To compete with the increasingly formidable lineup of Xbox Game Pass, the PlayStation family finally launched the new version of its PlayStation Plus subscription plan late last month. In addition to the original monthly free games, by purchasing the "Extra" and "Premium" tiers, you can now enjoy a vast library of major PS titles all at once. But facing the already well-established XGP, can this new PlayStation Plus service truly compete? Let's dive in and take a look at the specifics based on our hands-on experience!
Hundreds of Games, Unlimited PlaySpeaking of the new PS Plus plan, it has three major selling points, and the most crucial one is undoubtedly the new "Game Catalog" service. This service is the absolute centerpiece of the update. As long as you subscribe to the "Extra" tier or higher, you get unlimited access to over 400 PS4 and PS5 games.
PS Exclusive GamesIn addition to top-tier third-party blockbusters like "Detroit: Become Human", "Control", and "Final Fantasy XV Royal Edition", powerful exclusive titles such as "Marvel's Spider-Man", "Death Stranding Director's Cut", "God of War", and "Returnal" are also included in the list. It's foreseeable that future PS exclusives will also join this family.
Of course, players who have been following the news know that this service will not feature new releases on day one, and the total size of the game library doesn't match that of XGP. But for SONY, the intention was never to engage in a price war with XGP from the start. Instead, the target audience is those players who spend a significant amount of money annually on PS exclusive content. In a way, it might be better to view this new plan as a discount service that bundles PS exclusives. After all, titles like "Demon's Souls Remake" and "Ghost of Tsushima Director's Cut" are games you can only play here.
The list varies slightly by region; Taiwan's list leans more towards Western games.
The Underrated "Game Trials" FeatureAdditionally, for players with an above-average craving for new games who want to "play first," the "PlayStation Plus Game Trials," an exclusive feature of the "Premium" tier, is actually an underrated selling point.
Here, you'll find limited-time trials and discounts for many new major titles. The current list, for example, includes massive games like "Horizon Forbidden West", "Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves Collection", and "Cyberpunk 2077". And unlike other platforms, these trials offer the "full version" of the games, with playtime calculated in "hours," providing a much deeper experience than a simple demo. This is highly attractive to both media professionals and streamers.
Although only a few titles are included in this list initially, it's expected that new first-party PS games, as well as games from partners like Ubisoft, will likely appear on this list for early access in the future.
As an aside, for this writer, this feature is perhaps better compared to EA Play Pro rather than XGP. As a subscription service that also offers early access to new titles (with quite a bit of overlap in subscribed game content), the significantly smaller catalog of EA Play Pro comes with a hefty price tag of 2899/year. If you, like me, are drawn by the "priority access" to major titles, then this feature might be one of your motivations to subscribe.
PS first-party games offer longer trial periods, and afterward, you can choose to either buy the game directly or wait for it to be added to the service.
Non-first-party blockbusters also occasionally receive discounts here.
Play Classic Masterpieces with New-Gen SpecsThe main function of this service is to provide classic titles from the PS, PS2, and PSP eras. Here you can find renowned games from our childhood, such as the original "Everybody's Golf" and "Mr. Driller". I was particularly impressed by "Tekken 2"; not only was it my first-ever PS game, but it was also famously used by many pirating players as a boot disc for modding their consoles. Just looking at this list brings back a wave of nostalgia.
Furthermore, these titles have been optimized for PS4 and PS5 specifications and even include a "rewind" feature commonly found in modern remakes. Experiencing these old games on a next-gen console is indeed a refreshing experience.
Unfortunately, since the highest tier available in the Taiwan region is "Premium" and not the overseas "Deluxe" tier, the number of titles in this section is somewhat limited. Some memorable PSP titles for Taiwanese players, as well as certain cloud-streamed games, are almost all absent from this list. However, considering the price difference and the fact that Taiwan was never included in the service area for its predecessor, "PlayStation Now," this level of disparity isn't entirely surprising, is it?
ConclusionFinally, let's summarize. When it comes to these two subscription services, the ultimate decision comes down to your gaming preferences, rather than a simple comparison of library size and price. For players who don't have specific games in mind and prioritize "quantity" and "price" when choosing a subscription, XGP certainly has the edge in terms of value. Furthermore, its policy of featuring new releases on day one makes it easier for XGP to expand its library with new titles.
But if your priority is high-quality "exclusives," then the PlayStation ecosystem's consistently excellent exclusive lineup is more than enough to make up for the smaller library size. After all, at this stage, the Xbox exclusive lineup still lacks enough killer-app blockbusters. And when you do the math, purchasing just two or more PS exclusive games a year already costs more than the annual fee for a Premium membership. Considering that the new PS Plus subscription system is still in its early stages, it's not impossible for it to close the gap in terms of sheer numbers in a few years.
PS exclusive games are of very high quality.
So, before rushing to argue which service is more "generous," why not take a moment to compare your personal wishlist with the game catalog offered by PS Plus? After calmly doing the math, you might have a much clearer idea of which camp you belong to!