The new Sony Playstation Plus service launches in Australia this week – here’s what you need to know

After announcing major changes to their Playstation Plus service back in March, Sony will roll out the service from June 23rd.

The Playstation Plus service has to-date been a relatively simple online component to the Playstation service, letting you connect with friends, family and more to play online games, as well as get a few free games each month. The new service introduces a multi-tier system, offering access to older games from previous platforms and more. 

Sony has begun emailing users today, advising the rollout is starting today and will complete by tomorrow, the 23rd 

So what do we get now?

The new Playstation Plus includes three tiers: PlayStation Plus Essential, PlayStation Plus Extra and PlayStation Plus Deluxe. 

Australia’s offerings for the new PS Plus service is slightly different to other markets. Sony currently doesn’t offer game streaming in Australia, which is required to play PS3 titles in their PS Plus Premium tier. Sony will instead offer Playstation Deluxe which gives users access to original PlayStation, PS2 and PSP games – but no PS3 games unfortunately, at least for now. 

PS Plus Tiers

PlayStation Plus Essential:

• Monthly downloadable games
• Exclusive discounts and content
• Cloud storage for saved games
• Online multiplayer access
• Share Play
• Game Help (PS5 only)
• The PlayStation Plus Collection (PS5 only)

Pricing: $11.95 every month / $33.95 every 3 months / $79.95 every 12 months.

PlayStation Plus Extra

Provides all the benefits from the PlayStation Plus Essential plan and adds access to the Game Catalogue*, which contains up to 400 PS4 and PS5 games to download, including:

• Assassin’s Creed Valhalla
• Red Dead Redemption 2
• Demon’s Souls
• NBA 2K22
• Marvel’s Spider-Man
• Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales

Pricing: $18.95 every month / $54.95 every 3 months / $134.95 every 12 months. 

PlayStation Plus Deluxe

Provides all the benefits from PlayStation Plus Essential and Extra plans, and adds:

• The Classics Catalogue, filled with titles from the original PlayStation, PS2 and PSP generations – all available to download – including:
  • Tekken 2
  • Jak 3
  • Borderlands The Handsome Collection
• Time-limited game trials for selected new titles including:
  • Horizon Forbidden West
  • Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves Collection
  • Tiny Tina’s Wonderland

Pricing: $21.95 every month / $63.95 every 3 months / $154.95 every 12 months. 

What do I need to do now?

For any existing Playstation Plus users, there’s no need to worry as you can simply do nothing and you’ll be moved to the basic Playstation Plus Essential service. There’s no cost difference and you’ll get all the stuff you always have.

If however you want some more from the service and are willing to pay extra, there’s some nice bonuses including access to PS4 and PS5 games, or titles from the original PlayStation, PS2 and PSP generations if you want to check out the Playstation Plus Extra or Playstation Plus Deluxe tiers. 

According to Sony, PlayStation Plus users can upgrade to higher tiers at any time, simply by paying the upgrade difference. 

Sony are currently emailing PS Plus subscribers with details of the upgrade, so keep an eye on your inbox, or your Playstation for the update.