According to mainstream media reports today including Bloomberg, GameSpot and Polygon Sony plans to launch a new multi-tier game subscription service in Spring 2022 code-named Spartacus combining PlayStation Now with PlayStation Plus... while the highest tier may also allow access to PS1, PS2, PS3 and PSP games to rival Microsoft's Xbox Game Pass.
While I'm not a fan of online services to access recycled content I already paid for in the past, as Sony continues to shutdown PS3 / PS Vita Game Servers and even some PS4 Game Servers prematurely (only to charge customers again on another platform) free alternatives like PSONE: PlayStation Online Network Emulated will inevitably become even more valuable over time.
To quote from Bloomberg.com: The service, code-named Spartacus, will allow PlayStation owners to pay a monthly fee for access to a catalog of modern and classic games, said the people, who asked not to be identified because they weren’t authorized to speak to the press about the plans.
The offering will likely be available on the smash hit PlayStation 4, which has sold more than 116 million units, and its elusive successor, the PlayStation 5, which launched more than a year ago but is still difficult to buy due to supply chain issues.
When it launches, expected in the spring, the service will merge Sony’s two existing subscription plans, PlayStation Plus and PlayStation Now.
Currently, PlayStation Plus is required for most online multiplayer games and offers free monthly titles, while PlayStation Now allows users to stream or download older games. Documents reviewed by Bloomberg suggest that Sony plans to retain the PlayStation Plus branding but phase out PlayStation Now.
While I'm not a fan of online services to access recycled content I already paid for in the past, as Sony continues to shutdown PS3 / PS Vita Game Servers and even some PS4 Game Servers prematurely (only to charge customers again on another platform) free alternatives like PSONE: PlayStation Online Network Emulated will inevitably become even more valuable over time.
To quote from Bloomberg.com: The service, code-named Spartacus, will allow PlayStation owners to pay a monthly fee for access to a catalog of modern and classic games, said the people, who asked not to be identified because they weren’t authorized to speak to the press about the plans.
The offering will likely be available on the smash hit PlayStation 4, which has sold more than 116 million units, and its elusive successor, the PlayStation 5, which launched more than a year ago but is still difficult to buy due to supply chain issues.
When it launches, expected in the spring, the service will merge Sony’s two existing subscription plans, PlayStation Plus and PlayStation Now.
Currently, PlayStation Plus is required for most online multiplayer games and offers free monthly titles, while PlayStation Now allows users to stream or download older games. Documents reviewed by Bloomberg suggest that Sony plans to retain the PlayStation Plus branding but phase out PlayStation Now.