Since its debut in 2010, PlayStation Plus has developed into an integral part of Sony’s gaming ecosystem. What started out as a subscription service designed for players to access free content each month has become a necessity to play most online games on PS4 and PS5. Given this transition, it’s not surprising that credible rumors are circulating to suggest PS Plus is about to evolve again.
In an effort to keep PlayStation Plus as relevant as possible in the face of Microsoft’s Xbox Game Pass, rumors suggest combining PS Plus and PS Now – Sony’s Netflix-inspired subscription service – is just one approach being considered to make the publisher’s offerings more robust. If Sony is determined to take its services to the next level, it needs to address some of the complaints that players have had recently. The way in which players access PS5 upgrades has been a particular topic of contention.
PS Plus’ PS5 Upgrades
Following the release of the PS5 in 2020, PlayStation Plus has routinely made headlines for positive and negative reasons. Even though day-one releases on the service like Control: Ultimate Edition have been welcomed by players, how Sony has treated its new console is often a topic of frustration. Back in March 2021, for example, the fact that PS Plus subscribers were unable to access the free upgraded PS5 version of Final Fantasy 7 Remake was met with disappointment. While internally owned IPs like The Persistence have featured free next-gen upgrades on PS Plus, others like Mortal Shell have not.
While it should be noted that Square Enix did give PS Plus subscribers the opportunity to upgrade their copies of Final Fantasy 7 Remake For free after a time, a more consistent approach to the concept would alleviate headaches. The rumored PS Plus overhaul is a perfect opportunity for Sony to address the issue head-on. Ensuring that deals with third-party publishers include clauses relating to free PS5 upgrades would no doubt be welcomed by fans. Despite ongoing supply constraints, the number of PS5s out in the wild will only grow, which means more players will come into contact with the issue if it’s left unaddressed.
The number of games that release as upgradable cross-gen titles is only going to expand as well. Because of the difficulties Sony and Microsoft are having when making the PS5 and Xbox Series X, it’s easy to envision games still being released on the old consoles for a while. There’s plenty of incentive for third-party publishers to jump on free PS Plus upgrades as a result. Players will likely be happier to invest in a game knowing they’ll be able to keep playing once they upgrade their console. Considering how the rumored PS Plus expansion will likely cost more, there’s opportunity for Sony to give third parties a bigger slice of the revenue.
PS5’s Paid Upgrades
If the rumored PS Plus overhaul does require an increased investment, Sony is going to have to incentivize the shift to keep players. While an expanded library of PS Now games and the possibility of greater backward compatibility would go a long way, it makes sense for the publisher to also address other issues. While the debate over whether PS Plus subscribers should get access to PS5 upgrades has frequently been discussed, the conundrum goes much deeper than that.
Since introducing the PS5, Sony has frequently charged players to upgrade its first-party games. Both Director’s Cuts of Ghost of Tsushima and Death Stranding were met with frustration due to convoluted upgrade paths. Though it might look like Sony has streamlined the process in 2022, the situation is still less than ideal. While the fixed $10 upgrade fee for Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves Collection looks good on paper, the initiative denies PS Plus subscribers the chance to take advantage of that price point. The free upgrade between the PS4 and PS5 versions of Horizon Forbidden West is also reportedly the last of its kind, with future games like Gran Turismo 7 going back to a paid route.
While it might be unfeasible for Sony to get every third-party publisher on board, it’s possible that PS5 upgrades of first-party games could be a benefit for PS Plus subscriptions. Considering how the publisher is charging more for its internally developed software, there’s a sense that Sony should be taking extra steps to support fans – especially when Microsoft routinely offers upgrades at no additional cost alongside bonus rewards for Xbox Game Pass subscribers. Folding free PS5 upgrades into the service would be a great way to address this imbalance, and would likely incentivize players to invest more money in the PlayStation ecosystem.
Boosting PS Plus’ Value
Based on the prominence of the PS Plus logo within the PS5’s recent beta software build, it looks like the subscription service is going to play an even bigger role in the PlayStation ecosystem going forward. If rumors are to be believed, one of the ways in which Sony will achieve this is through the integration of PlayStation Now into PS Plus’ new subscription tiers. Reports point to there being three tiers available, with the most expensive one being an option that combines both services. While that sounds good on paper, as it stands now PS Now is noticeably lacking when it comes to PS5 content.
Thanks to the sales figures for Sony’s first-party games, and the amount of money players are being asked to spend on them, it seems unlikely that PS Plus’ combined library will feature day-one PS5 content similar to Xbox Game Pass. Adding free PS5 upgrades could be an option that Sony explores in order to overcome these shortcomings. If the rumored PS Plus overhaul does become a reality, there will be plenty of older cross-gen games on the market ripe for the free upgrade treatment.
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