Sony is not done squeezing you. Starting May 20, PlayStation Plus prices are going up for new subscribers , and if you think the PS5 console price hikes were the end of it, you were wrong.
Here’s where we are: a one-month PS Plus Essential subscription is climbing to $10.99, up a dollar, while the three-month version jumps to $27.99, a $3 increase. Monthly and three-month plans are taking the hit first, with annual plans currently left alone. For now. Sony says only “select” regions are affected and cited “ongoing market conditions” as the reason , which is corporate speak for “we need more money and this is how we’re getting it.”
The timing here is not subtle. This is the same company that raised PS5 console prices twice, with the most recent bump in April pushing the standard PS5 up another $100 and the PS5 Pro from $750 all the way to $900. Sony CFO Lin Tao said the company wants to cushion its profitability by getting more out of its existing player base and expanding software and network revenue. Blunt strategy, honestly. At least they’re not pretending otherwise.
If you’re already subscribed, you’re safe , unless you’re in Turkey or India, where current subscribers are also getting hit. Everyone else should note that if your subscription lapses and you rejoin later, you’re paying the new rate. No grace period. No loyalty discount. Welcome back, here’s your higher bill.
And remember what PS Plus Essential actually does: it’s the thing that lets you play online at all. Fortnite, Helldivers 2, whatever multiplayer game you’re into , none of it works on PS5 without it. It’s not optional for anyone who bought a console to play with other people. Sony knows that. The price hike knows that too.
The Extra and Premium tiers are also going up , $16.99 and $19.99 per month respectively , though international pricing outside the US hasn’t been fully confirmed yet, which somehow makes this feel even more chaotic.
Sony is betting you’re too locked in to walk away. And based on the install base they’ve built, they’re probably right.
Source: Original Article
