It has long been discussed that PlayStation would release a subscription service to rival the successful Xbox Game Pass with it’s large library of games available at a low monthly price. Today, PlayStation has officially announced their all-new PlayStation Plus subscription service. This service will bring together their current PlayStation Plus and PlayStation now models while adding in new features. There will be 3 membership tiers gamers can choose from, below is a list of what each include:
PlayStation Plus Essential | Price: $9.99 monthly | $24.99 quarterly | $59.99 yearly
- 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
PlayStation Plus Extra | Price: $14.99 monthly | $39.99 quarterly | $99.99 yearly
- 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.
PlayStation Plus Premium | Price: $17.99 monthly | $49.99 quarterly | $119.99 yearly
- 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.
While the Essential tier is the same as the current PlayStation Now subscription, the Extra and Premium tiers offer something brand new for PlayStation. Currently, the only PlayStation exclusive titles that are confirmed to be on the service are Death Stranding, God of War, Marvel’s Spider-Man, Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales, Mortal Kombat 11, and Returnal. PlayStation is working with developers from PlayStation Studios and their third-party partners to include a wide variety of games in a library that will be regularly refreshed. More details are yet to come on the games that will be available on the new PlayStation Plus service.
PlayStation plans on rolling out this new subscription service model in phases across various regions. The current timeframe will begin in June with a launch in several markets across Asia. This will be followed by North America, then Europe, and the rest of the world where PlayStation Plus is offered. Their goal is to have most PlayStation Network territories on the new PlayStation Plus service by the end of the first half of 2022 with the potential to expand to more markets that will be discussed at a later date.
Now, what will happen to current PlayStation Plus and PlayStation Now members? PlayStation Plus subscribers will simple move over to the newly names PlayStation Plus Essential tier which costs the same and offers the same benefits. PlayStation Now subscribers will be transitioned into the PlayStatin Plus Premium tier with no increase to their current subscription fees at launch.
More information about exact launch dates and titles to be seen on the service will be announced as the year continues.
