Sony PlayStation Plus Gets a Price Increase Starting September 6

[Spork3245]

Just now, crispy4000 said:

 

Clarified to say it was those already subbed to Games Pass.

 

You are right here, I keep forgetting that Microsoft only hiked the monthly subscription rate for Gold/'Core.'

FWIW, people who want these subs and pay monthly instead of bundles are suckers  

(now, buying a single month or two to play something vs an entire year is a different story!)

[Dexterryu]

10 minutes ago, Spork3245 said:

FWIW, people who want these subs and pay monthly instead of bundles are suckers  

(now, buying a single month or two to play something vs an entire year is a different story!)

This is true of pretty much all subscription services (TV Streaming too). Unless they're providing consistent value in things to play, cancel until there is or theres a backlog of things worth trying for a month.

[chakoo]

 

It was already pretty expensive when they merged the services together and the top tier did not justify it's price. This increase is just crap.

[Spawn_of_Apathy]

10 hours ago, crispy4000 said:

Yay competition? 

yep. I’m sure this is Xbox’s fault somehow. Raising prices is the only way they can compete with MS and Activision Blizzard. lol 

[Dodger]

Got my renewal canceled. fuck this shit

[crispy4000]

10 hours ago, Spawn_of_Apathy said:

yep. I’m sure this is Xbox’s fault somehow. Raising prices is the only way they can compete with MS and Activision Blizzard. lol 

My view is that all the console manufacturers should be faulted for their lowest tiers.  We’re past the stage of pointing fingers at who did it first, or even who does it worse.  They all jumped on board the online multiplayer paywall train.

 

It should come as no surprise that their approach has been to charge whatever they feel they should for it.  Should it cost $20 a year? $60? $80? $120?  The range we've seen is absurd.  On some level, it factors into the pricing of the higher tiers.

 

The only real thing that can stop a hike like Sony's is enough consumer outrage, of the sort that prevented Microsoft going through with their 100% hike to Gold.  (Which may or may not be the reason they still offer a $60 annual plan for Core)  Otherwise, it’s whatever numbers Sony thinks will best balance their profits and engagement.

 

 

I doubt Sony’s going to see a substantial enough backlash to a 30%+ hike.  For 3 reasons:

 

1) Subscription services are all hiking prices, rapidly.  People expect it.  User acquisition phases are ending.

 

2) PS Extra is still roughly the same cost as “Games Pass Console.”  No day one 1st party, but you get to play online.  Enthusiasts and console warriors will complain about those differences.  Enough people will still pay for it on the market leader’s platform.

 

3) We’ve seen a 100% price hike fail once before.  That’s the upper limit that’s been tested.   Like it or not, Sony’s % is an easier pill to swallow by comparison, and less likely to be protested in as big of way.  Even from a dollar amount, it's not the highest attempted increase.

 

 

In short: If there was real competition, there would be more competitive subscription pricing from Sony.  Games Pass wouldn’t be cheaper on PC than console.  Multiplayer paywalls wouldn’t exist outside of MMO’s.  We wouldn’t be expecting Switch 2 to have its own bananas rate hikes for online play.

They're all just leveraging their positions from a place of comfort and complacency, and could use a Wii U-like smack to their egos to treat their customers better.  Either that or a 4th major player to shake things up.

[Spork3245]

[Spawn_of_Apathy]

9 hours ago, crispy4000 said:

My view is that all the console manufacturers should be faulted for their lowest tiers.  We’re past the stage of pointing fingers at who did it first, or even who does it worse.
 

When presented with the opportunity to put online multiplayer behind a paywall, they all signed on board.  So It should come as no surprise that their pricing is essentially charging whatever they feel they should.  $20 a year?  $60?  $80?  $120?  The range we've seen on the lowest tiers has been absurd.  On some level, it factors into the pricing of the higher tiers.

 

The only real thing that can stop a hike like Sony's is enough consumer outrage, of the sort that prevented Microsoft going through with their 100% hike to Gold.  (Which may or may not be the only reason they still offer a $60 annual tier for Core)  Otherwise, it’s whatever numbers will maximize their profits and engagement.

 

 

I doubt Sony’s going to see a substantial enough backlash to a 30%+ hike.  For 3 reasons:

 

1) Subscription services are all hiking prices, rapidly.  People expect it.  User acquisition phases are ending.

 

2) PS Extra is still roughly the same cost as “Games Pass Console.”  No day one 1st party, but you get to play online.  Enthusiasts and console warriors will complain about those differences.  Enough people will still pay for it on the market leader’s platform.

 

3) We’ve seen a 100% price hike fail once before.  That’s the upper limit that’s been tested.   Like it or not, Sony’s % is an easier pill to swallow by comparison, and less likely to be protested in as big of way.  Even from a dollar amount, it's not the highest attempted increase.

 

 

In short: If there was real competition, there would be more competitive subscription pricing from Sony.  Games Pass wouldn’t be cheaper on PC than console.  Multiplayer paywalls wouldn’t exist outside of MMO’s.  We wouldn’t be expecting Switch 2 to have its own bananas rate hikes for online play.

They're all just leveraging their positions from a place of comfort and complacency, and could use a Wii U-like smack to their egos to treat their customers better.  Either that or a 4th major player to shake things up.

That’s what I mean. I’m just poking at that it seems Sony and their fans deflect responsibility for bad consumer practices made by Sony. 
 

you could argue that Sony might not have increased the price of online or ever started charging for it if Xbox had taken a commanding lead and stayed way out in front of Sony. So then it IS Xbox’s fault for Sony jumping deeper into anti-consumer practices, because of a lack of real competition. But not really. 

[Spork3245]

If you look at Sony's history and think they need a reason to be anti-consumer... well, then you didn't look  

[Keyser_Soze]

5 minutes ago, Spork3245 said:

If you look at Sony's history and think they need a reason to be anti-consumer... well, then you didn't look  

 

Using a proprietary wireless tech for their new overpriced earbuds instead of bluetooth is a nice recent example

[crispy4000]

33 minutes ago, Spawn_of_Apathy said:

That’s what I mean. I’m just poking at that it seems Sony and their fans deflect responsibility for bad consumer practices made by Sony. 

 

It's easy enough to point to the other company doing bad things and turn a blind eye.  By far the best example of that was when Sony put up their paywall in the first place:

 

 

 

Look at us continuing to do good things for you fellow gamers!*   *Online play is no longer free

 

Too many people didn't see through it.

 

33 minutes ago, Spawn_of_Apathy said:

you could argue that Sony might not have increased the price of online or ever started charging for it if Xbox had taken a commanding lead and stayed way out in front of Sony. So then it IS Xbox’s fault for Sony jumping deeper into anti-consumer practices, because of a lack of real competition. But not really. 

 

I think Sony was being opportunistic.  They knew that if Microsoft was going to charge for it and could continue to compete, they could as well.  Then Nintendo saw that and decided that they should be charging too, even announcing it coming off the Wii U before the Switch's success was guaranteed.

 

Microsoft broke the ice, but they clearly illustrated in the 360 era that it wouldn't make or break a console to charge for it.  So now, they all do.  Because why not.

 

Same token, I'm sure Sony's not losing any sleep over charging $80 when Microsoft is charging $60 still (... for now anyways).

[Spork3245]

6 minutes ago, Keyser_Soze said:

 

Using a proprietary wireless tech for their new overpriced earbuds instead of bluetooth is a nice recent example

 

There are two tech companies that I've noticed seem to get a "free pass" (ie: people either ignore their shitty moves or make excuses) from people where others get crucified. Sony tends to be one of them.  

[crispy4000]

9 minutes ago, Spork3245 said:

 

There are two tech companies that I've noticed seem to get a "free pass" (ie: people either ignore their shitty moves or make excuses) from people where others get crucified. Sony tends to be one of them.  

 

Sony's gotten plenty of shit for this though.  And Portal.  And sending PSVR2 out to die.

[Spork3245]

Just now, crispy4000 said:

 

Sony's gotten plenty of shit for this though.  And Portal.  And sending PSVR2 out to die.

 

There's a lot of people mad about it, but a lot of those people are also trying to blame Microsoft and other things as an excuse for Sony  

[crispy4000]

3 minutes ago, Spork3245 said:

 

There's a lot of people mad about it, but a lot of those people are also trying to blame Microsoft and other things as an excuse for Sony  

 

For those things?  Microsoft doesn't even relate.

[Keyser_Soze]

13 minutes ago, Spork3245 said:

 

There are two tech companies that I've noticed seem to get a "free pass" (ie: people either ignore their shitty moves or make excuses) from people where others get crucified. Sony tends to be one of them.  

 

Just look how this topic was "therock'd" after I posted it yesterday, totally burying the lede to praise the amazing "free" games you get, just it costs you 33% more free. (Same blog post in the OP and everything)

[Spork3245]

3 minutes ago, crispy4000 said:

 

For those things?  Microsoft doesn't even relate.

 

"Microsoft raised their prices so Sony HAD to raise theirs too!" has been on reddit 

[crispy4000]

9 minutes ago, Spork3245 said:

 

"Microsoft raised their prices so Sony HAD to raise theirs too!" has been on reddit 

 

I was referring to their recent accessory fumbles like you quoted @Keyser_Soze on.  They're certainly not getting a free pass there.

 

But yes, as to what you're referring to now, it's the same sort of logic that you could find in the transition to PS4:

"Microsoft charged for online on the 360, Sony needs to do the same to be feature and security competitive."

 

No, they didn't.

[Brian]

35 minutes ago, Keyser_Soze said:

 

Using a proprietary wireless tech for their new overpriced earbuds instead of bluetooth is a nice recent example

Nothing will top those Vita memory cards though Microsoft tried pretty hard with the expansion cards this gen

[Spork3245]

7 minutes ago, crispy4000 said:

I was referring to their recent accessory fumbles like you quoted @Keyser_Soze on.  They're certainly not getting a free pass there.

 

The earbud tech gets defended as "security related", their Vita mem cards were "because it stops piracy" and "SD card speeds are all over the place, this makes it easier for devs!"

[Keyser_Soze]

3 minutes ago, Brian said:

Nothing will top those Vita memory cards though Microsoft tried pretty hard with the expansion cards this gen

 

Like the OG 360 memory cards before they said fuck it plug a USB in.

[Spork3245]

3 minutes ago, Brian said:

Nothing will top those Vita memory cards though Microsoft tried pretty hard with the expansion cards this gen

 

And 360 era with their hdds too.

[crispy4000]

20 minutes ago, Spork3245 said:

 

The earbud tech gets defended as "security related", their Vita mem cards were "because it stops piracy" and "SD card speeds are all over the place, this makes it easier for devs!"

 

Literally the first time I've heard these arguments.  All the outlets I follow have been shitting on their recent hardware choices.

 

I imagine this is like people sticking up for Switch games getting Denuvo.  I'm sure someone out there is saying it.  But probably not any voices worth paying attention to, or enough to constitute a "free pass" generally.

[Spawn_of_Apathy]

1 hour ago, Brian said:

Nothing will top those Vita memory cards though Microsoft tried pretty hard with the expansion cards this gen

 

1 hour ago, Spork3245 said:

 

And 360 era with their hdds too.

At least you’re allowed to use non-licensed, non-proprietary external storage solutions too. Not always a perfect solution. 

[Spork3245]

1 hour ago, crispy4000 said:

I imagine this is like people sticking up for Switch games getting Denuvo

I suggest you go to the Nintendo subreddit for this one