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The Covid-19 pandemic saw gaming affected in a variety of ways. A number of games fell victim to significant delays, while the shipping of next-gen systems was also impacted by manufacturing restrictions. One of the unforeseen silver linings for the gaming industry was the apparent growth in its subscription services, as many looked to keep themselves entertained while staying safe at home. PS Plus is one of the more prominent examples, with PS Plus losing one million subscribers in Q1, yet still recording an increase over the fiscal year 2019. PS Plus isn’t alone, with Game Pass also showing remarkable growth, recording a 50% increase in subscriptions between April 2020 and September 2020.
This growth, however, seems to be slowing down, or as has been the case with PS Plus as of late. Pandemic-related restrictions in many countries are beginning to be lifted, and those who took up gaming during the height of the pandemic may be reverting to their old hobbies. The WHO encouraged people to play video games to pass the time during lockdowns and restrictions, and it seems people took that advice. However, the gaming industry and its subscription services are now in a tricky stage where they are seeking to retain pandemic gains. While some will inevitably not return, there are a number of methods for services like PS Plus to maintain its newer subscribers.
PS Plus Discounts
A part of the reason behind declining subscriber bases in subscription services could be the general population’s financial troubles in the wake of the pandemic. Plenty of industries have been hit hard by the Covid-19 pandemic, not least of all the gaming industry. Games have been subject to significant delays, and now subscriptions like PS Plus have lost a lot of subscriptions. The Covid-19 pandemic came at a time of much change for the gaming industry. The release of the Xbox Series consoles and the PS5 resulted in many gamers spending a hefty chunk on next-gen systems, while the increased price of AAA games has also taken a toll on gamers' wallets.
The cost of upgrading to next-gen, combined with the financial hit many took through Covid-19 may have seen gamers pick up subscription services such as Google Stadia, which rolled out its free subscription service at the beginning of last year. Stadia appeared to have a strong year in 2020, perhaps benefitted by making itself a cheap and easy way to play games in 4K.
Other subscription services such as Game Pass Ultimate and PS Plus could take a leaf from Stadia’s book, by discounting the price of their services in order to retain some of the subscribers gained in the pandemic. Either permanent or short-term changes to the pricing structure of subscription services could see gamers pouring back to them
Great Free Monthly Games
One of the ways in which PlayStation Plus has managed to hold an edge over Xbox Live Gold has been through its free monthly games. A service that, since the PlayStation 4's release and PS Plus being a required subscription for online gaming, has been a source of much excitement for PlayStation owners. However, over time, gamers' excitement has dwindled somewhat, and its free games have drawn criticism from subscribers.
While the occasional title may generate hype, fans just aren’t anticipating PlayStation Plus’ free monthly games as they once had, at least on its own. PlayStation Plus may still have the edge over some of its main competitors, but that edge may be dwindling with the likes of Google Stadia Pro also offering free monthly games.
Xbox Live Gold also offers free games, but as time has progressed, Xbox fans have felt disappointed by Games with Gold’s monthly offerings. Many have felt that the games on offer provide little incentive to renew their subscription beyond the fact that it’s required for online play. Xbox 360 titles are a common sight among the monthly offerings, which is great for nostalgia, but less so for testing out a new next-gen system.
A Subscription Model Similar To Game Pass
At this point, Xbox Game Pass is arguably the best subscription service in gaming. It offers over 300 titles, with new games being added to the service all the time. However, PlayStation offers a service that could stand to rival Game Pass in PS Now. Playstation's PS Now is only available in 19 countries currently, but what it offers to players eligible is pretty impressive. PS Now has over 800 games, with many being PlayStation classics, making it a great introduction to PlayStation for anyone buying a PlayStation console for the first time. The majority of these games are available to stream, putting the service in the same category as Google Stadia.
PS Now offers a lot for the price of its subscription fee, but some fans may be hesitant to subscribe to it given the overwhelming volume of subscription services. The likes of Amazon Prime, Netflix, and Disney+ are just a small handful of the movie and TV streaming services available to the public, without even considering subscription services available in gaming. Microsoft finds a good workaround for this, pairing Xbox Live and Game Pass into one subscription called Xbox Game Pass Ultimate.
This subscription is cheaper than buying the two subscriptions separately, and importantly, it only adds one subscription to gamers’ list of monthly payments. Sony should learn from Microsoft here by offering a collective PS Now and PS Plus subscription. Doing this may encourage PS Plus subscribers to not only renew their PS Plus, but also try a new service in PS Now.