MeinMMO editor Benedikt Schlotmann will soon use PS Plus Extra for 2 years on the PS5. However, he is sure that he will not renew the subscription.
What kind of models are those? In case you missed it: Sony has scrapped the old PS Plus model and introduced three new subscription models for PS Plus. These have been available since June 23, 2022. All three models offer different advantages and cost varying amounts.
I upgraded my “PS Plus” subscription from Essential to Extra about a month after the launch of the new models. At that time, during a promotion from Sony, it only cost around 20 euros. Since then, I have stayed with “Extra”, but now I am glad that I will cancel my subscription in July.
PS Plus Extra simply offers me too little as a long-time player on the PS5
Why am I cancelling now? Sony has significantly raised the price for PS Plus: I previously paid 99.99 euros per year for PS Plus Extra. Since September 6, 2023, I now have to pay 125.99 euros, which is a hefty 26 euros more than before. Just to compare the prices:
- PlayStation Plus Essential costs 71.99 euros for 12 months (previously 59.99 euros).
- PlayStation Plus Extra costs 125.99 euros for 12 months (previously 99.99 euros).
- PlayStation Plus Premium costs 151.99 euros for 12 months (previously 119.99 euros).
After almost 2 years, I believe that Sony simply offers me too little with PlayStation Plus Extra. Similar to Xbox Game Pass, Extra also provides me access to about 400 PlayStation games, but these are mostly just old “classics.” As a long-time PlayStation player, I have already purchased or played most of the “classics” at some point.
The new blockbusters, such as the controversial Stellar Blade, usually do not release for PlayStation Plus Extra or Premium. So if I really want to play current titles, I have to buy them. And Extra does not offer me any discount for the PS Store. For example, the Epic Game Store gives me 5% of the purchase price back as credit.
Overall, Xbox Game Pass comes out ahead because I can try many new games without having to spend 70 euros upfront, such as Starfield or Forza Motorsport 8.
Unlike my colleague Niko, who raves about the new PS Plus subscription, I am also not a huge fan of Japanese or quirky games. I love the Persona series and (almost) all Ghibli films, but spending a hefty 125 euros a year for that is a bit too much for me.
With “quirky” games that are supposed to define Extra or Premium, you certainly won’t convince me to subscribe to something that now costs 26 euros more.
Will I stay with PS Plus? I will definitely cancel Extra, that is certain. I will certainly still use PS Plus for another 2 or 3 months, as the new addon for Elder Scrolls: Online “Gold Road” will be released soon. And I personally prefer the PS5 version over the PC version, even though I have to wait 2 weeks longer for the release than on PC. However, the update manager on PC is simply terrible, I much prefer my PS5 and the technology there.
In the future, I will certainly think multiple times about whether I will switch back to the Extra or Premium model.
Is the PS5 still worth it? The PS5 is now over 3 years old. But is it still worth buying a PS5 in 2024? MeinMMO discusses the pros and cons of Sony’s console and explains what you need to consider if you are thinking about a purchase: Is it even worth buying a PS5 in 2024?
