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Sony sees PS Plus more as a way to help publishers extend the lifecycles of their games, and not as a means to transform its business model. More and more titles have been launching into Microsoft’s competitively priced Game Pass service, but indies evangelist Shuhei Yoshida reiterated that PlayStation “believes in the premium release of a title”. Instead, he compared the subscription to the theatrical launch of a movie, which eventually reaches new audiences through later delivery mechanisms.

“Our approach is we like to help publishers manage the lifecycle [of a game],” he told Games Industry.biz. “It’s like when a movie comes out in the theatre first, and then goes to pay-per-view or streaming or free television. Every time it generates new revenue or a broader audience. So, in the same kind of way, we believe in the premium release of a title, but after six months or 12 months, when the game’s sales come down, inclusion into PS Plus can help resurface these games.”

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Yoshida admitted there have been exceptions, and he believes PS Plus had a significant impact on the success of Rocket League and Fall Guys. He also admitted that Stray, which launched day one into PS Plus Extra, was an “anomaly” to its approach. But he believes that PS Plus can be used to help “elevate the interest in a game” when it has new DLC available or a sequel to promote. “We are encouraging publishers to make use of these services when managing the lifecycle of their titles,” he said.

[source youtube.com]