New PlayStation Plus Service Explained

Here's everything you need to know about the new Playstation Plus Service.

For the last few years, Xbox has been dominant with its innovative Game Pass, a service that allows players to access and download a massive catalog of games new and old for just $9.99 a month. Game Pass also includes every new Microsoft first-party title the day it is released.

Sony released a similar service named PlayStation Now, but it wasn't as nearly successful and received criticism due to most games only being able to be streamed and not downloaded. This meant players who had bad internet or no internet had essentially no way of playing the games they paid for. PlayStation Now also didn't allow players to access PlayStation exclusives Day 1.

New PlayStation Plus Service Explained

Fear not PlayStation fans, Sony officially announced a revamped PlayStation Plus, that includes different tiers that rewards players with access to games similar to what the Xbox Game Pass offers

This new iteration of Playstation Plus will include three tiers, Essential, Extra, and Premium. The benefits and details of each tier is:

PlayStation Plus Essential: $9.99 monthly / $24.99 quarterly / $59.99 yearly

• 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: $14.99 monthly / $39.99 quarterly / $99.99 yearly

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

PlayStation Plus Premium: $17.99 monthly / $49.99 quarterly / $119.99 yearly

• Provides all the benefits from Essential and Extra tiers
• Adds up to 340* additional games, including:
  PS3 games available via cloud streaming
  A catalog 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.

With competitive prices, access to new games, and a massive selection of PlayStation classics, the new iteration of PlayStation Plus will look to compete with the Xbox Game Pass in the ever-growing content war between the two consoles.