PlayStation Plus, Explained

Sony’s PlayStation Plus is a well-known brand with a long history, but the service received a substantial makeover in 2022. Combining the original version with PS Now, the platform adopted a tiered system that seemed designed to offer something equivalent to Xbox Game Pass, with the higher levels containing extensive libraries of games that are updated monthly.

Although not without its controversies or criticisms, PS Plus has stabilized by this point, making it a consistently valid option for PS5 and even PS4 owners. As the service offers a lot of content along with different price points and features, here are the major things everyone should know about PS Plus.

All The PlayStation Plus Tierse

Rather than present a one-size-fits-all subscription, PS Plus lets users have their pick from three tiers: Essential, Extra, and Premium. Here is a brief summary of each level’s offerings:

• Essential
  – The core PS Plus benefits as they were prior to the 2022 relaunch. Subscribers gain access to online multiplayer, monthly games, exclusive discounts, and a few other benefits.

• Extra
  –
  Essential tier benefits
  + a catalog of downloadable PS5 and PS4 games.

• Premium
  – Essential & Extra tiers benefits + a catalog of classic PS3, PS2, PS1, and PSP games.

Ultimately, picking a PS Plus tier comes down to someone’s needs. If a player will only be using the online multiplayer feature, Essential will suffice and there is little to gain from subscribing to one of the higher tiers.

Premium’s central selling is its Classics Catalog, which adds hundreds of titles on top of the PS5 and PS4 games that are also available in the Extra tier. While this collection is grand, please note that PS3 games are played through Cloud Streaming and cannot be downloaded. Consequently, their performance is dependent on the user’s internet connection.

Which PS Plus Tier Should You Buy?

As there is quite a jump in price from one level to the next, a full breakdown of each tier’s features and benefits might help someone decide whether they should go for Essential, Extra, or Premium.

How Much Does PS Plus Cost?

Each PS Plus tier has its own price point to match the benefits included with the subscription.

PS Plus Essential

• 1-Month Subscription:
  $9.99

• 3-Month Subscription:
  $24.99

• 12-Month Subscription:
  $79.99

• 1-Month Subscription:
  $14.99

• 3-Month Subscription:
  $39.99

• 12-Month Subscription:
  $134.99

PS Plus Premium

• 1-Month Subscription:
  $17.99

• 3-Month Subscription:
  $49.99

• 12-Month Subscription:
  $159.99

PS Plus Price Increase Starting September 6

Starting from September 6, PS Plus Essential, Extra, and Premium received notable price increases for their 12-month subscriptions. Unsurprisingly, this news garnered quite a mixed reception from users, a situation not helped by Essential’s headlining free game for September 2023 being the controversial Saints Row reboot.

Here are the new prices:

• PS Plus Essential:
  $79.99

• PS Plus Extra:
  $134.99

• PS Plus Premium:
  $159.99

At the moment, the 1-month and 3-month subscriptions appear to be staying fixed at their current prices. For current subscribers who have an active 12-month subscription that is soon reaching its end, their service will renew at the previous prices until November 6; from that point, the new rates will be applied.

How To Subscribe To PlayStation Plus?

The process to subscribe to PS Plus is quite straightforward, and there are a couple of avenues people can use to get there.

Newcomers to Sony’s ecosystem will first need to create a PlayStation Network account as this is required to utilize any service, including buying games from the PS Store. An account by following this link.

How To Subscribe To PS Plus Using The PS5

The most convenient way to subscribe to PS Plus is through the PS5 or PS4 console.

1. Log into the home screen.
2. Navigate to the PlayStation Plus panel
3. Select ”
   Subscribe
   ”
4. Pick Essential, Extra, or Premium
5. Pick a Payment Plan

How To Subscribe To PS Plus Using A Web Browser

It is also possible to subscribe to PS Plus directly from a web browser. Visit this playstation.com page and scroll down to the “Choose Your Membership Plan.” From there, choose a tier and select “Add to Cart.” After that, simply check out to complete the transaction.

How To Cancel A PS Plus Subscription?

There might come a time when someone might wish to cancel their PS Plus subscription. The process is quite uncomplicated:

1. On a web browser, head to the Sony Network’s
   Account Management
   page.
2. From the menu’s PlayStation Network options, select ”
   Subscription
   .”
3. Select ”
   Cancel Subscription
   ” near PlayStation Plus.

Account Management’s Subscription page also allows players to change their PS Plus tiers or payment frequency.

What Is PS Plus On PC?

PS Plus Premium subscribers also have the option to stream games via the service’s PC app. The library includes titles from both the Games and Classics Catalog, although it is not the full selection. Here are some things interested parties should know about this option:

• The
  DualShock 4 is the only confirmed compatible controller
  . That does not mean other controllers will not work, just that they are not guaranteed by Sony.
• PS Plus On PC is not currently available in every country that has the main streaming service.
• PS5 games cannot be streamed.
• A PS5 or PS4 is not needed to subscribe to PS Plus on PC.
• Sony recommends a Broadband wired internet connection of a minimum of
  5 Mbps
  ​​​​.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can PS Plus Premium Subscribers Stream PS5 Games?

PS Plus Premium’s Cloud Streaming is compatible with the Games Catalog’s PS4 games and all the titles found in the Classics Catalog. PS5 games cannot be streamed.

Sony has not specified a fixed date of when subscribers can anticipate new additions to the library, but history suggests that games will be added roughly halfway through a month.

Can Subscribers Switch Tiers?

Yes. If someone wants to move up to a higher PS Plus tier, they only need to purchase a new membership at their desired level. This upgrade will happen instantly, and the customer will be charged a prorated fee for the rest of the current month.

If a member wishes to downgrade their tier, they would need to visit their Sony account’s “Subscription” tab to perform the change. This alteration will come into effect once the next payment is made.

Can PS Plus Benefits Be Shared?

While limited to one PS5 or PS4 console, certain PS Plus benefits are shared among the different accounts on the system. These include online multiplayer, access to Premium & Extra’s libraries, downloaded monthly games, and games purchased using a PS Plus discount.

Which PlayStation Plus should I Get?

Ultimately, this comes down to personal preference. If someone only intends to play PS5 and PS4 games, there is little reason to subscribe to Premium.

PS Plus Free Games For January 2024

PS Plus Essential looks set to get 2024 started on an exciting note with three notable free games. The January lineup’s headlining act is A Plague Tale: Requiem, the highly-regarded sequel to 2019’s Innocence. Continuing the story from its predecessor, Amicia and Hugo head out in search of an island that might hold the key to curing the latter’s illness.

As the black plague is still at its worst, the siblings need to deal with hordes of rats, along with plenty of human enemies who wish to capture or kill them. Requiem offers a lengthy single-player campaign with gorgeous visuals and an emotional story built on the strength of its core relationship. Although stealth is prioritized, the gameplay has quite a bit of variety as it also throws in puzzles, combat, and some exploration.

Garnering a positive but not glowing reception at launch, Evil West seems tailor-made for a platform like PS Plus. Flying Wild Hog’s game drops players in the Weird West, assigning them missions that generally involve eradicating a plethora of classical monsters like zombies. The campaign follows a fairly strict and simple level structure that largely boils down to a series of arena fights, but the combat is enjoyable and progressive enough to ease the exhaustion of following such a repetitive format.

Evil West is one of those games that many people might struggle to justify purchasing at full price or a small discount, but it is a perfect fit for a subscription service. Even if the gory and visceral action fails to strike a chord with someone, they lose nothing by giving the title a try.

Another 2022 project, Nobody Saves the World is an inspired action RPG that casts players as a protagonist who transforms into different personas to gain abilities. Essentially, players gain access to a plethora of classes with unique skills, allowing them to adapt to a situation as needed.

While not completely devoid of a story (and certainly not lacking in personality), Nobody Saves the World‘s combat and dungeons are its main selling points, and they complement each other beautifully. The game uses procedural generation technology to enhance its replayability, and this project can keep someone engaged for weeks or months if they get into its gameplay loop.

PS Plus Essential subscribers can “purchase” these games from January 2, 2024.

• Current as of January 11, 2024

Most subscribers will likely invest in PS Plus Extra as that tier contains more than enough PS5 and PS4 games to keep someone busy for a long time. Unless specifically interested in classic PS games or Cloud Streaming, there is not much reason to pick Premium over Extra. Still, subscribers of both tiers can download and install the following titles.

PS Plus’ game library can vary from country to country.

What Classics Are On PlayStation Plus Premium?

PS Plus Premium celebrates PlayStation’s past, bringing together titles released over the span of more than two decades. If a PS5 or PS4 owner wants to play some old favorites, this tier should deliver.

Every PS4 Game Only On PS Plus Premium (Including Remasters Of PS3, Vita, & PSP Games)

Every PS3 Game On PS Plus Premium

Every PS1, PS2, & PSP Game On PS Plus Premium

PS Plus Essential got 2024 off to a promising start, and the month’s Extra and Premium additions largely follow suit. Extra subscribers will gain access to an eclectic selection of games that cover a range of genres. Just Cause 3 and Lego City Undercover are both sandbox projects that generally encourage players to have fun and do what they want, all the while still being wildly different experiences from each other. Surviving the Aftermath is a hard city-building set in a post-apocalyptic climate, and while perhaps not a masterpiece of its genre, the game has plenty to offer. Shadow Tactics: Blades of the Shogun is a well-done tactical stealth game, while Hardspace: Shipbreaker is an impressive sim option.

The month’s biggest names are Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands and Resident Evil 2. Although the latter has been out for quite a while by this point, Capcom’s remake represents the survival horror franchise at its best, delivering a modernized take on the classic formula with stunning visuals, addictive gameplay, and plenty of scares. Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands adds a fantasy twist to the Borderlands formula, all the while throwing in as many D&D references as possible. If someone loves Borderlands, they are likely to get a kick out of the spin-off.

January 2024’s Premium selection is also decent, particularly for fans of JRPGs. While neither of them is considered amazing, the Legend of Mana and Secret of Mana remasters provide a passable way to experience two beloved classic entries in the genre. Street Fighter: 30th Anniversary Collection comes packed with twelve fighting games, although roughly half of those are different versions of SF2.

PS Plus’ Last Chance section highlights which games will be leaving the service in the near (or distant) future. To ensure that subscribers do not miss out on a departing title they are interested in, they should keep an eye on which PS Plus games are coming and going. Since the service’s launch, a few games per month have been removed.

In January 2024, PS Plus Extra and Premium are set to lose a few notable projects that have been available on the service for quite a long time. The biggest removals will be Devil May Cry 5 and It Takes Two, which are arguably the best options in their categories (hack and slash & co-op) on Sony’s platform. Jett: The Far Shore, Omno, Pillars of Eternity 2, and SnowRunner are also major titles in their own right, even if they are fairly niche in the grand scheme of things. The Missing: J.J. Macfield and the Island of Memories is considerably less well-known, but it should not be ignored either (and is well worth a playthrough before it is removed from PS Plus).

PS Plus Game Trials

Besides instant access to PS Plus’s Game and Classics Catalogs, Premium subscribers can also try out a select few PS5 and PS4 titles for a limited time. Players can currently test out more than 40 games, and their trial periods vary in length.

• A Plague Tale: Requiem
  (2 Hours)

• AI: THE SOMNIUM FILES – nirvanA Initiative
  (1 Hour)

• Biomutant
  (2 Hours)

• Bonfire Peaks
  (1 Hour)

• The Callisto Protocol
  (1 Hour)

• The Cruel King and the Great Hero
  (2 Hours)

• Cobra Kai 2: Dojos Rising
  (2 Hours)

• Construction Simulator
  (2 Hours)

• Crusader Kings 3
  (3 Hours)

• Cyberpunk 2077
  (5 Hours)

• De-Exit
  (1 Hour)

• Disney Dreamlight Valley
  (2 Hours)

• DNF Duel
  (2 Hours)

• Dying Light 2 Stay Human
  (3 Hours)

• Elemental War 2
  (2 Hours)

• F1 Manager 2022
  (3 Hours)

• God of War Ragnarok
  (3 Hours)

• Gotham Knights
  (1 Hour)

• Hot Wheels Unleashed
  (2 Hours)

• Hunting Simulator 2
  (2 Hours)

• The Last of Us Part 1
  (2 Hours)

• LEGO City Undercover
  (2 Hours)

• LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga
  (1 Hour)

• Little League World Series Baseball 2023
  (2 Hours)

• Marvel’s Midnight Suns
  (2 Hours)

• Miraculous: Rise of the Sphinx
  (2 Hours)

• MLB the Show 23
  (3 Hours)

• MotoGP 22
  (2 Hours)

• NBA 2K23
  (2 Hours)

• NHRA Championship Drag Racing: Speed For All
  (2 Hours)

• Nickelodeon Kart Racers 3 Slime Speedway
  (2 Hours)

• Park Beyond
  (2 Hours)

• Persona 5 Royal
  (4 Hours)

• PGA Tour 2K23
  (2 Hours)

• Phoenix Point
  (2 Hours)

• Relayer
  (2 Hours)

• Rims Racing
  (2 Hours)

• Rollerdrome
  (1 Hour)

• Soul Hackers 2
  (2 Hours)

• Steelrising
  (2 Hours)

• Tactics Ogre: Reborn
  (2 Hours)

• Unrailed!
  (2 Hours)

• Vampire The Masquerade Swansong
  (2 Hours)

• World of Outlaws: Dirt Racing
  (2 Hours)

• WWE 2K23
  (2 Hours)

PS Plus Exclusive Packs

Regardless of their chosen tier, PS Plus subscribers can download for free an array of DLC and packs from a selection of games. Here are a couple of examples:

• Brawlhalla
  (Bonus Pack 4)

• Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War
  (Combat Pack – Motorpool)

• H1Z1
  (Bandit Pack)

• Smite
  (Kukulkan Skin)

• Warface
  (Rime Pack)