Jason Schreier: Sony is planning a new subscription service, code-named Spartacus, to take on Xbox Game Pass (Merges PS+ and PSNow. Not day one games)

[Skywalker333]

Documentation reviewed by Bloomberg outlines a service with three tiers. The first would include existing PlayStation Plus benefits. The second would offer a large catalog of PlayStation 4 and, eventually, PlayStation 5 games. The third tier would add extended demos, game streaming and a library of classic PS1, PS2, PS3 and PSP games. A representative for PlayStation didn't immediately respond to a request for comment.
Don't expect Sony to include its big new games day one like Game Pass does, but the expectation is a stronger offering than PlayStation Now.

Very good news, its about time Sony improves a bit on their services, they had been left behind by miles.
Only qualm is that I feel the "library of classic PS1, PS2, PS3 and PSP games" will be with streaming, not emulation.

 

[tiebreaker]

If they have PS1/PS2 emulation, then please make it available outside of the service too!

 

[Neoxon]

I guess that one thread about which of the remaining two console makers would do something similar to Game Pass aged pretty well.

Day One First-Party Games?

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This is all I'm worried about. It's no competition to GP without this.

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Jason already said that Sony isn't doing that.

 

[Galkinator]

No first party games at launch already means it'll be lame compared to gamepass.
But they definitely need some sort of a competitor, PS+ is a goddamn joke nowadays and has been ever since gamepass launched

 

[jorgejjvr]

I mostly care about new games on this service, but nothing here indicates they will do that

 

[BarcaTheGreat]

Does this mean ps+ game will become shitty soon?

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I mean... Compared to a year ago, have u seen the latest offerings? It's already there

 

[Fantastical]

Have a hard time believing they'll our first party games on there day one unless it's like $20 a months. But interested to see what they offer.

EDIT: Oh read the article. Hm, not that interested so far but we'll see.

 

[hydruxo]

And what of good Solonius?

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Underrated comment haha

 

[Shalashaska]

Based on this info this seems like more of PS Now rebrand than anything.

 

[NewDust]

Excited.

But also it is Sony, so I fully expect my current PS+/Now subscription to not carry over into what this is supposed to be.

 

[Consequence]

Will the classic games be native or streamed?

 

[Smokey_Run]

Shocked at the number of people who believed day one releases were an actual possibility.

I've got like 2-3 years of Plus on the books, so I'll just continue at the base level. I don't really see a need to go higher unless they turn the servers back on for the PS2 SOCOM games.

 

[NinjaScooter]

A subscription service without day one offerings is not a "Game Pass competitor" :)

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Its a competitor in the subscription service space, much like things like Hulu and Netflix and Disney + are all "competitors" despite having different business plans and offerings. Thinking everything has to be 1:1 is a very narrow way to view these things. Not everyone is a console warrior.

 

[Soap]

This honestly sounds more like a rebrand of what we have than a game pass competitor,

 

[Fantastical]

If they're planning PS1, PS2, PS3 and PSP games for this service then backwards compatibility has to come as well for those games.

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It's including PS Now which is likely how you would play those.

 

[Vinc]

Lack of Day One games is a messaging issue that will hurt it. Go big or go home.

 

[GamerJM]

Spartacus makes it sound like a God of War thing. Why do companies choose codenames like this?

 

[Gunny T Highway]

But is this even legal?

 

[JINX]

So it's just a slightly better PSNow (without the brand) bundled with Plus, that doesn't sound like much of a competitor. Is Sony really thinking of this as a direct head to head competitor for Game Pass or simply, a re-shaping of their already existing subscription offerings to improve subscriber numbers and interest. The whole selling point for Game Pass on top of the back catalogue and streaming, is the day one releases and original content they make for the service. I don't see this doing better than what Plus or Now do currently, Plus will continue to be the vast majority of their subscribers and this (plus Now) will take up a very small proportion of it (<10%.)

 

[zoodoo]

And PS3 and PSP if this is to be believed. I'll be there day one depending on the offerings.

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Streaming or local emulation? If streaming big pass

 

[tiebreaker]

Instead of day 1, then maybe after 6 months to 1 year after release for AAA games. I do expect multiplayer games to be there day 1 regardless.

 

[Mattmo831]

Needs to have ps3 games downloadable. And day 1 games (or at least offer like a 20% discount on Sony games) or I'll pass

 

[Kiekura]

Well this does not seem like a GamePass service. It doesn't seems to include day one first party games. And personally I don't see Sony adding their games in a subscription service any time soon.

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It is suppose to be gamepass competitor. No matter If fp games aren't there Day 1 or value isn't as crazy as gamepass

 

[nachum00]

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Better offerings than PSNow wouldn't be hard though. The library stinks.

 

[Bioshocker]

It was just a matter of time.

 

[SolidSnakeUS]

If this causes the price of PS+ to go up, i'll be pissed.

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Considering it's still $40 on PS+ and is stackable for years and years, you could get around it. But if they do offer this where it can be all lumped together, it's not surprising.

In the scoop, is it saying it will fully replace the current PS+ model or is this going to be another version of it, like GamePass vs GamePass Ultimate?

 

[MrPink]

The value will be in the details but even if this can't stack with GamePass, there's plenty of value and subscription money to make if the offerings are right

 

[Trey]

If they run natively I'm there day 0

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they won't.

 

[TsuWave]

Legit don't care about them dusty PS1, PS2 or PS3 games

merging plus and now seems like a natural evolution of things and I welcome it

 

[RedHeat]

So it's just a slightly better PSNow (without the brand) bundled with Plus, that doesn't sound like much of a competitor. Is Sony really thinking of this as a direct head to head competitor for Game Pass or simply, a re-shaping of their already existing subscription offerings to improve subscribers numbers and interest. The whole selling point for Game Pass on top of the back catalogue and streaming, is the day one releases and original content they make for the service. I don't see this doing much better that Plus or Now do currently, Plus will continue to be the vast majority of their subscribers and this (plus Now) will take up a very small proportions of it (<10%.)

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So an easy 50+ million subscriber base day 1?

 

[Darkstorne]

Putting your first party games day one is a genie that you cannot put back in the bottle once done. Sony knows they would make more releasing their games as normal releases, unless they wanted to sink profits currently, or got really desperate in the near future, I don't see it happening. Xbox was in a much different place when they decided to do day 1 games. It would take a lot for Sony to do that imo, with all the profit they would be leaving on the table from their largest division.

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Which is totally fine, but makes the comparison to Game Pass odd. This is just a merge and rebrand of PS+ and Now, with some of the old PS library being added (which is wonderful) but the primary attraction and value of Game Pass is clearly day one first party titles, and access to first party forever rather than a selection. So if, internally, they're hoping to make Game Pass waves with this...

 

[Deleted member 887]

A subscription service without day one offerings is not a "Game Pass competitor" :)

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it's still a competitor. It doesn't have to be exactly similar to be that.

 

[BobSaac2]

Just a rebranding for PS Now and going the Nintendo route of overcharging old content.

There is no way they put their big titles day one. Not as long as they keep selling them by big numbers. Let's not forget the main reason Microsoft started doing that.

 

[theAllseeingEYE]

This kind of sounds like it took more inspiration from Nintendo Online than Game Pass.

If Sony keeps trying to "compete" with Game Pass, then hopefully we eventually get day 1 releases. Otherwise, I don't know how they expect to actually compete.

Also, I really hope those old school titles are actually emulated. Even better if they sell them separately. I would generally rather buy older content like that than pay a constant fee. Unless they are like literally giving us hundreds of old school titles.

 

[Kiekura]

Needs to have ps3 games downloadable. And day 1 games (or at least offer like a 20% discount on Sony games) or I'll pass

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Gimme discount for first party and maybe even early acces. Sounds good to me.

 

[Sky87]

Everybody wins. PS5 digital-only redeemed.

 

[kiguel182]

I'm curious about the BC offerings but I doubt I will subscribe to both services at once. Especially since they don't have day one Sony games.

 

[8bit]

If this causes the price of PS+ to go up, i'll be pissed.

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It'll stay much the same. PS++ & PS+++ are going to cost more though.

 

[ElNino]

It sure won't for me as soon as one service start moneyhatting third party games from certain companies to keep them from showing up on the competition's service.

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But for a third party game you'd still be able to play it otherwise without the service, unless it was a full exclusivity (possibly timed) deal. But that is no different than it was before any of the subscriptions so nothing has changed for you.

 

[Athrum]

Watch this thing being 20€ per month

 

[criteriondog]

And PS3 and PSP if this is to be believed. I'll be there day one depending on the offerings.

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Where does it state PS3 games?? I forgot to mention PSP but I see it in the tweet. Unless you meant PS3 through ps now?

 

[Doctor_Thomas]

Yes but Jason says a much stronger offering than what is currently out and if the BC library is there that's a huge sticking point as well.

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That doesn't change the fact it's merging Now into Plus. It's expanding on the offerings, sure, but there's no fundamental change to the service.

 

[Ultima_5]

Does this mean ps+ game will become shitty soon?

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this entire year it's been mostly shit

 

[Leo-Tyrant]

Well this does not seem like a GamePass service. It doesn't seems to include day one first party games. And personally I don't see Sony adding their games in a subscription service any time soon.

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Meh.

Gamepass changed a lot of my gaming practices, but the first party - Day 1 availability is the big thing.

Still good to hear Sony is doing something about their services but it cant compete with Gamepass like this.

 

[Saint of Killers]

Rolling those two services into one is the obvious move. As would offering first-party games in the highest tier of the service. But they also need to improve the general quality of games they offer. (i.e. glorified demos otherwise costing £15 isn't gonna do it!)

 

[WhtR88t]

B-b-but Era told me they wouldn't because "Market leader" and "breaking records" and "PS Now" :P

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Yeah… there's no mention about their 1st party heavy hitters being day 1.

…personally I can't imagine them doing it. They'd just be leaving money on the table… people will pay for the subscription AND buy their first party titles day one at $70 a pop. You'll get the complainers on Era, but Sony's titles have a lot of pedigree and people will plunk down the cash for both.

It would be nice to have PSNow and PS+ as a single service though with a new focus and emphasis as both have kinda been on the back burner lately.

 

[TooBusyLookinGud]

Its a competitor in the subscription service space, much like things like Hulu and Netflix and Disney + are all "competitors" despite having different business plans and offerings. Thinking everything has to be 1:1 is a very narrow way to view these things. Not everyone is a console warrior.

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But he's correct and why would he be warrior for stating this? I have all consoles and a PC and I feel this way. It's not a direct competitor to GP, that's fact.

 

[The Gold Hawk]

If it has the option to download all the titles on there and not just stream them, then that is pretty good on it's own.

If not, and it's still primarily streaming, then blegh. I've occasionally used Xcloud to test games or to see the novelty of loading my 25 year old Oblivion save on my phone (technology is weird y'all) but I don't have the internet speed to stream games.

Whilst I would have liked to see 1st party stuff come to it day one, given the fucking stupid overpricing of Sony games now, that didn't seem like it was going to happen.

 

[kostacurtas]

Not a GP competitor then.

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Is anyone really expecting from Sony to give their games on a subscription service?

Most of their games are single player, expensive AAA that are selling millions of copies.

Yeah, as I said personally I am not expecting something like that from Sony any time soon.

 

[hog]

Obviously we're not getting Sony's AAA games day 1, but I wonder if we might see some indie games launching on this thing. That's been a big part of Game Pass for me and there's been a handful of day 1 PS+ indie releases more recently.