Highlights
- Sony has stopped reporting PlayStation Plus subscriber numbers for two months, potentially due to a price increase in September 2023.
- The three-tiered PS Plus service offers different levels of benefits, including online multiplayer, monthly games, cloud streaming, and access to a catalog of over 500 games.
- PlayStation Plus Premium members can enjoy game trials of select AAA titles, but Sony emphasizes that AAA titles won't be available on PS Plus from day one.
Sony has stopped reporting the PlayStation Plus subscriber count for the last two months. The PS Plus subscription service allows gamers access to monthly games, as well as classic titles from all generations of PlayStation consoles.
In 2022, PS Plus was revamped into a three-tiered service where players could choose the level of benefits available to them. The Essentials tier gave gamers the ability to play online multiplayer and have access to monthly games, whereas PS Plus Premium unlocked cloud streaming and access to a catalog of over 500 games spanning the original PlayStation, all the way up to PS5 games.
Free PS Plus Games for November 2023 Are Finally Available to Download
The free PlayStation Plus games for November 2023 are finally available to download across PS4 and PS5 consoles.
As reported by Push Square, Sony has failed to report the last two months of PlayStation Plus subscribers. Even the latest earnings call had the Japanese company reporting up to the last financial year when the subscriber count had grown to around 50 million subscribers. While Sony is under no obligation to legally provide subscriber numbers, it is always best practice to share any specific information with shareholders so that they can be confident in the company’s services.
A likely reason for the omission of these numbers is likely due to Sony announcing a price increase to PS Plus, which took effect in September 2023. The cost of a 12-month subscription for PS Plus Essential jumped from $59.99 to $79.99, while PS Plus Extra rose to $134.99. The top PlayStation Plus Premium tier saw a new retail price of $159.99, a $40 increase over the last year.
PlayStation senior vice president Eric Lempel defended the PS Plus price hike in a recent interview stating players were happy with the three-tiered model introduced in 2022. However, as prices are increasing in areas other than gaming, the changes to the PS Plus costs could mean that players are letting their subscriptions lapse due to other financial priorities.
With the recent PS Plus prices being implemented, Sony is finding other ways to offer value to the subscription service. Along with the monthly selection of games, PS Plus subscribers can claim a free Overwatch 2 bundle that includes five season pass skips and Zenyatta's Toybot skin. While Sony is keen to stress AAA titles won’t be available on PS Plus from day one, PlayStation Plus Premium members also get access to game trials that offer up to 5 hours of a select number of AAA titles, including God of War Ragnarok and Cyberpunk 2077.
PS5
Sony's PlayStation 5 ninth console generation and debuted with a launch lineup that included Demon's Souls and Astro's Playroom. The console comes with a Blu-ray disc, although a digital-only edition is also available for a cheaper price.
- Brand
- Sony
- Original Release Date
- November 12, 2020
- Hardware Versions
- PS5
