New PlayStation Plus Essential, Extra and Premium Tiers Halt Subscription Renewals on PS3, PS Vita
The three new tiers of PlayStation Plus will offer a combination of online multiplayer access, time-limited trials and a library of downloadable games that will see the end of the PlayStation Now service. PS Now isn’t the only feature coming to an end, though, as Sony has confirmed PS3 and Vita players will no longer be able to renew their PS Plus subscriptions from their devices.
Where can PS Plus be renewed?
PlayStation Plus can continue to be renewed on a PS4 or PS5 console, as well as a desktop or mobile device. According to an e-mail Sony sent to all PS Plus members, players “will not be able to buy a new subscription directly from your PS3 or PS Vita” when the new PlayStation Plus tiers take effect in June. The decision is not completely surprising bearing in mind online play on PS3 and Vita was always free. The PS Plus games also stopped for PS3 and Vita in 2019. Aside from renewing the ability to play previously downloaded PS Plus games, there is little benefit to the service on either device.
From June, players will have a choice of three different tiers of PS Plus membership on PS4 and PS5. PlayStation Plus Essential is the new name for the current PlayStation Plus service where players will get exclusive discounts on the PlayStation Store, cloud storage for game saves, online multiplayer access, and two monthly downloadable games. As the latter feature matches the current wording for PS Plus, it’s uncertain whether the number of PS Plus games will be reduced per month or stay fixed at two PS4 and one PS5 game.
PlayStation Plus Extra will be where PS Plus and PS Now are combined. As well as PlayStation Plus Essential benefits, Extra adds a catalog of up to 400 PS4 and PS5 games that players can download for as long as they remain in the service. Those who currently subscribe to PlayStation Now will be transferred to PlayStation Plus Premium with no increase in fees.
Finally, PlayStation Plus Premium includes all PS Plus Extra benefits as well as time-limited game trials and a much bigger catalog of games. The extra 340 games will include classic PS3, PS2, PSP, and PlayStation games. Cloud streaming will be available for PS3 titles (these are not downloadable), PlayStation, PS2, PSP and PS4 games too. Those who live in regions where cloud streaming is not available will instead be offered a PlayStation Plus Deluxe tier with reduced pricing. More details on all of the above are promised for closer to launch.
In other news, Jim Ryan has explained why the new PlayStation Plus tiers will not include day one releases. Elsewhere, the new PS Plus games for April 2022 have reportedly been leaked.
