Is PlayStation Plus Extra and Premium worth it?

Sony has finally revealed its tiered subscription service. PlayStation Plus will have two new, slightly higher-priced options, allowing players to get more games and bang for their buck. But is it worth it?

The PlayStation Plus service is being split into three tiers, born out of the previous service that only offered one subscription. There will now be PS+ Essential, PS+ Extra, and PS+ Premium.

The added tiers are a welcome addition to the PlayStation community, as you can now pay a set amount per month to get access to even more games. When you consider how much you most likely already spend on games per year, rolling it up into a monthly or annual payment seems like a good idea.

We are definitely on board with the idea of having more PlayStation Plus choices, but there is possibly one that is more worth it than the other.

Related: When does PlayStation Plus Extra and Premium launch?

Extra over Premium?

The worth of these new choices is, of course, subjective and dependent and what a player's individual needs are. However, we feel that the new Extra tier is a really nice balance between the cheapest and most expensive, as it doesn't cost too much more and also chucks a lot of games your way for the small price increase more per month/year.

You will get everything that the Essential Plus gives you, as well as 400 other games, including big titles that players will have been itching to play, but were previously prevented from doing so because of the game's standalone price tag.

If you are more than a casual gamer but don't want to rinse your wallet every month getting new games, then Extra is a great middle-ground to go with. We think it is a great improvement on the old subscription, with enough additions that will keep your gaming fire burning for a long time.

Premium does build on Extra's offerings and provides more services, which is great, but it will most likely be for a more selective group of gamers.

Related: Everything shown at PlayStation’s March 2022 State of Play

Classics and First-Party on Plus Premium

Premium members will gain access to PS2, PS3, and PSP titles from yesteryear, and that is where Premium will prove its worth for some gamers, but it comes at a heftier price tag.

It also bears noting that the PS1, PS2, and PSP games are downloadable, but not the PS3 titles, as they are only available through the streaming service. This means players will have to rely upon the resolution of the stream (which is still usually lower than preferable) and their internet speed to be able to fully enjoy the experience.

The slightly older titles are not something you can store on your hard drive for a later date when you feel like putting them on. The streaming option is nice to have, but it still doesn't beat being able to download games.

If you happen to be a sentimental gamer, then you might still have your PS3 sitting on your TV stand at home. If this is the case, then you will still be able to get all of your retro gaming out of your system, and Premium will not carry the weight that it is designed to.

First-party new releases are also estimated to be put on Premium a year after launch, which might entice some players enough to subscribe. Sony has revealed that Returnal will be making its way to the service. This title will be a year old by the time Premium launches.

We can assume that other AAA games will make their way onto the platform after a similar time frame. Other confirmed titles are Death Stranding, God of War, Marvel’s Spider-Man, Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales, and Mortal Kombat 11.

So, for those who are able to wait a little longer to play, there will be a bigger payoff by purchasing Premium—not to mention the 300 other games available on top of the Extra tier's 400.

Conclusion

It seems that Sony really is trying to throw all they can into these new services, and they are definitely giving players something to think about.

Some players will see the Premium option and know straightaway that it's the one for them, and that is great! But we believe that the Extra tier is the one to get if you don't see streaming games as a must.

Not to mention, until a full list of games for both the Extra and Premium options is released, it will be hard to know which takes the cake and what they are going to offer in the way of desirable games. Four hundred games is a lot, but there may be some titles that just can't be missed in the extra 300 that the higher tier gives you.

The new PlayStation Plus tiers are definitely worth it, there's no doubt about that. It's just a matter of whether the integration of PS Now will make you tip your hat and say, "Yes, please!"

Looking for more content? Why not check out our article about PlayStation Studios acquiring Haven, a new studio headed by Jade Raymond?

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