But while the subscription service remains very popular among PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 owners, it’s not known for its day-one blockbuster releases, instead relegating that role to independently produced titles and maintaining a catalog of olderPS Plus Classicsthat players can enjoy. That’s not something that’s likely to change in the near future, according to Nick Maguire, vice president of global services. In a recently published interview withGame Fileover the upcoming anniversary, Maguire rejected the concept of adding first-party games to the subscription service at launch, stating, “We’ve sort of stayed true to our strategy across the board, where we’re not looking to put games in day and date.”
PlayStation Plus is Not Adopting Game Pass' Business Model
That business model contrasts with that of Microsoft’s Xbox Game Pass, which is much more keen to offer first-party titles on its subscription service as soon as they hit the market.All the studios Microsoft has acquiredmake it possible for games likeTony Hawk’s Pro-Skater 3+4andGrounded 2, which are both due for release in July, to launch on Game Pass as soon as they’re available to the public. Other upcoming day-one first-party Game Pass games includeThe Outer Worlds 2andNinja Gaiden 4in October, and the 2026 reboot ofFable.
There arethree tiers to PS Plus— Essential, Extra, and Premium — giving players the ability to find the best value that works for them. Sony’s multi-tier strategy seems to be working well, as Maguire noted an 18 percent growth in the Premium tier over the past 12 months, indicating that players want to take full advantage of the subscription service’s offerings. He also seemed confident that the quality of monthly games has been improving and will continue to get better, as accounted for by the upward shift in Premium-tier membership.
PlayStation Plus
PlayStation Plus offers three membership plans packed with benefits and games to level up your play.PlayStation Plus PremiumEnjoy all the core PlayStation Plus benefits, hundreds of games in the Game Catalog, and premium benefits like game trials, cloud streaming, and the Classics Catalog.PlayStation Plus ExtraGet all the great benefits included in the PlayStation Plus Essential plan, as well as access to the Game Catalog, featuring hundreds of games to download and explore.PlayStation Plus EssentialEnjoy all the core PlayStation Plus benefits: join your friends in online multiplayer matches, add new games to your collection every month, save at PlayStation Store and more.
