Sony is changing up its PlayStation Plus online service by adding extra tiers, one of which includes PlayStation Now game streaming.
Starting this summer, PlayStation Plus will be divided into three subscription plans—Essential, Extra, and Premium—with PlayStation Now being folded into the Premium plan. While this means you’ll be able to use both PS Plus and PS Now via a single subscription, Sony also says that PS Now as a standalone subscription will be discontinued. So you’ll only be able to access PS Now’s game streaming library if you sign up for Premium.
The current version of PlayStation Plus, which includes two free downloadable games per month, online multiplayer availability, and PSN store discounts, is staying the same. It will also retain its current pricing ($9.99/month, $24.99/3 months, $59.99/year), with the only difference being that it’s will be called “PlayStation Plus Essential.”
PS Plus Extra adds to the basic plan with a library of around 400 PS4 and PS5 games, which can be downloaded to play, along with all the perks of the Essential tier. The Extra tier does cost more, though, with the pricing broken down like this: $14.99/month, $39.99/3 months, or $99.99/year.
Premium is the biggest (and most expensive) tier, offering all the same features as Extra, plus timed game trial offers, 300+ more games added to the catalog, and PlayStation Now streaming. A Premium subscription will set you back $17.99/month, $49.99/3 months, or $119.99/year. Sony will also provide a lower-cost Deluxe tier for markets that don’t support cloud streaming, which won’t include PS Now streaming but will include the 300+ additional games and game trials.
The new PlayStation Plus subscription tiers will be available starting sometime this June, though Sony didn’t specify an exact date. Starting with markets in Asia, then the US, Europe, and finally all other regions “by the end of the first half of 2022.”
Sony also says it’s planning on expanding cloud streaming availability—presumably to make the Premium tier more enticing to a broader user base.
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