PlayStation Plus is finally folding PlayStation Now into one specific service for us all
It was one of the worst kept secrets and, thankfully, the rumors can now stop with the announcement we have for PlayStation Plus and how things are going to be changing for the service. Try not to freak out just yet; we still have to wait until June for all of these to go into effect, but it does sound close to what gamers have been asking for. Even if it does mean that PlayStation Now is slightly going away and we will see this service wrapped up in the new one here. All so we can get those classic PS1, PS2, and PS3 titles on the PS4 or PS5 depending on where you are in the cycle here. You all begged for full backward compatibility and now we are kind of getting it.
This new service, still called PlayStation Plus for the most part, will now be back with three different tiers for us to buy. The lowest being exactly what you can pay for now when it comes to PS+ and will have the same price for it all currently. The next or “Extra” level will house all of that but also give us access to up to 400 more PS4 and PS5 titles from their curated list and for us to download. All for about $5 USD more a month. The final level, PlayStation Plus Premium, will house all of the above and a mix of 340 PS3, PS2, PS1, and PSP titles for us to download or stream depending on the title. Those PS3 titles can be a bit rough to get running on anything that was not that console, so this is the only option we will have to play them on our newer systems. Thankfully, that level will also give us time-limited game trials so we can try before we buy some of the newer titles to come. Not too shabby.
PlayStation Plus And PlayStation Now Come Together; Players Can Choose From Three Flexible Options
PlayStation Plus Essential
Benefits
- Provides the same benefits that PlayStation Plus members are getting today, such as:
- 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
Benefits
- 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
Benefits
- 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.
What are your thoughts on these new PlayStation Plus options we will have? Do you think we will be getting the best titles in the mix of the 730 here or will they be the titles that many did not want to buy before? What titles from the PS3 era would you like to see in the mix again and how likely will it be to see them here? Give us all of that feedback down in the comments and then feel free to discuss it all if you so wish. As things develop for the new PlayStation Plus levels out there, we will try to share it all with everyone here. Just keep a close eye on our site for those updates and much, much more.