Sony is set to launch a new video game subscription service this summer, seeking to drive sales of its PlayStation consoles and compete with a similar offering from Microsoft.
The company said Tuesday it will bundle its existing PlayStation Plus and PlayStation Now services into one single subscription service called PlayStation Plus. The new PlayStation Plus will arrive in June and comes in three tiers:
- the basic package, PS Plus Essential will offer players two free games each month, cloud storage for saved games and access to online multiplayer. It costs $10 a month, $25 per quarter or $60 for an annual subscription.
- a step above Essential is PS Plus Extra, which comes with all the same perks as Essential but includes a selection of 400 downloadable PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 games. It’s priced at $15 monthly, $40 quarterly or $100 a year.
- the most expensive package is PS Plus Premium. This one includes 340 more games than Extra, and lets players stream a selection of PS, PS2, PSP, PS3, PS4 and PS5 games over the internet. PS Plus Premium will cost $18 a month, $50 per quarter or $120 each year.
The move is viewed by industry insiders as Sony’s response to Xbox Game Pass, a popular game subscription service from Microsoft which lets users download and stream a bunch of different games.
Microsoft is spending big on Game Pass, acquiring massive video game publishers like Activision Blizzard and Bethesda for a combined $76 billion to bring their popular titles onto the service.
Microsoft Game Pass is seen as akin to “Netflix for games.” It allows gamers to play video games on their phone, PC or Xbox console via the cloud, erasing the need for expensive hardware.
Sony’s PS Plus Premium service will let users stream games to their PC as well as the PS4 and PS5. Players will also be able to try some games for a limited time before deciding to buy them.
