Sony says users still see value as high-tier subscriptions grow – but more price changes could be on the way.
Earlier this year, Sony increased the price of the PS Plus Subscription in Australia and 15 countries across Latin America; now,. Some people thought the PS Plus might get backlash, and fans might not end up getting it, but Sony has said something else.
Sony’s PlayStation Plus subscription service is still growing despite price increases over the last year, which some people dislike. Sony recently shared news about their business, indicating that not only do they still have a large number of subscribers, but more players than ever are choosing the more expensive Extra and Premium tiers.
This information was first shared by Gaming Bolt and comes straight from Hideaki Nishino, president and CEO of Sony Interactive Entertainment. He gave it at the company’s most recent investor presentation. Nishino says that users are still interested in the more advanced features of PS Plus, which shows that subscribers are getting real value for their money despite the higher price.
Nishino said during the presentation, “Our Premium and Extra tiers are becoming more popular with subscribers and now make up about 38% of all subscribers.”
In that breakdown, there are:
The Premium tier is now used by 22% of all PS Plus users.
In fiscal year 2022, Premium made up 17% of the subscriber base, and Extra made up 13%. This is a big change from that year. To put it another way, growth at the higher level isn’t just steady; it’s speeding up.
What’s making this trend happen? Sony states that improved free game lineups, enhanced online infrastructure, and additional benefits in higher subscription tiers are all drawing people to switch their plans.
Sony seems to see this as a vote of confidence in the service as a whole. It was made clear in the presentation that this growth indicates players still consider PlayStation Plus worth the investment despite the increased cost.
But there’s a catch: prices will be changing again soon. They didn’t give exact numbers or dates, but Sony did confirm that prices will be changing again for all PS Plus plans. Based on how the company has been talking, it’s only natural that a lot of users are getting ready for more price hikes, even though nothing has been officially announced yet.
There was a big price increase for PS Plus in late 2023. The cost of an annual subscription went up for all three levels: Essential, Extra, and Premium. A lot of people didn’t like that move, especially long-term subscribers who thought the value was starting to slip. But these new numbers show that Sony may have been right about the strategy, at least in terms of numbers.
Sony has been improving PS Plus for some time now, making it more similar to Xbox Game Pass. It now features a tiered system, offers free games every month, provides cloud streaming options, and provides access to an increasing number of PlayStation games from the past.
The main difference is that Sony’s top level is still more expensive than Game Pass Ultimate, and it doesn’t include as many new games on the first day. PS Plus users can still get Sony’s biggest exclusives, like Spider-Man 2, Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, and Rise of the Ronin, on the day they come out. It’s still something that fans really dislike.
But the numbers don’t lie. Sony seems to be doing well by focusing on consistent value by releasing old classics, trial versions of games, more cloud features, and steady monthly drops. That’s enough for some. Some people still think it’s not enough.
If Sony does raise prices again, it will have to offer even more value. This means either adding more content created by Microsoft itself, improving the free games every month, or finally adding launch-day games, which is what Game Pass is all about.
About four out of ten subscribers are on the Extra or Premium level, which gives Sony a lot of freedom. But trust isn’t enough. If prices keep going up without making the service better, especially for users in the Essential tier, it could tip the scales back the other way.
Sony seems sure of itself for now, though. Sony wants to keep improving PlayStation Plus because more people want it and are willing to pay more for it. Also, don’t be shocked if your renewal fee shows up again soon.
