Sony did it again. They just announced another price increase for PlayStation Plus subscriptions in select regions starting today, May 20. According to the official post, new subscription prices for new members will now start at:
- $10.99 USD / €9.99 EUR / £7.99 GBP for a 1-month plan
- $27.99 USD / €27.99 EUR / £21.99 GBP for a 3-month plan
Sony says the increase is due to “ongoing market conditions.” The company also added that current subscribers will not be affected for now, unless their subscription expires or they change their membership plan. So if you are already subscribed, you should not see any increase unless you stop for one month and pick it back up later.
The only exceptions mentioned are Turkey and India, where existing users may also be impacted.
Players Are Once Again Questioning the Value of PS Plus
Unsurprisingly, the announcement quickly triggered criticism online. A lot of players argue that PlayStation Plus has become increasingly difficult to justify compared to competing subscription services like Xbox Game Pass or Nintendo Switch Online. The biggest complaints currently revolve around:
- Higher pricing
- Fewer monthly games
- Lack of big day-one releases
- Paying primarily just to access online multiplayer
Many players specifically compare it to Game Pass. With this one, you get a really large game library, a lot of Day-one first-party releases, and even extra perks and rewards in other games, integrations like Discord benefits, and more.
Meanwhile, Nintendo’s online service is often seen as offering more unique extras as well, including retro game libraries and platform-specific features.
Online Multiplayer Paywalls Remain an Important Frustration
One recurring criticism is that console players still need a paid subscription simply to access online multiplayer in most games. This is not exclusive to PlayStation. It never felt justified in the first place, and now that prices have increased even more, it feels even less justified.
“Why are we paying for internet, for the game, and to be able to play online?” is a question that comes up very often in comments. That debate has existed for years, but every new price increase tends to bring it back into the light.
At the same time, some players still point out that PS Plus Extra and Premium can offer some value for those who actively play through the catalog each month. You are not getting nothing either.
Still, judging from the reactions online, this latest increase is not going over particularly well.
