Sony has shared a new report with investors that touts PlayStation 5’s marketplace gains and the continued expansion of PlayStation Plus’ subscriber base. The latter has been so successful at adding users to the highest subscription tiers that Sony is already considering a price increase for PS Plus “to maximize profitability.”
Following the release of the report online, Sony Interactive Entertainment president and CEO Hideaki Nishino appeared on a fireside chat and spelled out that the only direction for PlayStation Plus pricing is up.
“The PlayStation Plus service offers great value for our players, and we will continue to add more value and adjust our pricing strategy in a dynamic way to maximize profitability,” said Nishino.
Currently, PS Plus’s Premium tier costs $160 per year in the US, while the Extra costs $135 and the Essential costs $80.
Nishino’s statement came after Sony’s presentation indicated that 38% of all PlayStation Plus subscribers opted for the top two tiers, Premium and Extra. Furthermore, the percentage of PS Plus subscribers on the Extra tier increased from 16% to 22% from Sony’s 2022 fiscal year to its 2024 fiscal year. In that same period, PlayStation Plus Premium subscribers rose from 13% to 17% of all PS Plus users.
Nishino noted that Sony would “add more value” to PS Plus subscriptions to justify increasing the price. It’s unclear exactly what that might entail, especially since Sony has steered away from following Game Pass’ path of dropping AAA games on the service on day one.
As recently as last April, Sony raised PS Plus prices in several countries, while sparing the US from any immediate increase. Players in North America may not be so lucky next time.