How the new PlayStation Plus stands up to the Xbox Game Pass | Engadget

More than a month after unveiling the revamped version of PlayStation Plus, Sony has shared the first line of games on the way to its new service, covering everything from original PlayStation classics and PlayStation Portable titles to modern hits. The new PlayStation Plus has three levels, each at a discreet price and offers varying levels of goodies, and it’s all ready to go live on June 13 in America.

Now that we know which games will be included in each level – PlayStation Plus Essential, Extra and Premium – it’s easier to compare Sony’s service directly with its biggest competitor Xbox Game Pass from Microsoft.

The new PlayStation Plus

Sony’s subscription service is divided into three parts, with different games and features available depending on how much you pay. PS Plus Essential costs $ 10 a month or $ 60 a year, and it’s basically the Plus we know now that offers two games to download every month, access to online multiplayer features, cloud storage and discounts.

PS Plus Extra costs $ 15 a month or $ 100 a year and offers everything in the Essential level plus a library of up to 400 downloadable PS4 and PS5 games.

The latest option, PS Plus Premium, costs $ 18 a month or $ 120 a year and adds up to 340 games from the original PlayStation, PS2, PSP, PS3 and PS4 eras. This is also where streaming comes into play: Sony is folding its existing cloud service, PlayStation Now, into the new Plus ecosystem, but only at the most expensive level. Premium adds the ability to play a selection of PS3 titles from the cloud and stream or download lower-level games from original PlayStation, PS2, PSP and PS4 eras (cloud play is only available in areas where PS Now is already live). Streaming will work on PS4, PS5 and PC, while native cloud gaming on mobile devices is not possible on Sony’s network.

Now, the games. Sony confirmed just over 100 titles on the way to PS Plus Extra and Premium, inclusive Demons’ souls, Ghost of Tsushima Director’s Cut, Horizon Zero Dawn, The Last of Us Remastered, Gravity Rush Remastered, The Last Guardian, Tokyo Jungle, Ico, Tekken 2, Asura’s Peace, Abe escapes and Assassin’s Creed Valhalla. The latest game is included in the list as part of an agreement to offer a few dozen Ubisoft + Classics games to Extra and Premium subscribers.

Most of the games on Sony’s list are from the PS4 and PS5 generations, which is good news for Extra subscribers. Sony’s initial lineup of old-school games, however, feels thin, though they are a crucial element of the Premium level. Emphasis is placed on PS3 games, with 29 available for streaming and relatively few titles from previous eras. While there are some PS4 remasters of PS2 games on the list, including Rogue Galaxy and the Jak and Daxter series, Sony’s service so far has no original PS2 games.

There’s still hope for nostalgia seekers out there – Sony said its list of classic games is an “early look at a selection of games that will be available”, so there should be more to come.

However, do not look to PS Plus for new, hugely successful Sony games. PlayStation CEO Jim Ryan told gamesindustry.biz in March that new first-party titles will not hit PS Plus on day one, meaning subscribers will have to pay separately for them. This is remarkable because Microsoft has made a big deal out of offering its in-house titles to Game Pass subscribers at launch.

Ryan said his attitude toward day-1 drops could change, but for now, don’t expect titles like that Spider-Man 2 or God of War Ragnarök on PS Plus at all levels.

Xbox Game Pass

On the surface, Game Pass has been a successful endeavor for Microsoft with 25 million monthly subscribers and counters. Game Pass unlocks access to a large library of old and new games, including Day 1 releases of first-party titles such as Halo: Infinite and Starfield (finally); it works across Xbox consoles and PCs, and it includes cloud features that make the included games playable on mobile devices.

The Game Pass library has about 300 games, though Microsoft continues to market the service with a low number of “over 100” titles. The series spans the original Xbox for the current generation, and the main level adds Xbox Live Gold and access to EA Play. Game Pass has heavy hitters like Halo: Master Chief Collection and Halo: Infinitethe original Doom and its modern follow-ups, Forza Horizon 5, Mass Effect Legendary Edition and Microsoft Flight Simulatoras well as indie games included A memories blue, Kentucky Route Zero, Outer Wilds, The door of death and Spelunky 2.

Microsoft has exclusive access to some of these games because it owns a significant portion of the video game industry. Xbox Game Studios consists of 23 development teams, including ID Software, Bethesda Softworks, Arkane, Ninja Theory, Playground Games, Double Fine and Mojang. All of this ensures that Game Pass has a bank of exclusives to deduct from – in practice, PS Plus will not get games from these studios unless Microsoft allows it. The reverse is also true for Sony’s list of exclusive products, but Microsoft simply has more to work with in this regard.

Game Pass has levels that are only for PC and consoles that give access to the library and not much more, and these cost $ 10 a month each. None of the options include cloud games or Xbox Live Gold, which are required to play some titles online and cost $ 10 a month alone. Microsoft does not do much to market these standalone levels, but instead directs players to Game Pass Ultimate, which is the main focus of the Xbox subscription plan.

Game Pass Ultimate costs $ 15 a month and offers Xbox Live Gold, cloud gaming features and access to all console and PC series games. This is the all-inclusive option that works on Xbox consoles, PCs and mobile devices via the cloud.

PS Plus vs Game Pass

There are a few obvious differences between the new PS Plus and the Game Pass. Sony’s subscription plan has fewer games (so far), it does not include mobile streaming, and it will not give day-1 access to new first-party titles, which means serious PlayStation fans will have to pay for these big drops separately.

In terms of pricing, let’s focus on the top levels: PS Plus Premium runs $ 18 a month or $ 120 a year, and Game Pass Ultimate is $ 15 a month. The cost is comparable, but at its most flexible price level, Sony’s plan is $ 3 a month more than Microsoft’s. There is an additional charge of $ 36 per year. Annually, however, PS Plus Premium is $ 60 less than Game Pass Ultimate.

Of course, cost is not the only consideration here. With rival subscription services, Sony and Microsoft are doubling exclusivity as a major source of momentum, and maintaining a rich and unique library will be the key to the success of these plans. Xbox may own more than 20 studios, but Sony can still deliver games that Microsoft can not, and titles such as. Demons’ souls, Gravity Rush Remastered, Tokyo Jungle, Ico and Assassin’s Creed Valhalla is a significant draw for longtime PlayStation fans.

That said, the decision not to include first-party games one day in PS Plus could lose Sony subscribers as well as some goodwill. The new PS Plus also appears to be missing some meat from its classic catalog, a move that could turn potential Premium subscribers off, but Sony has just begun and there is plenty of room to grow. That is, if Jim Ryan and his team see the value in adding content to the service.