Sony launched the PlayStation Plus program in 2010, and two years later it's grown into quite the phenomenon. In fact, the PlayStation manufacturer has just announced that subscription sales nearly doubled in the week following its E3 2012 press conference.

The rise in subscriptions can likely be attributed to the Instant Game Collection. The IGC gives PlayStation Plus subscribers access to twelve games which can be played throughout the tenure of their subscription. Games are rotated out on a constant basis, though titles LittleBigPlanet 2 and inFAMOUS 2 have remained as part of the promotion since launch.

PlayStation Plus also gives users to discounts on PSN titles, such as Tokyo Jungle and Hell Yeah!, both of which are down from $14.99 to $11.99 this week. These discounts may also account for another interesting announcement: digital sales are up on the PSN. Sony's Jack Buser revealed to Joystiq that the company has seen the highest number of digital sales this quarter than at any other time during the PSN's six years of existence.

The PlayStation Network has become a larger focus for Sony, including a focus towards selling more full games as digital titles. Earlier this week, Sony announced the Day One Digital program, which will bring full games like Dishonored and Assassin's Creed III to PSN on day one. Some games will also be discounted for PlayStation Plus subscribers. PS Plus is also set to make its way to the Vita later this year, though aside from giving Vita owners one gigabyte of cloud storage for game saves, fwe details have been revealed about the service.

As it stands, PlayStation Plus has become quite the attractive offer, especially in comparision to the rewards program for Xbox Live. However, some users have begun to express their displeasure towards the North American PlayStation Plus service. European subscribers have had access to free games like Red Dead Redemption and Deus Ex: Human Revolution, while the North American service has mostly focused on downloadable titles like Double Dragon Neon and The Walking Dead. There's nothing wrong with these downloadable titles - they're certainly the cream of the crop - but when compared to the European service it's clear why some gamers may feel they're not getting the most out their subscription.

-

Follow me on Twitter @AnthonyMole.

Source: Joystiq