PlayStation Plus Is Relaunching With 700+ Games And Three New Options

Sony is relaunching PlayStation Plus in what appears to be an attempt to rival Xbox's Game Pass. 

The changes will come into effect in June, with Sony saying: "We're bringing together PlayStation Plus and PlayStation Now in an all-new PlayStation Plus subscription service that provides more choice to customers across three membership tiers globally."

What Are The Three PlayStation Plus Tiers?

The three tiers are as follows: 

PlayStation Plus Essential

This includes:

• Two monthly downloadable games
• Exclusive discounts
• Cloud storage for saved games
• Online multiplayer access
• There are no changes for existing PlayStation Plus members in this tier.

PlayStation Plus Extra

This includes: 

• All the benefits from the Essential tier
• Adds a catalogue of up to 400 of the most enjoyable PS4 and PS5 games – including blockbuster hits from PlayStation Studios' catalogue and third-party partners. Games in the Extra tier are downloadable for play.

PlayStation Plus Premium

This includes:

• All the benefits from Essential and Extra tiers
• Adds up to 340 additional games, including:
  • PS3 games available via cloud streaming
  • A catalogue of beloved classic games available in both streaming and download options from the original PlayStation, PS2 and PSP generations 
  • Offers cloud streaming access for original PlayStation, PS2, PSP and PS4 games offered in the Extra and Premium tiers in markets where PlayStation Now is currently available. Customers can stream games using PS4 and PS5 consoles, and PC.
  • Time-limited game trials will also be offered in this tier, so customers can try select games before they buy.

How Much Do The New PlayStation Plus Tiers Cost?

The Essential tier will cost the same as the current PlayStation Plus model. The others will set you back a fair bit more. 

PlayStation Plus Essential:

• United States
  • • $9.99 monthly / $24.99 quarterly / $59.99 yearly
  • Europe
    • €8.99 monthly / €24.99 quarterly / €59.99 yearly
  • United Kingdom
    • £6.99 monthly / £19.99 quarterly / £49.99 yearly 
  • Japan
    • ¥850 monthly / ¥2,150 quarterly / ¥5,143 yearly

PlayStation Plus Extra:

• United States
  • $14.99 monthly / $39.99 quarterly / $99.99 yearly
• Europe
  • €13.99 monthly / €39.99 quarterly / €99.99 yearly
• United Kingdom
  • £10.99 monthly / £31.99 quarterly / £83.99 yearly 
• Japan
  • ¥1,300 monthly / ¥3,600 quarterly / ¥8,600 yearly

PlayStation Plus Premium:

• • United States
    • $17.99 monthly / $49.99 quarterly / $119.99 yearly
  • Europe
    • €16.99 monthly / €49.99 quarterly / €119.99 yearly
  • United Kingdom
    • £13.49 monthly / £39.99 quarterly / £99.99 yearly 
  • Japan
    • ¥1,550 – monthly / ¥4,300 – quarterly / ¥10,250 yearly

• PlayStation Plus Deluxe (Select Markets) For markets without cloud streaming, PlayStation Plus Deluxe will be offered at a lower price compared to Premium, and includes a catalogue of beloved classic games from the original PlayStation, PS2 and PSP generations to download and play, along with time-limited game trials. Benefits from Essential and Extra tiers are also included. Local pricing will vary by market.

When Will The New PlayStation Plus Tiers Come Into Effect?

In a PlayStation blog, Sony said: "In the June timeframe, we’ll begin with an initial launch in several markets in Asia, followed by North America, Europe and the rest of the world where PlayStation Plus is offered. We aim to have most PlayStation Network territories live with our new PlayStation Plus game subscription service by the end of the first half of 2022. We also plan to expand our cloud streaming benefit to additional markets, and will provide more details at a later date."