Sony’s PlayStation Plus overhaul, which is currently working under the codename “Spartacus,” will feature three separately priced tiers for subscribers, as detailed in a report from GamesBeat. Word that the company’s gaming service would receive a restructuring first arrived late last year in a Bloomberg report. At the time, it was described as a monthly subscription service that combined both PlayStation Plus and Sony’s game streaming platform, PlayStation Now. GamesBeat says the platform update does indeed exist, adding that subscribers will have the option to join at three levels: Essential, Extra, and Premium.
Each Spartacus level is tied to its own price point and offers different features. Those that join at the $10 PlayStation Plus Essential tier will receive benefits nearly identical to those found in the current model, which includes an assortment of games that rotate out every month. PlayStation Plus Extra ups the monthly price to $13, offering the same rotating monthly games in addition to a game catalog that includes hundreds of downloadable games.
Then, there’s the PlayStation Plus Premium tier, which packs in everything found in the Extra tier but adds PlayStation Now’s streaming convenience. It also comes with a library of classic games as well as access to a special game trials feature. Game trials are described as similar to EA Play’s trial option, which allows players to get a taste of new games without additional spending. However, the real pull lies with those classic games, which the Bloomberg report says could include titles from the PS1, PS2, PS3, and PSP libraries. Though pricey at $16 a month, PlayStation Plus Premium could be the backward compatibility answer PlayStation 5 owners have been in search of.
GamesBeat says Sony is lined up to begin testing Spartacus in the next few weeks, with a public unveiling arriving as early as March. That said, the program is still in its early days, so any of the planned offerings mentioned today could see a change of plans before launch. Keep checking in for updates as we wait for official word from Sony.
