Compared to other video game subscription services, Sony's PlayStation Plus seems to be fairly popular. While there are definitely months that miss the mark, the free PlayStation Plus games for any given month often outdo the Xbox free Games with Gold lineup, and there's also the sizable PS Plus Collection for PS5 gamers to take into account. However, a recent change to PS Plus has greatly upset some subscribers.
Sony has disabled PS Plus subscription stacking. Subscription stacking is when subscribers redeem multiple PS Plus codes at the same time to "stack" their subscription and keep it going longer. Oftentimes PS Plus subscribers do this when subscription cards go on sale, so they can get multiple years of PS Plus for a fraction of the cost. However, Sony disabled this without any prior announcement, and fans aren't happy about it.
For now, PS Plus subscribers can only redeem codes after their current subscription has expired. Sony has explained that it made these changes due to the new PS Plus tiers that are on the horizon. For the uninitiated, Sony is combining PlayStation Plus and PlayStation Now to create three new PS Plus subscription tiers: Essential, Extra, and Premium. Sony has said this change will make the transition to the new PS Plus subscription service go smoother, and that subscribers will be able to stack subscriptions again after the new PS Plus launches. The launch dates vary by region, but Sony is targeting a June 13 date for those in the Americas.
Since subscription stacking will be available again after the new PS Plus tiers launch, some may not think that this is all that big of a deal. But the issue is that those who were able to take advantage of this before Sony put a stop to it were essentially able to build up extra time for the more expensive PS Plus tiers at a discount. Those with both PS Plus and PlayStation Now subscriptions will be able to convert to PS Plus Premium at a lower cost than those who weren't able to take advantage of stacking before Sony disabled the feature.
Many have been unfavorably comparing this move to Xbox Game Pass, as Microsoft has allowed users to stack subscriptions for years. It has painted a picture of Microsoft being more consumer-friendly with its comparable subscription service than Sony has been, so it will be interesting to see how fans react once the new PS Plus tiers launch.
