PlayStation Plus is changing, and though we’ve known a change was coming, today, Sony finally unveiled what codename Project Spartacus is, as this “all new PlayStation Plus” is revealed.
To be clear, it will still be called PlayStation Plus, and PlayStation Now as a platform will go away, after it is absorbed into this new PS Plus, with three tier levels.
The news was revealed in a PlayStation Blog post detailing what each tier will offer and the prices for each.
PlayStation Plus: Essential is the first tier, and it’s everything you already get right now with PS Plus. It’s basically what you already pay for, at the same price monthly ($9.99/£6.99), quarterly ($24.99/£19.99), and annually ($59.99/£49.99).
Choosing this tier is no different from what we have now, which means that things like cloud save files and playing online are still locked behind the PS Plus paywall.
PlayStation Plus: Extra is where things start to change, and we see the amalgamation of PS Now. This level offers everything from the first, with “a catalog of up to 400 of the most enjoyable PS4 and PS5 games”.
This will include both first party PlayStation Studios games, and third-party games. Sony does clarify that these games will be downloadable.
The cost at this tier is $14.99/£10.99 monthly, $39.99/£31.99 quarterly, $99.99/£83.99 annually.
PlayStation Plus: Premium is the third, and final tier, which not only gives you everything from the previous two, but adds up to 340 more games, between the PS3, PS2, PSP, and PSX consoles.
PS3 games will only be available over streaming, and will not be downloadable, just like how it currently works on PS Now.
PS2, PSP, and PSX titles will be available in both streaming and downloading options, though Sony isn’t clear as to whether or not that means all games are available for both.
This tier also adds the ability to stream PS4 and PS5 games, which the previous tier does not, they can only be downloaded.
And finally, this tier will also grant you time-trials for select games.
Now if you already subscribed to both PS Plus and PS Now, this is the tier you will be automatically transferred into. The cost of those two subscriptions is the exact same cost for the highest tier level.
Which means that it’ll be $17.99/£13.49 monthly, $49.99/ £39.99 quarterly, and $119.99/£99.99 annually.
The blog post does note that regions in which streaming is not an option, the third tier offered will be something called PlayStation Plus: Deluxe.
It’ll be a lower cost than the Premium tier, though it’ll still include all the benefits of the first two levels, along with a catalog of PSX, PS2, and PSP games available to download.
You’ll also still get time-trials offered for those at the Deluxe level. There’s no clarification on pricing however, as Sony simply states “Local pricing will vary by market”.
There’s no mention of games from PlayStation Studios launching into the service, though it seems that Sony will add to the catalog of PS5 and PS4 games as they choose.
When this new service launches, they’ll start by offering games like both Marvel’s Spider-Man and Miles Morales, Death Stranding, Returnal, Mortal Kombat 11, and God Of War.
The new service launches in June, though as it is a massive transition it will happen regionally, beginning in Asia, then moving to North America, Europe, and the rest of the world.
According to PlayStation, their aim is to have half of the territories they currently have live with this new service before the end of the year.
What do you think of the changes? Let us know in the comments below.
Source – [PlayStation Blog]