The long-awaited confirmation has finally arrived. Sony just revealed the new PlayStation Plus, a proposal with which it is proposed to stand up to Xbox Game Pass. The Japanese corporation confirmed the merger of the service that already existed under that name with PlayStation Now. the same will be available from next June and will have three subscription levels.
According Indian Jim Ryan, President and CEO of Sony Interactive Entertainment, the revamped subscription service will have over 700 games at launch. Among them will be titles such as Death Stranding, God of War, Mortal Kombat 11 and returnaljust to mention a few.
Once the new PlayStation Plus is available, PlayStation Now will cease to exist as a standalone service. This goes hand in hand with what has been commenting on the subject for several months.
It is worth mentioning that the launch of this new Sony proposal will be regionalized. It is that in June it will be launched in different Asian markets, and later it will arrive in North America, Europe and other countries in which the current PlayStation Plus is already available. The Japanese company hopes that by the end of the year the service will be available in practically all the territories in which PlayStation Network is present.
The new PlayStation Plus will have three subscription levels
As we have mentioned on other occasions, the new PlayStation service to compete with Xbox Game Pass will have three subscription services. the same will be Essential, Extra and Premium. They will vary not only in the value to be paid in each billing cycle, but also in the type of content they will offer.
If you’re wondering what each of the various PlayStation Plus tiers includes, there are no big surprises. It is that the vast majority of the characteristics of the service had already been leaked in recent times.
- PlayStation Plus Essential it is basically the same as what is currently offered on PS Plus. Those who already have this service will not see changes at the time of the transition to the new version. The benefits that it includes are two downloadable games per month, exclusive discounts, cloud storage to save games and access to online multiplayer.
- PlayStation Plus Extra part of the same base of the previous level, but with more novelties. The big difference here is the inclusion of a catalog of up to 400 PS4 and PS5 titles that players can download. According to Sony, among the available games, proposals from PlayStation Studios and also from third parties will stand out.
- PlayStation Plus Premium It is the most complete option offered by the Japanese company in this new subscription service. In addition to what is already mentioned in Essential and Extra, it adds up to 340 additional games, including PS3 titles (via streaming), and classic games from the original PlayStation, PS2 and PlayStation Portable; the latter can not only be played from the cloud, but will also be downloadable. On the other hand, users will be able to access limited trials of different games before buying them.
An important point to note is that Premium subscribers will also be able to stream the games offered in the Essential and Extra tiers (up to PS4), but only in countries where PlayStation Now is already available. This means that it will be limited to 19 territories, including Spain. This option will allow you to play from the cloud using a PS4, PS5 or a PC.
However, Sony will launch a fourth variant of the subscription service but it will be limited to selected markets. Is about PlayStation Plus Deluxewhich will be implemented in countries where the option to stream from the cloud is not available.
According to the Japanese, this version will have a lower price than the Premium version and will include downloadable versions of classic games from the original PlayStation, PS2 and PSP, as well as limited-time trials. The price of this alternative has not yet been confirmed, as it will vary according to each country.
Still, Sony has promised to expand the reach of its cloud-based gaming infrastructure to more markets. According to Jim Ryan, there will be more news on the subject in the coming months.
It is also important to mention that players with an active PlayStation Now subscription will be relocated to the Premium tier of PlayStation Plus. The company promises that there will be no changes in the price of its current subscription, at least during its launch.
The prices of the new Sony service
PlayStation Plus Essential | PlayStation Plus Extra | PlayStation Plus Premium | |
United States | $9.99 monthly / $24.99 quarterly / $59.99 annually | $14.99 monthly / $39.99 quarterly / $99.99 annually | $17.99 monthly / $49.99 quarterly / $119.99 annually |
Europe | €8.99 monthly / €24.99 quarterly / €59.99 annually | €13.99 monthly / €39.99 quarterly / €99.99 annually | €16.99 monthly / €49.99 quarterly / €119.99 annually |
United Kingdom | £6.99 per month / £19.99 per quarter / £49.99 per year | £10.99 per month / £31.99 per quarter / £83.99 per year | £13.49 per month / £39.99 per quarter / £99.99 per year |
Japan | 850 yen per month / 2,150 yen quarterly / 5,143 yen per year | 1,300 yen per month / 3,600 yen quarterly / 8,600 yen per year | 1,550 yen per month / 4,300 yen quarterly / 10,250 yen per year |
We’ll see what impact the new PlayStation Plus has on fans. As we have mentioned on other occasions, Sony will have to make a very important bet if it really wants to fight side by side with Xbox Game Pass, which is one of Microsoft’s great successes. Everything will depend on whether the content offered is up to the investment that subscribers must make..
For now, Jim Ryan has been very enthusiastic about this possibility. “The new and improved PlayStation Plus will allow our fans to discover and interact with more content than ever before, and deepen their connection with the PlayStation community through shared experiences,” said the executive.