here’s why PlayStation will never change its strategy

The new PlayStation Plus formulas have been on the market for almost a year now. If Sony’s goal was to get closer to Microsoft’s Xbox Game Pass, the service does not have all its advantages. The most discussed remained the availability of first-party games on the catalog from the day of their release. This is one of the big assets of the Game Pass which will never see the light of day on the PS Plus.

Sony has already talked about it a few times, it is not a strategy that interests it because of its financial risks. In an interview with GamesIndustry.biz, Sony’s head of subscriptions Nick Maguire says that decision wouldn’t change as it is proving to be very efficient and cost-effective. He explains :

“For us, it works. Occasionally there will be an opportunity to invest in a Day One game like Stray and we will jump on those opportunities when they arise. But for us to let those proprietary games release first on the platform outside of the service… that works and that will continue to be our strategy going forward.”

More Day One games, but not first-party

Sony isn’t closing the door on third-party games entirely, and is promising future Day One forays. But for first-party games, the company finds its advantage by only offering them several months – even several years – after their release. She is even surprised the unchanged enthusiasm of the players when these land in the catalog, as if they had just been released. Nick Maguire also reveals some interesting figures on the new PS Plus.

In one year, he counts a billion hours of play, that’s 7 times longer than that spent by players on PlayStation Now during the year before its merger with PlayStation Plus. Unsurprisingly, PlayStation games are enjoying significant success. Since they are not offered as soon as they are released, each availability remains an event for those who had not been able to play them.

“Four of the top ten titles of the year are PS Studios titles, whether it’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales, Horizon Forbidden West or even Ratchet and Clank Rift Apart, which only recently joined the charts – these titles climb very quickly and increase month by month. These exclusive titles are really what stands out the most. They attract people.”