MCV/DEVELOP News, events, research and jobs from the games industry
Sony has dropped the price for its subscription service, PlayStation Now.
Expanding its coverage to 19 territories and 70 per cent of its PlayStation 4 user base, PlayStation Now will also feature “more blockbuster games”, “while adding marquee, limited-time titles such as Grand Theft Auto V* and God of War to the more than 700 games available on the service”.
Sony describes PlayStation Now as the “first and only console game subscription service on the market that uses cloud technology to deliver a breadth of unprecedented games”. Looking head, the subscription service – which is also available on PC – will be available for £9/$10 a month or £50/$60 per year, down from £13/$20 and £85/$100 respectively. There is also now a new quarterly tier of subscription available, which is available for £23.
Existing customers will see this price change reflected in their next billing cycle, “keeping in line with pricing for other entertainment streaming services”.
“Following PlayStation Now’s expansion earlier this year, we have coverage for more than 70 per cent of our global PS4 user base, making it the ideal time to revamp the service with a more compelling price and stronger content offering,” said Jim Ryan, president and CEO of Sony Interactive Entertainment. “We have accumulated a wealth of knowledge in cloud gaming since PlayStation Now’s launch in 2014. That, coupled with our 25-year legacy in the games business and strong partnerships we’ve forged with publishers, positions us to continue leading and innovating in this field as the gaming industry evolves.”
Launched in 2014, PlayStation Now gives gamers the option to stream “hundreds of PlayStation 4, PlayStation 3 and PlayStation 2 games on their PS4 system or PC devices, or download more than 300 PS4 games on their PS4 system”.
“To maintain its leading position Sony is focusing its PlayStation Now strategy: slashing its price, improving its content and spending a significant sum on marketing to boost adoption,” commented Piers Harding-Rolls, director and head of games research & lead AR/VR Analyst. “Having operated PS Now since 2014, Sony believes it is the right time to enter a more expansive phase for its subscription service.
“The upcoming launch of Google Stadia and Microsoft’s own Project xCloud strategy has resulted in a more aggressive approach, but this is also a good time to lay the foundation for future growth as the company starts the transition to its next-generation console platform.
“At $9.99/€9.99/£8.99 for the month-to-month subscription rate the service is much more competitive and will be one of the cheapest cloud gaming services available with such a deep catalogue of content.”
