As an experienced gaming industry analyst who has followed PlayStation closely for over a decade, I‘m going to provide you with a complete guide comparing PlayStation Plus, PlayStation Now, and the new PlayStation Plus tiers that launched in 2022.
My goal is for you to come away with clarity regarding what each offering provides, where they overlap, how they differ, and which represents the best value for various player needs in 2023. This will enable you to pick the right upgrade path as Sony sunsets the Plus and Now legacy services in favor of the new three-tier model.
Let‘s start by reviewing…
A Brief History of PlayStation Plus and PlayStation Now
PlayStation Plus originally launched in June 2010, aimed at the thriving PS3 user base of nearly 50 million players globally [1].
For a $50 annual fee, Plus gave those console owners something they desperately wanted – online multiplayer gaming. Prior PlayStation consoles had lacked this capability which Xbox Live popularized. Plus also provided other benefits like access to pairs of free games monthly, cloud storage for game saves, and discounts on PlayStation Store content.
Then, capitalizing on growing interest around game streaming technology like OnLive and Gaikai, Sony acquired the latter and repackaged that tech to announce PlayStation Now in January 2014 [2].
Rather than downloading games, Now gave access to a library of over 600 PS3 games initially that were streamable to PS4, PS3, and even PS Vita consoles. This catalog later expanded to include select PS2 and PS4 titles too, reaching over 800 streamable games in total by 2020. But unlike Xbox Game Pass which globally popularized subscription game catalogs, Now‘s streaming technology and $20/month pricing [3] failed to attract more than 2 million subscribers at its peak.
Most PlayStation fans simply stuck with the cheaper PlayStation Plus service for online gaming access and freebies. But this fractured approach left Sony unable to compete with
Xbox Game Pass – The Final Catalyst for Change
Sony likely took notice when Xbox Game Pass first launched in mid-2017, bundling a Netflix-style catalog of 100+ games with Xbox Live Gold online access for $10/month. But adoption was modest then.
It wasn‘t until Microsoft began aggressively expanding the Game Pass lineup in 2020 and 2021 that it exploded in popularity, ultimately exceeding 25 million subscribers by January 2022 [4]. Key to this growth spurt was Microsoft…
- Rapidly updating the catalog with major first-party games like Halo Infinite on day one of release.
- Adding cloud gaming capability so games could be streamed via Xbox Cloud Gaming rather than locally downloaded.
- Bundling Game Pass with Xbox All Access, a next-gen console financing program.
Faced with this competitive pressure, PlayStation CEO Jim Ryan admitted that Sony would need to respond regarding its disparate Plus and Now services. The long-awaited unveiling of the new PlayStation Plus three-tier structure soon followed in March 2022.
Breaking Down PlayStation Plus Essential, Extra and Premium
In June 2022, existing PlayStation Plus and PlayStation Now subscriptions globally were converted to one of three new PlayStation Plus tiers [5]. Here‘s what each offers based on monthly pricing:
PlayStation Plus Essential ($10/month)
This base tier essentially replaces the original PlayStation Plus service, still offering:
- Online multiplayer gaming
- 2 monthly downloadable games (playable as long as you remain a member)
- Exclusive discounts on PlayStation Store purchases
- 100GB of cloud storage for game saves
So if competitive and cooperative online gaming is your priority along with accessing free titles and sales, Essential may still be the only upgrade you need.
PlayStation Plus Extra ($15/month)
On top of all the Essential benefits above, Extra provides access to an expanding catalog of 400+ downloadable PS4 and PS5 games spanning both first-party Sony titles and third-party hits.
That list already includes games like Demon‘s Souls, Returnal, Marvel‘s Spider-Man: Miles Morales, Red Dead Redemption 2, NBA 2K22 and many more. So you gain instant access to a Netflix-sized catalog of hit games from past years that significantly extends your options beyond the 2 monthly Essential offerings.
PlayStation Plus Premium ($18/month)
This top tier (dubbed "Deluxe" in some regions) delivers everything from the tiers below plus an additional 340+ game catalog spanning classic PS1, PS2, PS3 and PSP games from the ‘90s onwards.
Many of these legacy games utilize cloud streaming rather than downloads due to technical constraints. And Premium members also gain access to limited-time gaming trials for certain new titles – a handy way to experience upcoming games for 2+ hours before deciding on a purchase.
When comparing the sheer amount of acclaimed PlayStation content available across two decades – from seminal early 3D adventures like Metal Gear Solid and Resident Evil right through boundary pushing modern masterpieces like 2020‘s The Last of Us Part II – Premium offers tremendous lasting value.
PlayStation Plus vs. PlayStation Now vs. New Tiers – Summarized
Now that you understand the legacy offerings and new structure, let‘s examine how they compare across some key metrics:
| PlayStation Plus | PlayStation Now | PlayStation Plus Essential | PlayStation Plus Extra | PlayStation Plus Premium | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly Price | $10 | $10 | $10 | $15 | $18 |
| Yearly Price | $60 | $100 | $60 | $100 | $120 |
| Online Multiplayer Access | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Monthly Free Games | 2 | No | 2 | 2+ | 2+ |
| Game Discounts | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Included Game Catalog | No | Yes (Streaming) | No | 400+ Games | 740+ Games |
| Classic Game Access | No | Some PS3 Titles | No | No | 340+ Games |
| Cloud Streaming | No | Yes | No | No | Yes |
Evaluating the Winner
Hopefully breaking down those offerings has shed light on what exactly you gain (or give up) at each pricing level. But which new PlayStation Plus tier ultimately offers the most complete package for subscribers in 2023?
In my expert opinion as an industry analyst, PlayStation Plus Premium delivers far and away the most compelling content blend of current and classic PlayStation gaming.
Though an extra $5 monthly over Extra may not seem substantial, unlocking permanent access to gaming milestones spanning multiple decades and pioneering console generations holds tremendous nostalgic appeal for committed PlayStation fans.
That said, PlayStation Plus Extra also offers outstanding value as well if your gaming time is generally focused on modern PS4 and PS5 releases. Though you don‘t gain streaming access or legacy content with Extra, downloading any of the 400+ included games (including many Sony-published hits) for unlimited play remains hugely convenient.
Ultimately, choose the higher Premium tier if embracing PlayStation‘s full gaming history matters. But if you mainly want to extend your new release access at a lower price, Plus Extra nets you a giant constantly updated content pool on its own.
Either way, I hope breaking down this full comparison of PlayStation‘s legacy and current subscription options was helpful. Let me know if you have any other questions!
- House, Matthew. The Evolution of PlayStation Plus. PS Blog. 2014.
- Ivan, Tom. PlayStation Now Streaming Game Service Launches Open Beta Today. Computer and Video Games. 2014.
- Orland, Kyle. Don’t get too excited about PlayStation Now’s download option. Ars Technica. 2018.
- Warren, Tom. Microsoft hits new milestone for Xbox Game Pass subscriptions. The Verge. 2022.
- PlayStation. PlayStation Plus Games. PlayStation.com. 2022.
