The Announcement about the Playstation Plus Subscription Price Hike Has Caused Controversies among Gamers
The announcement made by Sony about the increase in the price of PS Plus subscriptions has caused controversy among gamers, who might become angry and start discussing the matter actively on the Internet. One should say that the decision to increase the prices for their subscription services may be viewed as one of the most significant steps recently taken by the company.
For gamers, this may be seen as an important issue as PS Plus subscriptions are rather expensive, as they provide numerous benefits to users.
A Shocking Change that Has Left Gamers in Surprise
This pricing policy change would be applicable to all levels of PlayStation Plus subscriptions whether it is a new subscription or a renewal of an existing subscription. Although Sony states that it is not a temporary policy change, the company explains that this is because it represents “ongoing improvements to content quality and service value.”
Many gamers consider that this is very sudden especially considering the state of the gaming industry today where gamers have to cope with expensive gaming consoles, pricey AAA games and increased use of microtransactions.
Within hours of Sony’s announcement, social media was already filled with surprised reactions towards this shocking move, with tweets and discussions about PlayStation Plus trending on Twitter.
The Importance of Why This Price Increase Matters
PlayStation Plus is not just another subscription program, but rather it is essential for online gaming on the PlayStation console. Without PlayStation Plus, one will be unable to utilize any of the multiplayer features within many games, whether it be Call of Duty, FIFA/EA Sports FC, Fortnite, and everything in-between.
Casual gamers even fall under the category.
The reason behind this is that while other subscription services for entertainment are generally nice to have, PlayStation Plus is thought of as essential by many users for the utilization of their console. This is the reason behind why price increases matter so much.
Gamers React: Frustration Builds Online
It is clear from the discussion on Reddit, videos on YouTube, and other gaming forums that people have not been shy to criticize this topic. Most of the gamers feel that subscription fatigue is increasingly becoming a problem in the modern gaming industry where the price of gaming is going up through different subscriptions.
Some of the criticisms are:
- “Everything has become subscription”
- “We pay more but own less”
- “Gaming used to be affordable”
- “Online gaming shouldn’t cost anything”
However, there are also other views, which are more moderate, recognizing that certain improvements in service delivery, cloud gaming, and free games can justify additional costs.
Value over Cost Pressure – Sony Strategy
As far as business analysis is concerned, the strategy of Sony can be regarded as an example of what is happening in the industry now. Concerning video games, the trend shifts from a one-off purchase to subscription model.
PlayStation Plus service has evolved much during the years owing to the multi-level nature of the product, which includes:
- Multiplayer access online
- Monthly free games
- Library of games for premium services
- Stream gaming in some countries
Nevertheless, Sony has always claimed that the evolution adds value to the experience. However, opponents state that it becomes harder to prove the value in the light of price increases.
Courtesy of Ted Fu (Flickr CC0)The Underlying Trend in the Industry Leading to the Increase in Prices
It is not just PlayStation; there is a price revolution happening in the gaming industry as a whole.
The publishers raised the prices on new games from $60 to $70, while the subscription services like Xbox Game Pass or Nintendo Switch Online introduced changes in pricing over the last few years.
According to experts, the underlying reasons for that include:
- Increased cost of production of AAA games
- Increased cost of developing the online ecosystem
- Competition among subscription ecosystems
- Overall inflation in the technology sector
Gaming becomes increasingly expensive.
What the Players Will Do Next
Now that the news has broken, many players will have to rethink their subscription plans, including:
- downgrading their subscriptions to lower plans
- stopping their subscriptions entirely
- sharing accounts from home
- switching platforms for other types of online games
However, for most PlayStation players, stopping using the console is an impossible task, especially for multiplayer games.
This puts the gamers into a quandary, one that Sony must be aware of during its implementation of the new price strategy.
Will Sony Walk It Back?
Generally speaking, top-notch gaming companies are unlikely to reverse the increase in prices after implementing the change. However, the degree of customer response may influence the future strategies of promotion and discounts.
It is believed that Sony will fight back by offering either:
- a better choice of games per month
- discounts on annual membership
- or additional perks for premium memberships
However, at this stage, the company is resolved to keep its pricing strategy.
A Turning Point for Subscription-Based Gaming?
The increase in the cost of PlayStation Plus may well be a significant change. The increase in the cost of subscriptions appears to be indicative of the conflict that currently exists in today’s world of gaming concerning convenience and consumer fatigue.
As gaming becomes increasingly digital and subscription-based, gamers are continuously asking themselves the question of:
“What is too much for the pleasure of gaming?”
One thing that is certain at the moment is that the reaction to Sony’s announcement proves that even die-hard PlayStation gamers are being careful with their money when gaming.
By David Loran Jr
A successful Editor-in-Chief, journalist for over 6 years, writing about important topics that are going on within the U.S. and beyond.
Sources:
Insider Gaming: PlayStation Plus Price Increase Announced
IGN: Sony Announces PlayStation Plus Price Increases ‘Due to Ongoing Market Conditions’
Featured Image Courtesy of Ian Muttoo‘s Flickr Page – Creative Commons License
Inset Image Courtesy of Ted Fu‘s Flickr Page – Creative Commons License
