Earlier we reported that the PlayStation Network has 70 million monthly active users, and now Sony has followed up with a presentation confirming that as of 31st March, a whopping 26.4 million were subscribed to PlayStation Plus. That means that just under 40 per cent of people who log in to PSN at least once a month are paying for the Japanese giant’s premium membership service – an increase of approximately six million year-over-year.
Unsurprisingly, the platform holder hopes to grow this figure over the course of the current fiscal year, while simultaneously retaining existing subscriptions. And when you consider that a membership costs roughly $60 per annum, it’s easy to see why. We won’t do the maths for you, but there’s clearly gigantic sums of money to be made here.
[source sony.net]
Comments 29
After the price hike (and due to how rarely I play online), I won't be renewing my subscription.
I don't even game online that much but I'm still relatively happy to pay for a PSN subscription. I think the service has been a lot better the last few months compared to the seemingly-constant problems and network outages we had during the PS3 days.
"while retaining existing subscriptions"
Perhaps some bigger PS4 titles on the way?
I have plus on two of my 3 accounts i mention earlier both are good till 2020. Its funny PlayStation Plus contuies to grow while people contuie to leave Plus. So to the people that leave PlayStation Plus go right on ahead sony doesn't care
I only subscribe because I still play GTA Online. All the PS Plus games are a nice bonus but I haven't actually played one for a good while now, they just get added to the library.
It's $60 now in the US BTW.
Time for a poll? How many people feel forced to pay to play online, how many people gladly pay for games and/or cloud saves? I suppose how many people gladly pay to play online should be an option as well.
We have a PS4, 2 PS3 and a not hooked up PSTV, and I'm mostly paying this year so my kid can play DragonBall Xenoverse 2 online but between PS3 and PS4 we are getting some good games we've enjoyed playing. Also bought the 1 year subscription for $50 the day after it went up to $60 so it felt like I was getting a deal. They skipped the Black Friday deal they had a few years back that seemed to crush their servers both in the EU and US.And I feel like with PS+ required for online play they really don't need to offer a deal ever again. MS charges, Nintendo is going to start, they don't really need to offer anything sadly.
@rjejr Corrected, thanks.
I've had plus since day one. i'm happy to keep paying but I've seen a switch in standards.
-The network is much better
-The sales can be really good with plus discount.
-The games are poor - we do get a good one now and then but the ps3 ones before ps4 came out was usually very good in my opinion
£40 a year?! Noooooooooooooooooo....ooooooo.............oooooooooooo.....
And such quality games every month. Thank you Sony.
I subscribe to psplus only for cloud saves and psn discount, and occasionally good indie games
@sketchturner what price hike, you on about the fact that people in america now have to pay tax on it, well the rest of the world has being paying tax on that service since it started so now your just like everyone else
I got Plus and then let it lapse on March this year. "Free" games are not that good and you effectively lose them until you pay again. Cloud saves are fine but since I barely play online I don't see the benefit. Discounts are good but there are a ton of games I bought for cheap and never played.
They should really do more things like exclusive demos to entice more people to stay.
Paid to play online since Xbox Live went live and we have 2 PS+ account's as well, great value for money. It's worth £40 a year just to get some of the amazing bargain's you get in the store.
@get2sammyb Well that's in US $, I really have no idea what the rest of the world pays so it could be closer to $50 US. But thanks for not getting all "Stop being so pedantic" on me.
@sinalefa "exclusive demos"
You said demos
@FullbringIchigo I'm not talking about tax. The price of PS+ recently went up to $60 a year and I already was questioning whether it was worth the $50 per year it used to be.
@sketchturner You just pay the same as the rest.
I think mine expires in August, it won't be getting renewed as I simply don't use it, since I subscribed I've only bothered to download one of the free games as there's simply never anything of an interest to me.
I'll probably put the money towards nintendo online service on the switch instead as I'm more likely to use that
@rjejr
I am dying for Friday to come. Why? Because Arms will have the global testpunch. Yes, a demo!
I love demos when I want the game because they are early access. I wanted to see if Nioh is for me but no demo.
May was a great month I expect June to be much less. Why people rate Plus by the month I have no Idea. When I look at it as a yearly sub I always see value in discounts and the few really good games we receive over a whole Year. Along with playing online when ever I wish.Fact is there is not one game that would make everyone happy in the whole PlayStation library.
So despite all the cries of so called poor Plus games, it actually gained subs? Another example of forum commenters not representing the wider gaming world.
@wiiware almost in the same boat , I only subscribe for the cloud saves .
@sinalefa I'm looking forward to what everybody thinks of ARMS. I think it looks pretty good, but not good enough to buy a Switch for.
@sketchturner yeah because you now have to pay tax on it, you never used to in america that is why you had a price increase
but i understand what you mean perhaps it is too much but when you take into account the free game you get all year, even if you don't download them all $5 a month isn't that bad really
@FullbringIchigo Dude, we don't pay anywhere near 20% sales tax in the US. It varies significantly from state to state, and the tax rate in some states is ZERO. The increase in price was because Sony increased the price. Tax is added as a separate charge to the total price anyway, it is not incorporated into the "list" price for an item or service. It doesn't work like VAT in the EU. If is was just sales tax added to the previous PS+ price of $50, the total cost (in my state) would be $53.50, not $60. Sales tax is even broken out as an additional line item charge on receipts, almost like a mini-spread sheet.
Also, to quote a well-respected website known for its excellent reporting on all things PlayStation, "Sony says that the price increase is due to current market conditions." https://www.pushsquare.com/news/2016/08/playstation_plus_price_increase_confirmed_for_us_and_canada
@Number_6 But you do still pay the same as everyone else, you just used to get it cheaper than most right? That's how I thought it was anyway, they just brought you inline like everyone else.
@xMEADx I'm not really sure how the price compares to the rest of the world, but I did take a look at the price in GB where it is £40 per year. A quick check of the exchange rates shows that equals $51.88 US. So, the price for PS+ is actually ~17% higher in the US than in Britain. I'm not sure how the US and British prices compare with other countries, though.
@Number_6 Oh wow well then that sux, i'd be annoyed as well. I thought you guy's over there generaly got a better deal with stuff like that than us, 17% is a lot as well. I'm genuinely sorry to hear that, everyone should pay the same that's what I thought they did.
I actually thought it'd be much higher , more like 70/80% .
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