Recently, I decided to purchase a PlayStation Plus (PS Plus) subscription and was surprised to see the price increase from $60 to $80 for a 12-month subscription. The last time I purchased PS Plus was a few years ago, and I didn’t even use it much, as I wasn’t playing console games frequently at the time. I’ve been gaming since the PlayStation 2 era and have experienced the evolution of the gaming industry firsthand. While I understand that inflation has caused price increases across various sectors, I find myself questioning the value of this subscription.

Beyond enabling online multiplayer gameplay, PS Plus doesn’t hold much appeal for me. The additional features, such as free monthly games, don’t align with my gaming habits. I’ve been familiar with subscription models for years. After the PS2, I transitioned to the Xbox 360 instead of the PlayStation 3, PS3 did not required a subscription for online play, while Xbox Live, despite also requiring a subscription, offered a significantly superior online experience. Features like Xbox Live’s party chat system were groundbreaking at the time and set a gold standard for online gaming.

Now, as an adult, I carefully evaluate where I spend my money. It’s not that I can’t afford the PS Plus subscription, but I need to see tangible value before committing to a purchase. Frankly, I’m unsure about what PS Plus offers beyond online multiplayer and party chat, which are the only features I need. Even if they provide additional perks like movies or streaming services, I wouldn’t use them on my console.

I consider myself a dedicated gamer. I don’t rush through games or switch between multiple titles in a short span. I prefer mastering one game before moving on to the next. For instance, during the lifespan of Destiny 1, I dedicated myself entirely to the game on PS4, managing three PlayStation accounts and nine characters to maximize my gameplay each week. The extra games included with PS Plus are of little use to me, as I don’t find the selection appealing or relevant to my interests. My primary need from a subscription is access to multiplayer gaming and party chat.

This raises an important question: If developers and publishers already maintain their game servers, why should I pay Sony for PS Plus to access multiplayer features? Sony already takes a 30% cut from the games sold on their platform, which should cover their operational costs. If, hypothetically, I had to pay a developer like Bungie directly—say, $5 per month to access multiplayer features for Destiny 2—I’d find that reasonable. After all, Bungie is directly responsible for maintaining the game’s servers.

The subscription model in general is frustrating. It’s become so lucrative that every company seems intent on turning products into services. My dislike for this model started with Adobe Creative Cloud, which moved its software to a subscription-only basis. Today, even car manufacturers are offering subscription-based heated seats—features that should be a one-time purchase. Unfortunately, consumers have largely accepted these practices, which has only encouraged companies to continue implementing them.

For me, subscriptions are the exception, not the rule. The only service I pay for regularly is internet access. I’m not opposed to spending money on gaming or entertainment, but the value has to make sense.

I’d like to hear from others, particularly those in game development or publishing, to understand if there’s more to this than I realize. Am I overlooking some critical aspects of these subscription services? Or is this simply a cash grab disguised as a value-added offering?

For the record, I do have an excellent gaming PC, but I prefer playing on consoles for reasons I can’t quite explain. The only PC game I play consistently is League of Legends, which I’ve been playing since 2014. Every time I return to League, all I need to do is connect to the internet, and I’m ready to play without any additional fees. Perhaps console gaming could learn something from this model.

I’m open to constructive feedback and insights, especially from those familiar with the intricacies of the gaming industry.

I am probably beating a dead horse, y’all keep paying it keep growing, wonder how much it gonna be in 10 years from now, and what excuses Sony will bring up. I know it being a while since the price increase but i just can’t eccept it.

Hey everyone,
I wanted to share the results of a little experiment I ran over the past three months with PS Plus Extra. My original goal was simple: test the service before deciding whether to grab the annual plan during the upcoming November sale.

For context — I mostly buy my games digitally (around $500 spent since getting my PS5 last year). So I wanted to see if PS Plus Extra could complement my owned library rather than replace it.

Note: All the prices have been converted to USD as a standard conversion rate

My 3-Month Trial Results (July 27 – October 27, 2025)

• Total Cost: $23.81 (for the 3-month Extra plan)

• Games Played/Completed: Dozens, including Diablo IV, Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart, Lies of P, Detroit: Become Human, and Unicorn Overlord

• Total Value of Games I Actually Played: $170.94

• Playtime: 224 hours total

That means for every $1 spent, I got 9.41 hours of entertainment.
If I compare that to going to the movies (roughly 0.84 hours per dollar), it’s not even close.

🎮 Value Comparison

So even if I only count what I actually played, that’s a 7.18× return on my money. If you include the entire available catalog, it’s over 14×.

Observations & Takeaways

• The library helped me try genres and franchises I might not have bought outright.

• Having access to so many great titles meant I could sample without “sunk cost” anxiety.

• It fits perfectly alongside my digital collection — I can still buy my must-haves, but use Extra as a discovery tool.

• Even paused games stay available, so I can jump back in anytime.

My Plan Going Forward

If the annual Extra plan drops to around $70–80 during the sale (which it usually does), I’ll almost certainly renew.
At my current pace, even if I only log 500 hours next year, that’s 8+ hours of entertainment per dollar spent — better than any other form of paid entertainment I use.

The yearly plan would cost about the same as 3–4 AAA games, but give me a rotating catalog, flexibility, and tons of variety.

Final Thoughts

After 3 months of tracking my usage and value, PS Plus Extra proved to be an excellent deal for my gaming habits.
It’s not just about saving money — it’s about freedom to explore, discover, and play more without the guilt of overspending.

So yeah, barring any major price hikes, I’ll be locking in the annual Extra plan during the November sale.
It’s simply the best entertainment value I’ve found on PlayStation so far.