Sony Revamps PlayStation Plus to Better Compete With Xbox Game Pass

Sony is re-launching its PlayStation Plus game subscription service in June to better compete with Microsoft’s Xbox Game Pass. Sony’s revamped PlayStation Plus now will include three different tiers and it’s also absorbing PlayStation Now, the company’s cloud gaming service that used to be sold separately.

Here’s what the three different PlayStation Plus tiers will provide to subscribers:

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PlayStation Plus Essential ($9.99/month or $59.99/year): This new basic tier will offer the same benefits as the existing PlayStation Plus service, with two free games every month, online multiplayer access, exclusive discount, and cloud saves.

PlayStation Plus Extra ($14.99/month or $99.99/year): This new tier will include all PS Plus Essential benefits but provide access to a catalog of up to 400 PS4 and PS5 games to subscribers.

PlayStation Plus Premium ($17.99/month or $119.99/year): This Premium tier will include all Essential and Extra benefits plus access to 340 additional PS1, PS2, PSP, and PS3 games via cloud streaming and downloads (except for PS3 games), as well as time-limited trials.

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,” explained Jim Ryan, President & CEO of Sony Interactive Entertainment.

In markets where Sony’s cloud streaming service isn’t available, the company plans to offer a more affordable PlayStation Plus Deluxe tier with a catalog PS1, PS2, and PSP games to download and time-limited trials. Sony didn’t share pricing details yet for this fourth tier, though.

Sony plans to start rolling out its new PlayStation Plus tiers gradually, starting with Asian markets in June. North America, Europe, and other PlayStation Plus markets will follow by the end of the first half of 2022. PlayStation Now will also disappear and existing subscribers will be automatically transitioned to the new PlayStation Plus Premium tier at no additional cost.

“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 said today.

The only thing that’s missing from the equation is day one access to Sony’s first-party games, something that Microsoft has been offering with Xbox Game Pass for quite a while now. But as Sony manages to sell millions of copies of exclusive games like Spiderman: Miles Morales or Horizon Forbidden West without breaking a sweat, the company may not want to cannibalize sales by putting all these games day one on PlayStation Plus Premium.

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  • kevinburkett

    Premium Member
    29 March, 2022 - 9:19 am

    <p><br></p>

  • rm

    29 March, 2022 - 9:45 am

    <p>I would still take Game Pass over it for the new released AAA games. Also, no PC games at all which is included in the Game Pass Ultimate for less than PSPP.</p><p><br></p><p>Anyone that tries to, can bet Game Pass Ultimate for $60 a year (for up to 3 years in advance). All they need to do is purchase a Xbox Gold at $60 (or less per year) and buy Game Pass Ultimate for 1 month. All 37 months become Game Pass Ultimate. I have done this for myself and recently for my son. That is $5 per month for 3 years and it has more value than PSPP at $17.99 per month!</p><p><br></p>

  • bats

    29 March, 2022 - 10:08 am

    <p>WOW….this "should" be enough for the PlayStation Universe to maintain it’s dominance over the Xbox users. </p>

    • zeromus2003

      29 March, 2022 - 10:49 am

      <p>@bats: I’m old enough to not pick sides as I use all gaming platforms, but honestly, Sony doesn’t even need to try hard to "dominate" over XBox in 2022 and beyond. I have yet to find anyone that can convince me to purchase a Series X as I can play the exact same exclusives on my much more powerful PC (I still own my Xbox One X Scorpio Ed, fyi). The PS5 on the other hand has been a necessity as its AAA exclusives are much more compelling and can’t be played immediately on PC (glad that some titles have crossed over though). Again, maybe I’m getting too old, but both GamePass for PC/xbox and what Sony is offering here aren’t bad deals if you want to play the titles you like; in other words, I’m not convinced that users would suddenly just stop subscribing to GamePass for these new Playstation Plus tiers. Also, I’m prob not the target consumer as I still like to "purchase" and "own" games.</p>

      • Donte

        30 March, 2022 - 2:34 pm

        <p>I have read that 85% of all console gaming is on multi-platform games. </p><p><br></p><p>I am PC gamer only right now. Last gen I had both an Xbox One and X and a PS4. I got my PS4 to basically play MLB the show and a few other games, but mainly for MLB. Huge baseball fan. I got the XSX on launch day as I have always had an Xbox to play games with my Xbox only friends and Forza and back in the day Halo. Halo 3 was my last Halo game before the latest release.</p><p><br></p><p>I have since given my XSX to my daughter, who got my X1X when I got the XSX. What has killed console gaming for me is forced cross play. More and more games are forced cross play. This year the 3 big games I waited for a got, Halo, Forza 5 and BF 2042 are all forced cross play. Going deep down on the Xbox settings you can turn off cross play but that breaks the game in some cases or does nothing in other cases. Example do that and then try playing BF 2042…you will hardly ever find a game. </p><p><br></p><p>Forenite and Apex started this forced cross play trend. Warzone followed along, Chivalry II etc. Now Microsoft and others. Game makers are making a ton of money on "extra’s" and they know that if they silo the games to single platforms the games will die off faster and they will make less money. For cross play keeps the player base up.</p><p><br></p><p>At the same time Sony got smart and started releasing their hits on the PC….they like money after all. The PC is quickly becoming the got to gaming platform if you can afford it.</p>

  • thea2_

    Premium Member
    29 March, 2022 - 10:46 am

    <p>Wonder if the catalog of games will be locked to the region you live in…</p>

  • chump2010

    29 March, 2022 - 11:56 am

    <p>This is really annoying. I don’t have either console, but I do subscribe to the PS Now subscription. Typically I get it on special for about £40 a year – which gives me streaming access to lots of Playstation games. I quite like the streaming side of things, as opposed to having to download it.</p><p><br></p><p>To get that now, i have to subscribe to the Playstation Premium Plus service which is £99.99. Even on special it will probably still be £80. This is a price which is more in line with Microsoft’s Game Pass (£8 a month), but sitll cheaper than Uplay (£12.99 a month).</p><p><br></p><p>I wonder how many PC only people will decide to drop the PS Now service altogether now. </p><p><br></p><p><br></p>

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