A few weeks ago, Sony launched a brand-new iteration of their PlayStation Plus subscription service. The new version of the service is essentially a merger of PlayStation Now and PlayStation Plus but comes packed with additional benefits for those willing to pay the price. A comparison with Xbox’s Game Pass service is quickly made, but while the two services might seem similar, there are plenty of differences. Sony was kind enough to upgrade my account to experience the new features first-hand. What’s new? Let’s dive in!
The PlayStation Plus service is divided into three tiers. The first tier is PlayStation Plus Essential. And it really is essential. Without it, you will not have access to multiplayer, cloud storage, two monthly free games, and member-only discounts in the PlayStation Store. Basically, it’s the service you came to expect, albeit with a new name.
The next tier is PlayStation Plus Extra. It comes with all the benefits of the Essential subscription, but – you guessed it – with something extra! This subscription gives you access to a library of (selected) PS4 and PS5 game titles. Those expecting all Sony first-party games to be in this tier are left disappointed. While there is a great selection of games, some titles (like Horizon: The Forbidden West) are left out. A stark contrast to Xbox’s Game Pass. Microsoft promised to make all first-party games available on day one – without additional costs – for Game Pass subscribers. Although Sony specifically told the media it’s not trying to compete with Game Pass, it’s still strange Sony made this choice. Making the service a harder sell for veterans of the PlayStation platform, who are likely after these titles. Undoubtedly, games will be available on rotation. So what’s not present yet, might still be in the future.
Last but not least is PlayStation Plus Platinum. This tier has all the above mentioned benefits but also enables for various games to be streamed. This saves your precious SSD from being filled to the brim. When streaming games, you always have to take into account additional input lag and a loss in video quality. Although, from our own experience, these are all minimal. I was really surprised to see how well the games played when streaming. Sure, I wouldn’t advise you to play a competitive multiplayer shooter through streaming. But for story-driven games, streaming is a very viable option. Another benefit of the Premium subscription is timed demos. Players are able to play a selection of games for a set number of minutes, without the obligation of purchase. Great for those considering buying a game that looks appealing. The price of video games has seen a slight increase with this generation of consoles, making this a very consumer-friendly feature. As with Extra, Premium also gives access to the selection of PS4 and PS5 titles. However, on top, Platinum also allows access to a library of “Classics”. Classics are games that were popular on the previous generation of PlayStation consoles (and are emulated through streaming). The selection of classics is minimal. Syphon Filter is there, but many other games that made PlayStation stand out from the competition (like Tomb Raider), are missing.
So then, who benefits the most from this renewed service? If you often like to play video games on your PlayStation console, chances are high many of the games included in the service are games you’ve already played. The selection of PS4 and PS5 games – even though some first-party titles are left out – is stellar. PlayStation Plus Extra is the place to be if you haven’t played games like Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, Death Stranding, Guardians of the Galaxy, and Ghost of Tsushima. This service is your money’s worth! If you have played those games, things quickly become less attractive. So what about Premium?
Upgrading to Premium (note: you’ll be paying a premium too, pun intended) adds the option to stream games, play classics, and access to timed demos. From my point of view, these additions don’t really justify the price hike. The selection of classics at this point in time is minimal. Timed demos are nice, but why make these exclusive to the highest tier? That makes little sense. Game streaming is becoming more and more common. In fact, on Game Pass it’s a standard feature. So why leave this out of the Extra tier? Who is willing to pay a premium just for this feature? Maybe if you’re on the road a lot or if you’re a PC gamer that doesn’t own a PlayStation console there’s a benefit. But the latter would be better off waiting, as most first-party games are now coming to PC anyway.
Sony might not be trying to compete with Game Pass, but by overlooking the service as a whole, they made their own service less appealing. It would’ve made sense if there was just one extra tier with all the additional options. But for now, PlayStation Plus Extra is where it’s at for most gamers!
