PS Plus Extra Shines: Will Essential Soon Fade?

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Summary

  • PS Plus Extra in January 2025 offers stellar titles, including God of War Ragnarok, a Game of the Year winner.
  • PS Plus Essential has been consistently underperforming compared to Extra, potentially hinting at its phasing out.
  • The business strategy of encouraging upgrades may lead to Essential being replaced by Extra, impacting game offerings.

Criticism towards PS Plus has been intense recently, focusing primarily on its habit of offering mediocre games, which are further diminished by the monthly subscription fee. A recent case in point is the January 2025 lineup for PS Plus Essential, featuring the critically panned game Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League, along with the remastered versions of Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit Remastered and The Stanley Parable: Ultra Deluxe Edition, both being updates of older games. On the bright side, PS Plus Extra has been generally well-received lately, but this positive reception merely highlights a bigger issue.

As a gamer, I must admit, these past few months have been quite the gaming feast for those who subscribe to the PS Plus Extra tier, with some amazing titles like Dying Light 2, Grand Theft Auto 5, Dead Island 2, and now God of War Ragnarok gracing their screens. On the other hand, us Essential subscribers have been feeling a bit left out in the cold, as if we’re missing out on the main course.

From a business perspective, I get it – you shouldn’t offer the same benefits to those who are paying less for a service compared to those who are paying more. But if PS Plus keeps up this trend of offering more and more exclusive titles to the Extra tier, I can’t help but wonder if the Essential tier might eventually be phased out completely and replaced by PS Plus Extra – or maybe that’s their master plan all along.

PS Plus Extra for January 2025 Is Further Proof of Essential’s Inadequacy

PS Plus Extra for January 2025 Includes Some Stellar Titles

In January 2025, the PS Plus Extra collection boasts some exceptional games, with Santa Monica’s “God of War Ragnarok” leading the charge. This game wasn’t merely a contender for Game of the Year in 2022; it garnered numerous accolades at that year’s Game Awards and was just shy of dethroning “Elden Ring” for the top spot. Interestingly, PS Plus doesn’t typically include Game of the Year winners or nominees, but adding “God of War Ragnarok” to the roster is a significant step up from the norm.

The arrival of “God of War Ragnarok” in our catalog this month might hint at the upcoming unveiling of the long-discussed “God of War” remastered compilation, which has been a topic of conversation for quite some time.

In March 2023, God of War Ragnarok joins a stellar lineup with Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name. The latter game excelled upon its release and is a fitting addition to PS Plus, given the February launch of Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii. Additionally, Citizen Sleeper, a 2022 surprise hit, also joins the collection this month, with its sequel set for January 31. Other notable titles in the mix include Atlas Fallen: Reign Of Sand, Sayonara Wild Hearts, and Orcs Must Die! 3. These are just some of the standout games available now on PS Plus.

PS Plus Extra Has Been Outperforming the Essential Tier for Quite Some Time

2025 hasn’t been the first time PS Plus Extra has surpassed the Essential tier in popularity; this trend has been ongoing for quite a while now. Some might even say that 2024 was one of the toughest years for PS Plus, with most months’ offerings stirring up controversy and leaving many subscribers questioning whether to upgrade or cancel their subscription altogether. It seems that this pattern is persisting into 2025 for the Essential tier, which could be a significant hint that the service is encouraging its users to move towards the Extra and Premium tiers instead.

From a business perspective, the rationale behind this move is clear: PS Plus aims to encourage subscribers to upgrade to higher tiers. However, the concern lies in the potential long-term impact. If the trend continues, PS Plus Essential might eventually fade away, with PS Plus Extra stepping up as the new Essential tier. This could set off a chain reaction, with PS Plus Extra possibly offering fewer benefits later on to make room for an obsolete tier. Nevertheless, it’s possible that PS Plus Essential will still provide an appealing selection of games from time to time to keep its subscribers engaged.

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2025-01-18 13:34