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UPDATE (5/21): The new prices are now live for new PlayStation Plus customers in the US, and we've also seen hikes hit its Extra and Premium tiers.
Sony's initial announcement only confirmed the $1 monthly increase for PS Plus Essential to $10.99 a month, but there's also a $2 increase for its other two options.
PS Plus Extra now costs $16.99 per month, up from $14.99, or $43.99 for three months, up from $39.99. If you want the top-end Premium tier with access to more retro games, it now costs $19.99, up from $17.99, or $54.99 for three months, up from $49.99.
Original Story (5/19):
Sony’s next gaming price hike doesn’t affect its PlayStation 5 consoles; instead, it targets PlayStation Plus, its online subscription service.
Starting May 20, new subscribers will pay $10.99 a month for a one-month subscription or $27.99 for three months. That’s up $1 per month compared with what subscribers currently pay.
Sony says this price change only applies to new subscribers, meaning those with active subscriptions won't pay the new price until their existing subscription "changes or lapses." If you let the subscription run out for a month, you’ll pay more when you return, making a monthly subscription less versatile. You also pay the new price if you switch to a different PlayStation Plus tier.
Sony has yet to announce any changes to its yearly subscription, making it a better deal for those who know they want a year of service. Sony blames “ongoing market conditions” for this price hike, likely referring to the ongoing global RAM crisis and its impact on profits.
Player sentiment has been negative, as Sony isn’t making any changes to the service offered. The top comment on Sony’s X announcement reads, “It should be free to play online games without paywalls in 2026,” with over 29,000 likes.
This follows several price hikes over the last year, including PlayStation 5 consoles, which have risen by $150 for the PS5 and PS5 Digital Edition, or $200 for the PS5 Pro.
PlayStation Plus has been left alone until now, with the last monthly hike happening in 2022 when Sony revamped its tiers. In late 2023, Sony introduced a price increase for annual Plus packages, raising its standard Essential plan from $59.99 a year to $79.99.
Another report suggests that Sony has decided to stop releasing its biggest exclusive titles on PC. According to Bloomberg’s Jason Schreier, PlayStation Studios head Hermen Hulst told Sony employees about the strategy change on Monday.
The claim was previously reported by Schreier through other sources, claiming that Sony canceled a port of its Ghost of Yotei for PC. Sony has released many of its biggest games on PC, including Death Stranding 2, Ghost of Tsushima, God of War, Helldivers 2, Spider-Man 2, and more.