All-New PlayStation Plus Coming in June with 700+ Games
PlayStation Plus and PlayStation Now will merge this summer giving gamers the choice between three new subscription service options.
Sony has finally revealed the full plans behind "Project Spartacus" a revamp to the PlayStation Plus subscription service. News of the upgraded service has been making waves for months as Sony finalized plans to bolster its offerings. Now the upgrades are official, and changes are coming to the subscription services. This June, PlayStation Plus and PlayStation Now will come together in an all-new PlayStation Plus subscription service. Gamers will now be able to choose between three membership tiers.
Below is an overview of the three membership tiers:
PlayStation Plus Essential
Provides the same benefits that PlayStation Plus members are getting today, such as:
2x monthly downloadable games
Exclusive discount
Cloud storage for saved games
Online multiplayer access
There are no changes for existing PlayStation Plus members in this tier
The price for "PlayStation Plus Essential" remains the same as the current price for PlayStation Plus, here is how it breaks down across major international regions:
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
Provides all the benefits from the Essential tier
Adds a catalogue of up to 400 fan favourite PS4 and PS5 games - including blockbuster hits from PlayStation Studios catalog and third-party games. Games in the "Extra" tier are downloadable for play.
Here is how the price for "PlayStation Extra" breakdown internationally:
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
This tier 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 gamers can try select games before they buy.
Here's the pricing plan for "PlayStation Premium" internationally:
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. (PlayStation Blog)
Titles Included in the Higher Echelons of the Service
President and CEO of Sony Interactive Entertainment Jim Ryan went into a little more detail around the titles included with the new service: "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."
Building greater value
This new restructuring of PlayStation's subscription services comes as Sony looks to compete with Microsoft's Xbox Game Pass and EA's Origin Access. While both of those services offer access to a library of games. Existing PlayStation Plus members will automatically be upgraded to the new service's "PlayStation Plus Essential" tier.
Classic Video Game Preservation
With this announcement, it is clear that Sony is committed to making PlayStation the best place to game. These changes to their subscription services give gamers more value for their money and provide more options for how they want to game. What's more is the fact that Sony is bringing classic titles from multiple eras of PlayStation gaming. It's exciting to see the return of original PlayStation, PS2, PS3 and PSP titles coming to the PS4, PS5 and PC. Whether you're a fan of multiplayer games, want access to a library of games to play on demand, Sony has you covered.
What are your thoughts on the new PlayStation Plus? Let me know in the comments below!