PS Plus Prices Doubling in Some Territories

[StewShearerOld]

PS Plus Prices Doubling in Some Territories

Sony is raising the price of its <a href=http://www.escapistmagazine.com/tag/view/ps%20plus>PS Plus subscription in territories including South Africa, Russia, Ukraine and Turkey.

While there are some who still likely resent that you need it to play online with the PlayStation 4, we feel safe in saying that the service overall is actually a pretty <a href=http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/137187-Sony-Announces-250-Free-PSP-Games-For-Japanese-PS-Plus-Subscribers>danged good deal. You pay for your subscription and you get enough free games, discounts and goodies to pretty much immediately justify the initial down payment. Sadly, it would now seem that for many Sony customers <a href=http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/134909-PS-Plus-Adding-New-Rules-to-Balance-Instant-Game-Collection-Releases>this good deal is about to get a bit worse.

That, at least, is the impression many be left with following emerging reports that the company is substantially raising the service's prices in several countries and regions around the world. The first reports originated <a href=http://technology.iafrica.com/news/963310.html>in South Africa where users reported that they'd received messages from Sony informing them that prices were "going to rise slightly" and that they'd be responsible for paying the new rate in January.

While the increases were described as minor, it's worth noting that the hikes will be bumping the total price of a subscription up more than 50 percent. In South Africa, for instance, the new price will be R219 (roughly $19.43) a month instead of the current R145. Similar hikes have been reported in Russia, Ukraine and Turkey. Representatives from SCEA blamed the increases on "market conditions" and confirmed that no such changes are planned for North America.

We've reached out to Sony to see if we can procure any further details.

Source: <a href=http://www.gameinformer.com/b/news/archive/2014/10/01/playstation-plus-rate-hikes-hit-some-territories.aspx>Game Informer


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[fix-the-spade]

I wonder if this has been motivated by people using VPNs to get discounts on their subscriptions. Like when Origin internationally matched prices eighteen months or so ago and effectively tripled prices in India in the process.

 

[Albino Boo]

I wonder if this has been motivated by people using VPNs to get discounts on their subscriptions. Like when Origin internationally matched prices eighteen months or so ago and effectively tripled prices in India in the process.

The countries in question all have one thing in common, their currencies have tanked against the dollar in the last year or so. The reason for Russia and the Ukraine dropping are fairly obvious. The South African Rand is falling because the Chinese commodity boom is over and the Turkish economy is falling and it has two wars on its borders.

 

[fix-the-spade]

The countries in question all have one thing in common, their currencies have tanked against the dollar in the last year

Oh, well that would do it.

 

[Little Gray]

That is what happens when your economy tanks. The amount Sony is getting is around the same but it increases for them because their currency is worth less.

 

[Saltyk]

I wonder if this has been motivated by people using VPNs to get discounts on their subscriptions. Like when Origin internationally matched prices eighteen months or so ago and effectively tripled prices in India in the process.

The countries in question all have one thing in common, their currencies have tanked against the dollar in the last year or so. The reason for Russia and the Ukraine dropping are fairly obvious. The South African Rand is falling because the Chinese commodity boom is over and the Turkish economy is falling and it has two wars on its borders.

Yeah, I immediately knew something was up when I saw Russia and Ukraine on the list. Turkey also raised red flags, though admittedly, I wasn't aware of what was going on in South Africa.

Wouldn't surprise me if other services, like Xbox Live, followed suit soon enough.

Anyway, my PS+ should be up in a few more months, but I plan to wait and see if Gamestop is going to sell the year long subscriptions for $30 on Black Friday again this year. If so, I know what I'll be doing.

Captcha: have fun
Well, yes, Captcha. I suppose I will be doing that, too.

 

[truckspond]

Well at least they haven't screwed over Australia for once by changing things

 

[faefrost]

I wonder if this has been motivated by people using VPNs to get discounts on their subscriptions. Like when Origin internationally matched prices eighteen months or so ago and effectively tripled prices in India in the process.

The countries in question all have one thing in common, their currencies have tanked against the dollar in the last year or so. The reason for Russia and the Ukraine dropping are fairly obvious. The South African Rand is falling because the Chinese commodity boom is over and the Turkish economy is falling and it has two wars on its borders.

This. The Russian Ruble is pretty much in free fall. The same in Turkey and South Africa.

 

[NuclearKangaroo]

and then people wonder why PC dominates in markets such as Russia

 

[Aardvaarkman]

The headline says prices are "doubling" in some territories, but the article makes no mention of anywhere they will be doubling.

WTF?

 

[ZeroAX]

and then people wonder why PC dominates in markets such as Russia

No one wonders. It's cause of piracy

 

[Denamic]

and then people wonder why PC dominates in markets such as Russia

No one wonders. It's cause of piracy

So, piracy on the PC makes the PC market dominate? Imagine that.

 

[Atmos Duality]

and then people wonder why PC dominates in markets such as Russia

No one wonders. It's cause of piracy

So, piracy on the PC makes the PC market dominate? Imagine that.

Yeah, all that piracy driving up revenue...wait, what?

 

[Strazdas]

No one wonders. It's cause of piracy

No. Its because pretty much everything PC related from hardware to videogames is cheaper than in the west, meanwhile no such discounts apply to consoles, thus PC gaming becomes multitude of times cheaper, and its a poor country. Piracy is merely a sideeffect of them not affording the games legally even after discounts. well than and the russian/eastern culture of "why pay if i can get it for free"