New PlayStation Plus Tiers Announced

[Moonface]

I was looking at a list of first party PS2 games just to see how many could potentially take up spots in the 700+ list of offerings, and got distracted by noticing a lot of Japan only games. It'd be neat if maybe some that are really popular in that market could be offered in the West on this service but I suspect the games would lack any English option to make them playable.

I wonder how many third party companies will put out games to try and gauge interest in the IP for a potential revival too. Or even if Sony will monitor what first party games are popular on the service that they don't give new entries to anymore.

[Moonface]

For anyone who wanted more information about the game trials included in the most expensive tier of the PlayStation Plus plans, apparently these are the requirements Sony is imposing on all developers who wish to publish their games onto the PlayStation Store:

The time limit reminds me of how Steam lets you try a game for that long and still receive a refund if you ask for it before that time limit is reached. I also wonder if the trial is two hours across all accounts on a PS4/PS5, or if each account gets two hours?

[Moonface]

First Games Revealed for New PlayStation Plus Tiers
Sony has revealed some of the games coming to the new PlayStation Plus tiers, as well as announcing the inclusion of access to titles from Ubisoft+ Classics.

PS4 and PS5 Game Catalogue

PlayStation Studios

• Alienation | Housemarque, PS4
  
• Bloodborne | FromSoftware, PS4
  
• Concrete Genie | Pixelopus, PS4
  
• Days Gone | Bend Studio, PS4
  
• Dead Nation Apocalypse Edition | Housemarque, PS4
  
• Death Stranding and Death Stranding Director’s Cut | Kojima Productions, PS4/PS5
  
• Demon’s Souls | Bluepoint Games,  PS5
  
• Destruction AllStars | Lucid Games, PS5
  
• Everybody’s Golf | Japan Studio, PS4
  
• Ghost Of Tsushima Director’s Cut | Sucker Punch, PS4/ PS5
  
• God of War | Santa Monica Studio, PS4
  
• Gravity Rush 2 | Japan Studio, PS4
  
• Gravity Rush Remastered | Japan Studio, PS4
  
• Horizon Zero Dawn | Guerrilla, PS4
  
• Infamous First Light | Sucker Punch, PS4
  
• Infamous Second Son | Sucker Punch, PS4
  
• Knack | Japan Studio, PS4
  
• LittleBigPlanet 3 | Sumo Digital, PS4
  
• LocoRoco Remastered | Japan Studio, PS4
  
• LocoRoco 2 Remastered | Japan Studio, PS4
  
• Marvel’s Spider-Man | Insomniac Games, PS4
  
• Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales | Insomniac Games, PS4/PS5
  
• Matterfall |Housemarque, PS4
  
• MediEvil | Other Ocean, PS4
  
• Patapon Remastered | Japan Studio, PS4
  
• Patapon 2 Remastered | Japan Studio, PS4
  
• Resogun | Housemarque, PS4
  
• Returnal | Housemarque, PS5
  
• Shadow of the Colossus | Japan Studio,  PS4
  
• Tearaway Unfolded |Media Molecule, PS4
  
• The Last Guardian | Japan Studio, PS4
  
• The Last of Us Remastered | Naughty Dog, PS4
  
• The Last of Us: Left Behind | Naughty Dog, PS4
  
• Until Dawn | Supermassive Games, PS4
  
• Uncharted The Nathan Drake Collection |Naughty Dog, PS4
  
• Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End | Naughty Dog, PS4
  
• Uncharted: The Lost Legacy | Naughty Dog, PS4
  
• WipEout Omega Collection | Clever Beans & Creative Vault Studios, PS4
  

Third Party-Partners

• Ashen | Annapurna Interactive,PS4
  
• Assassin’s Creed Valhalla*** | Ubisoft, PS4/PS5
  
• Batman: Arkham Knight | WB Games, PS4
  
• Celeste | Maddy Makes Games, PS4
  
• Cities: Skylines | Paradox Interactive, PS4
  
• Control: Ultimate Edition | 505 Games, PS4/PS5
  
• Dead Cells| Motion Twin, PS4
  
• Far Cry 3 Remaster*** | Ubisoft, PS4
  
• Far Cry 4*** | Ubisoft, PS4
  
• Final Fantasy XV Royal Edition | Square Enix Co. LTD, PS4
  
• For Honor*** | Ubisoft, PS4
  
• Hollow Knight | Team Cherry, PS4
  
• Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy | Square Enix Co. LTD., PS4/PS5
  
• Mortal Kombat 11 | WB Games, PS4/PS5
  
• Narutoshippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm 4 | Bandai Namco Entertainment Inc., PS4
  
• NBA 2K22 | 2K Games, PS4/PS5
  
• Outer Wilds | Annapurna Interactive, PS4
  
• Red Dead Redemption 2 | Rockstar Games, PS4 
  
• Resident Evil | Capcom Co., Ltd, PS4
  
• Soulcalibur VI | Bandai Namco Entertainment Inc., PS4
  
• South Park: The Fractured but Whole*** | Ubisoft, PS4
  
• The Artful Escape | Annapurna Interactive, PS4/PS5
  
• The Crew 2*** | Ubisoft, PS4
  
• Tom Clancy’s The Division*** | Ubisoft, PS4

Classic Games Catalogue - Original PlayStation and PSP

PlayStation Studios

• Ape Escape | Japan Studio, Original PlayStation
  
• Hot Shots Golf | Japan Studio, Original PlayStation
  
• I.Q. Intelligent Qube | Japan Studio, Original PlayStation
  
• Jumping Flash! | Japan Studio, Original PlayStation
  
• Syphon Filter | Bend Studio, Original PlayStation
  
• Super Stardust Portable | Housemarque, PSP
  

Third Party Partners

• Mr. Driller | Bandai Namco Entertainment Inc., Original PlayStation
  
• Tekken 2 | Bandai Namco Entertainment Inc., Original PlayStation
  
• Worms World Party | Team 17, Original PlayStation
  
• Worms Armageddon | Team17, Original PlayStation

Classic Games Catalogue - Remasters

PlayStation Studios

• Ape Escape 2 | Japan Studio, PS4
  
• Arc The Lad: Twilight of the Spirits | Japan Studio, PS4
  
• Dark Cloud | Japan Studio, PS4
  
• Dark Cloud 2 | Japan Studio, PS4
  
• FantaVision | SIE, PS4 
  
• Hot Shots Tennis | Japan Studio, PS4 
  
• Jak II | Naughty Dog, PS4
  
• Jak 3| Naughty Dog, PS4
  
• Jak X: Combat Racing | Naughty Dog, PS4
  
• Jak and Daxter: The Precursor Legacy | Naughty Dog, PS4 
  
• Rogue Galaxy | Japan Studio, PS4
  
• Siren | Japan Studio, PS4
  
• Wild Arms 3 | SIE, PS4
  

Third Party Partners

• Bioshock Remastered | 2K Games, PS4
  
• Borderlands The Handsome Collection | 2K Games, PS4
  
• Bulletstorm: Full Clip Edition | Gearbox Publishing, PS4
  
• Kingdoms of Amalur: Re-Reckoning | THQ Nordic, PS4
  
• LEGO Harry Potter Collection | WB Games, PS4

Original PS3 Games via Streaming

PlayStation Studios

• Crash Commando | Creative Vault Studios, PS3
  
• Demon’s Souls | From Software, PS3
  
• echochrome | Japan Studio, PS3
  
• Hot Shots Golf: Out of Bounds | Japan Studio, PS3
  
• Hot Shots Golf: World Invitational | Japan Studio, PS3
  
• Ico | Japan Studio, PS3
  
• Infamous | Sucker Punch, PS3
  
• Infamous 2 | Sucker Punch, PS3
  
• Infamous: Festival of Blood | Sucker Punch, PS3
  
• LocoRoco Cocoreccho! | Japan Studio, PS3
  
• MotorStorm Apocalypse | Evolution Studios, PS3
  
• MotorStorm RC | Evolution Studios, PS3
  
• Puppeteer | Japan Studio, PS3
  
• rain | Japan Studio, PS3
  
• Ratchet & Clank: Quest For Booty | Insomniac Games, PS3
  
• Ratchet & Clank: A Crack in Time |Insomniac Games, PS3
  
• Ratchet & Clank: Into the Nexus | Insomniac Games, PS3
  
• Resistance 3 | Insomniac Games, PS3
  
• Super Stardust HD | Housemarque, PS3
  
• Tokyo Jungle | Japan Studio, PS3
  
• When Vikings Attack | Clever Beans, PS3
  

Third Party Partners

• Asura’s Wrath | Capcom Co., Ltd., PS3
  
• Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2 |  Konami, PS3
  
• Devil May Cry HD Collection | Capcom Co., Ltd., PS3
  
• Enslaved: Odyssey to the West | Bandai Namco Entertainment America Inc., PS3
  
• F.E.A.R. | WB Games, PS3
  
• Lost Planet 2 | Capcom Co., Ltd., PS3
  
• Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2 | Koei Tecmo, PS3
  
• Red Dead Redemption: Undead Nightmare |Rockstar Games, PS3

Time-Limited Game Trials

PlayStation Studios

• Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves Collection | Naughty Dog, PS5
  
• Horizon Forbidden West | Guerrilla, PS4/PS5
  

Third Party Partners

• Cyberpunk 2077 | CD Projekt, PS5
  
• Farming Simulator 22 | Giants Software GmBH, PS4/PS5
  
• Tiny Tina’s Wonderland |  2K Games, PS4/PS5
  
• WWE 2K22 | 2K Games, PS4/PS5

This is only a sample of the selection of games that will be available for PlayStation Plus Extra and Premium/Deluxe, but perhaps with the launch of the new tiers in Asia on May 24 will give us an idea of what else might be included when these new tiers launch elsewhere in June.

For game trials, the time limit is set to 2 hours, and will only be counted while you are in-game. Any progress made in the trial will carry over to the full version.

Classic games may feature improved frame rates and higher quality resolution, and select titles in this collection will also feature a new user interface with menus that allow for saving at any time and the ability to rewind your game, similar to that seen in NES and SNES classic games on Nintendo Switch. Additionally, if you have digitally purchased any of the games included in the Classic Catalogue, you will not be required to purchase them again nor have a PS+ Extra/Premium/Deluxe subscription to play them on PS4 and PS5; you will simply download the games at no cost from the PS Store. Certain games in the Classic Catalogue will also be available to purchase separately in the PS Store if you wish to own any particular games without requiring a higher subscription tier.

Finally, Sony also detailed when new games will be added to all tiers:

PlayStation Plus Essential 

• A monthly refresh will occur on the first Tuesday of the month for the PlayStation Plus Essential plan (and both higher tiers), with new PS4 and PS5 games added to the service – same as what PlayStation Plus members get today. 
  

PlayStation Plus Extra and Premium**/Deluxe 

• An additional monthly refresh will occur in the middle of each month with new games across the PlayStation Plus Extra and Premium/Deluxe plans. The number of games refreshed will vary per month.
  

[ShiraNoMai]

Yeah this is quickly turning into a shitshow. How embarrassing: someone noticed that Ape Escape is the PAL version and not the NTSC version, which runs at 50hz rather than 60.

[Moonface]

I can't say I'd be bothered by the PAL versions because it's what I played, but the only reason I'd want a PAL version in this case is for things like Ape Escape where the voice actors are entirely different. The PAL voice acting is significantly better than the NTSC voice acting and I will die on that hill.

What I think is worse is how Sony is trying to fluff up their classics library by using PS4 titles in it. The new tiers of PS+ launched in Asia this week, and this is what Sony listed as classic game offerings:

PS Plus Asia Classic Games

PlayStation 1 Emulated (native PS5 and PS4)

• Ape Escape
  
• Disney PIXAR Toy Story 2: Buzz Lightyear to the Rescue
  
• Hot Shots Golf
  
• I.Q: Intelligent Qube
  
• Jumping Flash!
  
• Mr. Driller
  
• Oddworld: Abe’s Oddysee
  
• Syphon Filter
  
• Tekken 2
  
• Wild Arms
  
• Worms Armageddon
  
• Worms World Party
  

PlayStation 2 Emulated (native PS4)

• Jak & Daxter: The Precursor Legacy
  
• Jak II
  
• Jak 3
  
• Jak X: Combat Racing
  

PSP Emulated (native PS5 and PS4)

• echochrome
  

PlayStation 4

• Batman: Return to Arkham – Arkham Asylum
  
• Batman: Return to Arkham – Arkham City
  
• BEYOND: Two Souls
  
• BioShock Remastered
  
• BioShock 2 Remastered
  
• Bioshock Infinite: The Complete Edition
  
• Borderlands: The Handsome Collection
  
• Crysis Remastered
  
• Darksiders Warmastered Edition
  
• Darksiders II Deathinitive Edition
  
• Dead Nation: Apocalypse Edition
  
• Deadlight: Director’s Cut
  
• God of War III Remastered
  
• Gravity Rush Remastered
  
• Heavy Rain
  
• Hotline Miami
  
• Kingdoms of Amalur: Re-Reckoning
  
• LEGO Harry Potter Collection
  
• LocoRoco Remastered
  
• LocoRoco 2 Remastered
  
• Mafia: Definitive Edition
  
• Mafia II: Definitive Edition
  
• Metro: Last Light Redux
  
• Metro 2033 Redux
  
• Outcast: Second Contact
  
• Patapon Remastered
  
• Patapon 2 Remastered
  
• Rainbow Moon
  
• Resident Evil
  
• The Last of Us Remastered
  
• The Last of Us: Left Behind
  
• Uncharted: The Nathan Drake Collection
  
• WipEout: Omega Collection
  

33 games are in the PS4 list compared to 12 in the PS1 list (we won't even bother with the other lists here), yet almost all of the games shown were released on PS4 in the versions offered. TLoU Remastered is a PS4 title, and yet PS4 users would see this listed as a classic title. If it was the PS3 version, sure, but no games that were released on PS4 (and even offered as PS+ monthly games) should be classified as a classic title offering when this new PS+ service is on PS4 as well as PS5. It's such a dirty way of making the classic catalogue look bigger than it really is, especially to include games like Metro 2033 which weren't even on any PlayStation console except PS4.

I'm hoping the list looks better when this service launches in territories like Japan where the PS3 streaming is available so that maybe Sony don't try to fluff up their classic catalogue with non-classic games. If not and the actual classic offerings remain this slim then this service is useless for anyone who wants BC with PS1-PS3.

[queenzelda]

I've read about this, but I'm just not willing to pay for it tbh. I don't even pay for the Xbox game pass. I kinda feel that PlayStation is over charging for this feature anyway, but that's my opinion.

[Moonface]

Sony's pricing isn't going to look too good when compared to Game Pass when Sony wants to charge $120 for the highest tier, while Microsoft is only looking for $15 at the most, and the latter provides all first party and some third party games on day one whereas Sony isn't going to put any first party games up on day one. Which is fine, I don't mind that they don't, but I don't feel like I'd ever get my money's worth out of anything more than the standard PS+. I won't be surprised if PS+ free games start being worse in favor of dumping good stuff into the higher tiers as full game access, especially since Sony have already had multiple months of offering non-full versions of games as PS+ offerings and that was without the financial incentive of pushing people to a higher tier service.

Also, no PS3 games will support any DLC: https://www.videogameschronicle.com/news...s-premium/
This has been the case even on PS Now, but my take from this is that even if you own the DLC already you can't use it, which sucks.

[Moonface]

For anyone curious about the full library of classics for North America (and likely what will be Europe's library too) on the new tiers, Sony put up a page that shows every game: https://www.playstation.com/en-us/ps-plu...assics-a-z

There's a lot there, but almost nothing in there appeals to me in the classic library.

[Moonface]

PlayStation Plus Price Increases
Sony has announced that new pricing will be going into effect as of September 6, 2023 for 12-month subscriptions for all tiers of PlayStation Plus. For context, this post has the original pricing that was announced for the new tiered system in March last year.

PlayStation Plus Essential 12-Month Subscription
79.99 USD | 71,99 Euro | 59.99 GBP | 6,800 Yen

PlayStation Plus Extra 12-Month Subscription
134.99 USD | 125,99 Euro | 99.99 GBP | 11,700 Yen

PlayStation Plus Premium 12-Month Subscription
159.99 USD | 151,99 Euro | 119.99 GBP | 13,900 Yen

For current 12-month subscribers, this price increase will not take effect until their next renewal date that occurs on or after November 6.

Sony claims this price increase will "enable us to continue bringing high-quality games and value-added benefits to your PlayStation Plus subscription service", but the line-up of PlayStation Plus games for September that was announced alongside this price change begs to differ:

September PlayStation Plus Catalogue

• Saints Row | PS4, PS5
  
• Black Desert – Traveler Edition | PS4
  
• Generation Zero
  

---

I already have yet to get a PS+ subscription since getting my PS5 and this is just giving me more reason not to. Also having that game line-up for the same month this price increase comes into effect is incredibly shit; none of that stuff is close to worth a price increase of $20-40 especially when the first game in that list was panned on release as being a pile of garbage.

[ShiraNoMai]

This is actual trash. I can't believe this is not some sort of cosmic joke. How could you announce such a massive increase in base subscription price WHILE touting the absolute WORST "rewards" for even subscribing to such a service??

[Mr EliteL]

Disappointing. Thought about getting a PS Plus Essential for a moment for the old price before the 6th, but I won't be using it until T8 releases so there really isn't any point right now to waste the first 1/3 of months. So yeah I'm good. I don't care for the free games that becomes available before or in the future either. Those three no chance.

[Moonface]

Disappointing. Thought about getting a PS Plus Essential for a moment for the old price before the 6th, but I won't be using it until T8 releases so there really isn't any point right now to waste the first 1/3 of months. So yeah I'm good. I don't care for the free games that becomes available before or in the future either. Those three no chance.

My suggestion would be to try buying digital codes for PS+ at the current lower price and don't redeem them until you have a use for it. That way you don't waste any of it.

The more I've thought over this change, the more convinced I've become that this is Sony once again being arrogant because of their success with the PS5. I hope enough people vote with their wallets to show Sony how fucking stupid they are doing this. At this point I wish Sony would just offer a tier that just gives online play and fucks the rest of the perks off since they're not often good anyway and even then I just have no interest. I've only ever gotten PS+ for online play so no number of perks are going to make $80 worth it to me.

Oh and if anyone was curious just how bad the free games are for September, the highest rated one has 54 on Metacritic.
Edit: Even better, the studio behind Saint's Row closed down today because the game sold so poorly. Imagine putting your game onto PS+ at the same time as a price hike so people really hate on you in your dying moments.

[Dragon Lord]

Yeah, the price changes are pretty yikes. Like $160/yr for the highest tier? Oof. I've had PS+ since I got a PS3, but now I'm highly considering just letting it drop (mine runs on this month, so...) and just saying fuck it and going strictly PC when it comes to multiplayer games, and just using my PS5 for single player games.

I'm definitely becoming more and more glad I invested in a beefy gaming PC. I'm just worried if I'll lose anything important if I drop PS+, like any games I downloaded from PS+ and forgot about. Like the port of Legend of Dragoon that I was able to get for free because I was a PS+ member. Not sure if that's something I'll keep or if it'll be gone and I'd have to buy it.

[Moonface]

I'm just worried if I'll lose anything important if I drop PS+, like any games I downloaded from PS+ and forgot about. Like the port of Legend of Dragoon that I was able to get for free because I was a PS+ member. Not sure if that's something I'll keep or if it'll be gone and I'd have to buy it.

As someone who has redeemed games with a PS+ subscription and then let that sub expire, if the game was offered for free through PS+ then you will lose access to that game once your subscription expires. The only way to regain access is to renew your subscription or purchase the game outright.

[Dragon Lord]

Yeah, I know I'd lose access to the PS+ games I downloaded, I just don't know where Legend of Dragoon falls in that category, because it wasn't a PS+ game, but I was able to download it for free. I'm not sure if it's because I had PS+ or because I had purchased the PS1 Classic on PS3 back in the day. That's something I'd have to look into before letting my PS+ expire because I definitely do not want to lose that game, and while I wouldn't hate paying for it since it's just a great classic (+with trophies), it'd be nice to just keep the freebie.

I think the only PS+ game I have that I haven't played yet is Final Fantasy VII Remake and honestly I couldn't care less about losing that, since I'll probably never actually touch it.