Sony's PlayStation Plus subscription service is set to undergo a price increase for its 12-month plans across all tiers, starting from September 6. The Essential plan will see a jump from $60 to $80, the Extra plan from $100 to $135, and the Premium plan from $120 to $160.
Details from the Official Announcement
According to the official PlayStation Blog post by Ashley Nicollette, the Lead Community Manager at People Can Fly, the price adjustment aims to “continue bringing high-quality games and value-added benefits to your PlayStation Plus subscription service.” The new prices for the 12-month subscription will still offer a discount compared to purchasing the 1-month or 3-month subscriptions over a year. Current 12-month subscribers will not experience the price change until their next renewal date that falls on or after November 6. However, any membership modifications made on or after September 6, such as upgrades or downgrades, will reflect the new prices.
September's Game Lineup
The PlayStation Plus Monthly Games for September include Saints Row, Black Desert – Traveler Edition, and Generation Zero. These games will be available to PlayStation Plus members from September 5 to October 2. The Saints Row game offers players an expansive sandbox experience in the world of Santo Ileso. Black Desert – Traveler Edition is an open-world MMORPG with various character classes and combat types. Generation Zero is a first-person open-world adventure set in 1980s Sweden, where players can engage in guerilla combat against mechanical enemies.
Comparisons and Market Response
This move by Sony follows a similar decision by Microsoft, which raised the prices for its Game Pass subscription service two months prior. Despite the price hike, PlayStation Plus remains generally less expensive than equivalent Game Pass tiers. For instance, an annual PS Plus Essential plan is $52 cheaper than a year of Xbox Game Pass. However, Microsoft offers access to all its first-party games via Game Pass upon their release, a feature Sony currently doesn't match.
Last week, Microsoft decided to remove its $1 trial subscription for Xbox Game Pass Ultimate. This move cam just days before Bethesda's much anticipated Starfield becomes a first-day Game Pass release.
Subscribers have until September 6 to add more time to their existing PS Plus plans at the current prices. With the upcoming changes, it remains to be seen how the PlayStation community will respond and whether the enhanced game offerings will justify the price adjustments.
