Sony Raising Prices of Annual PlayStation Plus Subscription Plans
Updated: Dec 18, 2023
Sony is taking a page out of Microsoft's playbook in raising the prices of its gaming subscription services.
The electronics giant announced all three annual PlayStation Plus subscription plans would see a bump in price globally starting 6 September 2023.
The entry-level Essential plan, which currently costs US$60 per year, will soon be raised to US$80. The annual Extra plan, meanwhile, will be raised to US$135, up from US$100. The annual Premium plan will be raised to US$160, which is $40 more than the current price.
Sony says the price changes won't affect you if you're currently subscribed to an annual PlayStation Plus plan until your next renewal date on or after 6 November 2023. However, if you do make any changes with your plan, between 6 September and then, such as changing tiers, for example, you'll have to pay the new prices.
For now, the price hikes are limited to the annual plans, with monthly and quarterly subscription prices remaining the same. But Sony says that in spite of the changes, opting for the annual plan still yields more savings in the long run. The Essential plan, for example, costs US$10 per month, so if you were to pay for your subscription on a monthly basis, you would reach a total of US$120 by the end of the year. That's US$40 more expensive than the new price of US$80.
Sony said that the price hikes would enable it to "continue bringing high-quality games and value-added benefits to your PlayStation Plus subscription service".
Microsoft a couple of months ago similarly raised the subscription prices of Game Pass across different markets. The software giant explained the changes were meant "to reflect the competitive conditions in each market”, and that they aren't related to the Activision-Blizzard acquisition.
In case you didn't know, you can stack your PlayStation Plus annual subscriptions. That means you can cover yourself until a certain year by purchasing annual subscriptions for your account before their prices change.
Sony announced all three annual PlayStation Plus subscription plans would see a bump in price globally starting 6 September 2023.
The electronics giant says the price changes won't affect you if you're currently subscribed to an annual PlayStation Plus plan until your next renewal date on or after 6 November 2023.
The announcement comes a couple of months after Microsoft similarly raised the subscription prices of Game Pass across different markets.