Sony Teases PS Plus And PS Now Merger
It was only a matter of time before Sony was going to refine its sometimes confusing PlayStation Plus and PlayStation Now subscription model. Hoping to streamline things, it looks increasingly likely that the gaming giant will merge the two to create a shiny, new, service in 2022.
Instead of cooling off, the new-gen console wars are raging hotter than ever. It's brother against brother, as a war-torn battlefield of PS5s and Xbox Series consoles lies as a burning wasteland of acquisitions and first-party exclusives. PlayStation is limping into the fight with a few tricks up its sleeve, and now, we've got a potential peek at what's next.
Is Sony Merging PS Plus And PS Now?
With Sony removing PS Now subscription cards from sale, the writing was already on the wall that the streaming service was in trouble. Once dubbed the Netflix of gaming, PS Now allows you to stream (and sometimes download) thousands of PS2-PS4 games. Remembering that you needed the PS Plus subscription to access the likes of online multiplayer, it was clear Plus was going to come out on top.
A small change appeared on the online store and has teased that a merger is closer than we first thought. On Twitter, Okami Games noted that a PlayStation Plus promo image now reads "available this month at no extra cost." It used to say "for PlayStation Plus subscribers."
The timing is convenient, as there's plenty of buzz that something codenamed PlayStation Spartacus will combine PlayStation Plus and Now, while also offering backward compatibility with the likes of PS3 and beyond.
Looking at what this tiny tweak means, the mention of "no extra cost" also suggests there will be a premium tier of this service - similar to Game Pass Ultimate. As ever with Sony, don't expect to find out until those at the top are ready for you to know.
Is It Time For A New Subscription Service?
Hmmm, could a tiny deal between Microsoft and Activision Blizzard have accelerated things? Sony undoubtedly had its plans for an overhaul before the record-breaking acquisition was announced, but it's an interesting thought. There seems to be no stopping Game Pass right now, and with Microsoft's subscription service crossing 25 million active users, it's clear Sony's equivalents are being left in the dust.
Although there are still arguments that Game Pass simply can't make money by "giving away" AAA games like the Halo Infinite campaign on Day One, Phil Spencer remains defiant. Given that the Xbox Series S is affectionately dubbed the Game Pass Machine, Microsoft seems ahead of the curve.
Whatever Sony is working on, change needs to happen. There's already been uproar that next month's Planet Coaster will only be available to PS5 owners via Plus - despite offering a free upgrade if you actually own it. Even Spencer wants to see what Sony has planned, and trust us, he's not alone in that one.
