Sony's PlayStation Plus service is getting a major revamp in June that will split its offerings into three tiers. Starting in June, PlayStation Plus subscribers can choose from PS Plus Essential (the base version of the service as it exists now), PS Plus Extra (comes with some bonus games and PlayStation Now integration), and PS Plus Premium (adds hundreds of retro games). It seems those who want to get the most bang for their buck should consider springing for the PS Plus Premium tier, especially if a new report turns out to be accurate.
According to Game Developer's sources, PS Plus Premium will offer timed game trials in addition to its other perks. New games priced at $34 or higher after PS Plus Premium is introduced will be required to offer demos that are at least two hours long. Lower-priced games and PlayStation VR titles are said to be excluded from this new rule. The trials must be introduced within three months after a game is released and are to remain available for at least a year.
This will likely be well-received by PlayStation users and PS Plus Premium subscribers, as this will give them the chance to try more games before they buy. Developers, on the other hand, may be less enthused about this. After all, this will mean dedicating additional resources to creating the trial versions of the games. It will be interesting to see if Sony adjusts this policy at all based on feedback.
While this may prove to be a headache for some developers down the line, this new PS Plus Premium policy will likely greatly appeal to fans, and it could go a long way in convincing skeptical people to sign up for the pricier service. It could also help PS Plus Premium better compete with Microsoft's Xbox Game Pass service. No, these trials won't be equivalent to day one game releases, but they will still give subscribers undeniable value and should help when it comes to making purchasing decisions.
Besides the free game trials, Sony is banking on retro games to convince fans to sign up for PS Plus Premium. PS Plus Premium will have hundreds of retro games at launch from the PS1, PS2, PSP, and PS3 eras, though specific titles have yet to be mentioned. In total, there will be over 700 games for PS Plus Premium subscribers to check out once the service rolls out in June, and it will be interesting to see what all is included.
Source: Game Developer