PlayStation Plus: Everything You Need to Know as Sony Makes Big Changes
Sony’s PlayStation Plus subscription service for PS5 owners went through a major overhaul earlier this week. The new version brings together both of Sony’s previous PlayStation subscriptions, the original Plus service and the now-defunct PlayStation Now. The former offered online play and access to a handful of games; the latter offered cloud streaming of some games.
The new single subscription, still called PlayStation Plus, combines online multiplayer, free monthly games and a standing game library available for download or streaming.
That includes the games previously available on the old PS Now. Whether you just got a PS5 or are a long-time PS4 owner, here’s what you need to know about the service change. PS Plus is required to play many multiplayer games online, and subscribers get access to new games each month (usually two) at no extra cost.
The now-defunct PS Now is the originator of modern console cloud gaming (and Sony even bought the assets of OnLive, the long-dead originator of PC cloud gaming), although the service was not up to snuff when compared to its newer competitors. Game subscriptions like PS Plus and Microsoft’s Game Pass offer a sizable library of games for a monthly fee. They can also get a bit confusing due to frequent changes in features and available games.
PlayStation Plus is additionally split into three tiers, Essential, Extra and Premium, with different prices for each. Read more: PS5 Restock Tracker