Sony announces on the PlayStation Blog that it will increase the subscription prices for its PlayStation Plus services in North America beginning September 22nd.
In order to play games online, PlayStation 4 owners are required to subscribe to Sony's PlayStation Plus service. In exchange for a fee, PS Plus provides subscribers not only with online gaming services, but also special discounts on PlayStation Store products, as well as access to a set of free games each month in its Instant Game Collection. PS Plus is required to get the most out of one's PS4, and now Sony is upping the price for the service for the first time since its introduction in 2010, due to "current market conditions."
According to an update on the PlayStation Blog post featuring August's free games, PS Plus subscribers in the United States and Canada can look forward to increased rates beginning as soon as September. In the US, the annual subscription price is increasing from $50 per year to $60, and the three month plan is increasing from $18 to $25. In Canada, the annual subscription price is jumping from $50 to $70, and the three month price will go from $18 to $30.
Unfortunately for Canadian PS4 owners, the monthly price is increasing there as well. Whereas gamers in the United States will enjoy the same rate for their PS Plus monthly subscription (currently retailing for $9.99), Canadians are being asked to pay $12. Anyone that would like to renew their PlayStation Plus subscription with the current price points will want to do so before September 22nd. The price increase goes into effect on that date, so there's still time to renew PlayStation Plus at a discount.
While the PlayStation Plus price hike may irritate some gamers, it's something that has been expected for a while now. Sony is currently dominating the console sales race, with PlayStation 4 outpacing its competition by millions of units sold, and PS Plus continues to grow in popularity as a result. Sony realizes that it can ask more for a PS Plus subscription and probably won't lose any customers, so it makes sense for the company to raise the price.
Furthermore, the PS Plus price increase essentially brings it to the same price as its chief competition, Xbox Live Gold. Xbox Live Gold subscribers have been paying $60 for an annual subscription for years, yet Xbox Live services are as popular as ever. Since PlayStation Plus offers virtually all the same services as Xbox Live, it's reasonable for Sony to ask its customers to pay a similar price point as its competition.
The PlayStation Plus price increase will go into effect on September 22nd.
Source: PlayStation Blog