TL;DR: Sony has joined an ever growing list of companies ratcheting up the cost of their subscription offering. Starting next month, the price of a 12-month PlayStation Plus membership will increase for all. Sony said the price hike will allow them to continue to deliver high-quality games and value-added benefits through the service.
In the US, the new pricing looks like this:
- PlayStation Plus Essential 12 month membership - $79.99 (from $59.99)
- PlayStation Plus Extra 12 month membership - $134.99 (from $99.99)
- PlayStation Plus Premium 12 month membership - $159.99 (from $119.99)
The new price points go into effect starting September 6. Sony said its annual plan discount will remain intact versus single-month and three-month billing, but didn't mention any changes to one-month and three-month pricing. Gamers already in a 12 month subscription will not see the new price kick in until their renewal date.
Subscription price hikes have become a serious pain point as of late, and virtually everyone is guilty of participating. Microsoft increased the price of Xbox Game Pass on July 6. Pretty much every major music and video streaming service has jacked up their rates in recent months.
A modest increase in the five to 10 percent range would be perfectly reasonable, but a 33-35 percent jump (which is what we are looking at here) feels more like a punch in the gut. So, what recourse do you have?
Well, nobody is twisting your arm and forcing you into a subscription. As Sony notes, customers are free to cancel their PS Plus subscription at any time. Conversely, you can take advantage of the current pricing while it lasts.
Furthermore, subscriptions can be stacked, so it is possible to load up on several years of PS Plus at the current price. I'm not aware of any limits on stacking (please point me to them if you know of any), and at least one co-worker has been paid ahead as far as five years at one point.
Image credit: Lee Paz