Walmart Still Selling Codes for PlayStation Service That Doesn’t Exist Anymore

Summary

  • Walmart still sells PlayStation Now gift cards even though the service has been discontinued.
  • PlayStation Now merged with PlayStation Plus, offering tiered services.
  • Redeeming a PlayStation Now voucher now provides access to PlayStation Plus Premium, not 1:1 conversion.

As a passionate gamer with over two decades of gaming experience under my belt, I must say that the recent news about Walmart still selling PlayStation Now gift cards has left me scratching my head in bewilderment. Back in the day, PlayStation Now was a game-changer for me, allowing me to access a vast library of games across multiple generations of Sony consoles through the cloud. It was a godsend for those who didn’t own every console and wanted to experience classic titles without breaking the bank.

Fast forward to 2024, and I find myself disappointed that Sony Interactive Entertainment discontinued PlayStation Now, only to have it resurface as part of PlayStation Plus. Don’t get me wrong; I understand the need for streamlining subscription offerings, but I can’t help but feel a pang of nostalgia for the good old days when PlayStation Now was a standalone service.

The recent revelation that at least one Walmart branch is still selling PlayStation Now gift cards is both confusing and frustrating. It feels like a time warp, with Sony selling vouchers for a service that was discontinued years ago. I can’t help but think of the countless hours I spent on PlayStation Now, only to find out that those vouchers won’t give me a 1:1 conversion to PlayStation Plus Premium.

On the bright side, I’m excited about the new additions to the PlayStation Plus library, including Aliens: Dark Descent, It Takes Two, and Temtem. However, it’s hard not to be saddened by the fact that some of my favorite games, such as Dragon Ball FighterZ, Life is Strange, and Resident Evil 2, will soon leave the service.

As I sit here, reminiscing about the good old days, I can’t help but laugh at the absurdity of it all. Here I am, a gamer with two decades of experience, still holding onto PlayStation Now vouchers that are worth less than what I paid for them years ago. I guess that’s just another chapter in the crazy world of gaming!

A player found out that Walmart continues to stock PlayStation Now vouchers, despite the fact that the pay-to-use service was shut down several years back. PlayStation Now offered users the chance to access a vast library of games from various generations of Sony gaming consoles via the cloud.

In 2022, Sony Interactive Entertainment combined their services by merging PlayStation Now with PlayStation Plus. PlayStation Plus was then reorganized into a multi-tiered service. The fundamental advantages of PlayStation Plus, such as online multiplayer access, monthly free games, and exclusive discounts, remained in the standard Essential plan. To keep using the cloud gaming features that were previously available with PlayStation Now, users needed to upgrade to the more expensive PlayStation Plus Premium, which encompassed all the benefits of the Essential and mid-tier Extra plans as well. Even though PlayStation Now was discontinued over two years ago, it seems some pre-paid vouchers for this defunct service are still circulating.

A Reddit user named Turnabout-Eman shared that at least one Walmart store somewhere is still offering PlayStation Now gift cards for sale. On the official PlayStation site, using a PlayStation Now voucher now grants access to PlayStation Plus Premium, with the duration of the subscription based on the value of the voucher. Since the new plan ($17.99 per month) is more expensive than what Sony previously charged for their discontinued service ($9.99 per month), the vouchers won’t give a straight one-to-one exchange. For example, a one-month PlayStation Now voucher is roughly equivalent to around three weeks of PlayStation Plus Premium, as stated on the PlayStation site.

Walmart Still Sells PlayStation Now Gift Cards in 2024

3 games were included in the PlayStation Plus library last December: “Aliens: Dark Descent” by Tindalos Interactive, which is an RTS game; “It Takes Two”, a critically praised cooperative game developed by Hazelight Studios that focuses on storytelling; and “Temtem”, an MMORPG created by Crema. Several games are set to be removed from the service in early 2025, such as “Dragon Ball FighterZ”, “Life is Strange”, and “Resident Evil 2”.

In simpler terms, Sony reported an 18% increase in earnings from PlayStation Plus during the second quarters of fiscal years 2023 and 2024. This growth was driven by users spending more money, which was partially caused by them upgrading to higher service tiers. The replacement for PlayStation Now, called the Extra plan, offers a wider selection of free PS4 and PS5 games. The Premium tier of PlayStation Plus expands this library even further by including games from older consoles like PS1, PS2, PS3, and PSP.

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2024-12-29 17:04