PlayStation Plus subscribers shouldn’t expect to see any first-party day-one releases on the subscription service in the near future, as a company executive recently stated. There are an estimated 47 million PlayStation Plus subscribers across the subscription service’s multi-tiered system, but some may be giving Sony some side-eye when comparing it to the Xbox Game Pass business model.
Launched in 2010, PlayStation Plus offers players access to a selection of monthly games, as well as serving as a hub for multiplayer access and offering exclusive discounts to subscribers. The upcoming 15th anniversary of PlayStation Plus is scheduled for June 29, 2025, and players can expect to see an expanded variety of top games, discounts on Sony-branded movies, and even a brief free multiplayer access period for non-subscribers.
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Sony Isn’t Ruling Out Another PS Plus Price Increase
The last worldwide price increase for PlayStation Plus was only back in 2023, but Sony now says that further increases to the service are possible.
But while the subscription service remains very popular among PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 owners, it’s not known for its day-one blockbuster releases, instead relegating that role to independently produced titles and maintaining a catalog of older PS Plus Classics that players can enjoy. That’s not something that’s likely to change in the near future, according to Nick Maguire, vice president of global services. In a recently published interview with Game File over the upcoming anniversary, Maguire rejected the concept of adding first-party games to the subscription service at launch, stating, “We’ve sort of stayed true to our strategy across the board, where we’re not looking to put games in day and date.”
PlayStation Plus is Not Adopting Game Pass’ Business Model
That business model contrasts with that of Microsoft’s Xbox Game Pass, which is much more keen to offer first-party titles on its subscription service as soon as they hit the market. All the studios Microsoft has acquired make it possible for games like Tony Hawk’s Pro-Skater 3+4 and Grounded 2, which are both due for release in July, to launch on Game Pass as soon as they’re available to the public. Other upcoming day-one first-party Game Pass games include The Outer Worlds 2 and Ninja Gaiden 4 in October, and the 2026 reboot of Fable.
There are three tiers to PS Plus — Essential, Extra, and Premium — giving players the ability to find the best value that works for them. Sony’s multi-tier strategy seems to be working well, as Maguire noted an 18 percent growth in the Premium tier over the past 12 months, indicating that players want to take full advantage of the subscription service’s offerings. He also seemed confident that the quality of monthly games has been improving and will continue to get better, as accounted for by the upward shift in Premium-tier membership.
PlayStation Plus offers three membership plans packed with benefits and games to level up your play.
PlayStation Plus Premium
Enjoy all the core PlayStation Plus benefits, hundreds of games in the Game Catalog, and premium benefits like game trials, cloud streaming, and the Classics Catalog.
PlayStation Plus Extra
Get all the great benefits included in the PlayStation Plus Essential plan, as well as access to the Game Catalog, featuring hundreds of games to download and explore.
PlayStation Plus Essential
Enjoy all the core PlayStation Plus benefits: join your friends in online multiplayer matches, add new games to your collection every month, save at PlayStation Store and more.