PS Plus Extra and Premium Have Room for Improvement as Many Subscribers Remain at Essential Level”
PS Plus Struggles to Compete with the reliable Xbox Game Pass in 2022. PlayStation Plus (PS Plus) Extra and Premium, the higher tiers of the subscription service, have room for improvement as many subscribers continue to opt for the lower-tiered PS Plus Essential level.
The additional features and benefits offered by Extra and Premium, such as access to a larger library of games, may not be perceived as sufficiently valuable by subscribers to justify the higher monthly cost. In order to increase the appeal and value of Extra and Premium, Sony Interactive Entertainment, the developer of PS Plus, may need to consider adding new features or improving the existing offerings.
PlayStation Plus, Sony’s subscription service for online multiplayer and free monthly games, has struggled to compete with Microsoft’s Xbox Game Pass in 2022.
While PlayStation Plus Premium subscribers have access to over 1,000 games, the majority of which were inherited from the old PlayStation Now service, the offering does not compare to the curated selection available through Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, which currently has access to more than double the number of games.
In addition, Sony has stated that it will not launch first-party games on the upper tiers of PlayStation Plus, while Xbox Game Pass frequently features day-and-date launches of new titles. Despite the large number of games available through PlayStation Plus Extra and Premium, there is little to justify the higher monthly cost compared to the lower-tiered PlayStation Plus Essential.
Enhance Value of PS Plus Premium or Eliminate It
One of the main differences between the top tier of PlayStation Plus (PS Plus) and the lower tiers is that Premium subscribers can stream hundreds of games to their PS5, PS4, or PC, but not to mobile devices, unlike Xbox Game Pass Ultimate. However, the games that are exclusive to Premium subscribers, which are mostly old PS3 and PlayStation Portable games, do not justify the additional $3 per month cost.
Sony Interactive Entertainment should either improve the streaming capabilities of PS Plus Premium, such as by adding mobile device support, or extend the streaming feature to the Extra tier and eliminate Premium.
The existence of the Premium tier only adds confusion for customers regarding what the new PlayStation Plus offers. Additionally, offering more generous perks at the Extra level may increase subscription numbers.
Select One Key Game Each Month and Maintain It
Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE) has adopted a strategy of providing a large volume of content for PlayStation Plus (PS Plus), while its competitor, Xbox Game Pass, has a more targeted approach.
While the games added to PS Plus Extra each month offer value to subscribers, the large number of titles can be overwhelming and does not effectively market the service or showcase its unique value.
In November, SIE reported that it had lost approximately 2 million paying subscribers, despite an overall 10% increase in revenue from PlayStation’s network services for the quarter. To improve the appeal of PS Plus, SIE should consider focusing on a single key game each month rather than offering a wide variety of titles across different genres. This approach may help to distinguish the service and better engage players.
Please Consider Offering Day-and-Date Launches
Sony has indicated that it will not offer first-party day-and-date launches on PlayStation Plus (PS Plus). However, the expectations of customers have been largely shaped by Microsoft’s Xbox Game Pass, which frequently features day-and-date launches of new titles.
While Sony may not want to release a game from its in-house development studios or cannot convince another major publisher to participate in a day-and-date launch on PS Plus, the lack of such offerings may result in most subscribers remaining at the lower-tiered PlayStation Plus Essential level.
Sony may want to reconsider its stance on day-and-date launches in order to improve the appeal and value of its subscription service.
