaming services are not accessible.

The new PlayStation Plus service will launch in Asia in June, with North America, Europe, and the rest of the world following in July. By the end of the first half of 2022, Sony hopes to have the service available in most regions.

PlayStation Plus Essential

✊Benefits: 

✊Provides the same benefits that PlayStation Plus members are getting today, such as:

• Two monthly downloadable games
• Exclusive discounts
• Cloud storage for saved games
• Online multiplayer access

✊There are no changes for existing PlayStation Plus members in this tier. 

Price* for PlayStation Plus Essential remains the same as the current price for PlayStation Plus.

✊United States

• $9.99 monthly / $24.99 quarterly / $59.99 yearly

✊Europe

• €8.99 monthly / €24.99 quarterly / €59.99 yearly

✊United Kingdom

• £6.99 monthly / £19.99 quarterly / £49.99 yearly 

✊Japan

• ¥850 monthly / ¥2,150 quarterly / ¥5,143 yearly

PlayStation Plus Extra

✊Benefits: 

• Provides all the benefits from the Essential tier
• Adds a catalog of up to 400* of the most enjoyable PS4 and PS5 games – including blockbuster hits from our PlayStation Studios catalog and third-party partners. Games in the Extra tier are downloadable for play.

Price*:

✊United States

• $14.99 monthly / $39.99 quarterly / $99.99 yearly

✊Europe

• €13.99 monthly / €39.99 quarterly / €99.99 yearly

✊United Kingdom

• £10.99 monthly / £31.99 quarterly / £83.99 yearly 

✊Japan

• ¥1,300 monthly / ¥3,600 quarterly / ¥8,600 yearly

PlayStation Plus Premium** 

✊Benefits:

  ☝Provides all the benefits from Essential and Extra tiers

  ☝Adds up to 340* additional games, including:

• PS3 games available via cloud streaming
• A catalog of beloved classic games available in both streaming and download options from the original PlayStation, PS2, and PSP generations 

☝Offers cloud streaming access for original PlayStation, PS2, PSP, and PS4 games offered in the Extra and Premium tiers in markets** where PlayStation Now is currently available. Customers can stream games using PS4 and PS5 consoles, and PC.*** 

☝Time-limited game trials will also be offered in this tier, so customers can try select games before they buy.

✊Price*:

✊ United States

• $17.99 monthly / $49.99 quarterly / $119.99 yearly

✊Europe

• €16.99 monthly / €49.99 quarterly / €119.99 yearly

✊United Kingdom

• £13.49 monthly / £39.99 quarterly / £99.99 yearly 

✊Japan

• ¥1,550 – monthly / ¥4,300 – quarterly / ¥10,250 yearly

✋PlayStation Plus Deluxe (Select Markets) For markets without cloud streaming, PlayStation Plus Deluxe will be offered at a lower price compared to Premium and includes a catalog of beloved classic games from the original PlayStation, PS2, and PSP generations to download and play, along with time-limited game trials. Benefits from Essential and Extra tiers are also included. Local pricing will vary by market.

Source: 1, 2