We are in the timeline where online multiplayer consoles is not free despite owning the game, instead relying on gamers to purchase monthly, quarterly or annual subscriptions from the major console manufacturers to access such services. While originally just online play and a few small perks, each company has added their own unique spin. Sony began offering free monthly games, Nintendo added virtual console support with a library of games, and Microsoft began offering an extensive game library. With the former coming more in line with the latter, Sony Interactive Entertainment today confirmed that changes will be coming to the PlayStation Plus service in June 2022.
Players will now have access to three different levels of paid tiers – Playstation Plus Essential, PlayStation Plus Extra, and PlayStation Plus Premium / PlayStation Plus Deluxe. As you go down the line, the price increases, but offers more perks. However it should be noted that Sony aren’t going to force players onto more expensive tiers, with what’s available now (including free monthly games and online play) accessible through the Essential service at the same price.
Those who subscribe to the PlayStation Plus Extra service, which is $14.99 USD per month or local equivalent, will gain access to all Essential perks and a catalog of up to 400 PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 titles, which will be available to download on-demand while the subscription is active.
Those going the extra mile and paying $17.99 USD per month or local equivalent will gain access to PlayStation Plus Premium or PlayStation Plus Deluxe perks. For markets which had support for the PlayStation Now cloud streaming service, it will be made defunct come June 2022 and merged into the Premium Package. Players will gain access to approximately 340 additional games from the PS1, PS2, PS3 and PSP generations along with the perks of lower tier levels. Those in territories such as Australia which don’t have support for PlayStation Now will gain access to the slightly cheaper Deluxe subscription, which provides access to a catalogue of games from the PS1, PS2 and PSP generations. Sadly, those of us in the latter category are still left waiting for a chance to play some of the many gems of the PS3 library.
The new Extra and Premium tiers represent a major evolution for PlayStation Plus. With these tiers, our key focus is to ensure that the hundreds of games we offer will include the best quality content that sets us apart. At launch, we plan to include titles such as Death Stranding, God of War, Marvel’s Spider-Man, Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales, Mortal Kombat 11, and Returnal. We’re working closely with our imaginative developers from PlayStation Studios and third-party partners to include some of the best gaming experiences available with a library that will be regularly refreshed. More details to come on the games we’ll have on our new PlayStation Plus service.
Building upon more than 25 years of expertise in gaming innovation, this change to our subscription services highlights our continued efforts to evolve our network services business to match our customer’s preferences. With the all-new PlayStation Plus, we’re focused on delivering a compelling game subscription service with curated content from our exclusive PlayStation Studios team and our third-party partners. The newly enhanced PlayStation Plus will enable our fans to discover and engage with more content than ever before, and deepen their connection with the PlayStation community through shared experiences.
Jim Ryan – President and CEO of Sony Interactive Entertainment
