Sony: PlayStation Plus has Almost 21 Million Paid Subscribers

[ffronw]

Sony: PlayStation Plus has Almost 21 Million Paid Subscribers

//cdn.themis-media.com/media/global/images/library/deriv/1333/1333028.jpgSony announced that its PlayStation Plus online service has continued growing, and now has almost 21 million paid subscribers.

At its yearly Investor Day today, Sony presented a new report that contained some interesting bits of information. Chief among those was the news that the company now has 20.8 million paid subscribers to PlayStation Plus.

This was a major milestone for the company, as was reaching the 40 million mark in PS4 units sold [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/167546-PS4-Has-Sold-Over-40-Million-Units-Worldwide]. However, when you consider those two numbers, you realize something that's interesting: Nearly half of the PS4s sold are not subscribed to PlayStation Plus. Since Plus is required for online play, it sounds like a number of console gamers are still content to skip online play altogether.

Conspicuously absent from the report is the already-confirmed but not yet revealed high-end PS4 Neo [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/167667-Sony-Confirms-New-High-End-PS4-Wont-Show-it-at-E3]. While it omission shouldn't be taken as a sign of anything, it's interesting that it's not mentioned in any of the forward-looking segments of the report.

Still, Sony's report paints a picture of a company that's definitely feeling very positive about the immediate future. If you'd like to read the entire report, you can find it in PDF form right here [http://www.sony.net/SonyInfo/IR/calendar/presen/irday/irday2016/GandNS_E.pdf].

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[munx13]

Not surprising, considering so many games would have half their content (MP) locked without it.

 

[Bob_McMillan]

I am unfortunately one of that number.

The only reason I have PS+ membership right now is because Sony took fucking 50 bucks out of my wallet to automatically renew my susbscription. A big reason why I am now on the road to getting a PC.

 

[Jacked Assassin]

However, when you consider those two numbers, you realize something that's interesting: Nearly half of the PS4s sold are not subscribed to PlayStation Plus.

What I find interesting about those numbers is how PS3 wasn't factored in to this. I had PS Plus before I had a PS4. That could make less than half the PS4s sold not having PS Plus.

 

[Casual Shinji]

One wonders though what the point is in having it anymore; Most of their games aren't multiplayer focused, and the monthly free games are mediocre, indie bullshit.

 

[Fiz_The_Toaster]

That's cool, I guess.

It's weird that they still lock multiplayer behind it, and I have no idea why that would ever be a good idea.

Oh well.

Some of the free goodies have been either hit-or-miss with me. Some of the discounts that it gives are still pretty nice, but I think they could choose better games for the discounts because some of them are laughable.

 

[Lufia Erim]

However, when you consider those two numbers, you realize something that's interesting: Nearly half of the PS4s sold are not subscribed to PlayStation Plus.

What I find interesting about those numbers is how PS3 wasn't factored in to this. I had PS Plus before I had a PS4. That could make less than half the PS4s sold not having PS Plus.

That doesn't really matter, since multiplayer is free on the ps3. And it also works on ps3 and ps vita.So even if less that half of the people subscribed to ps+ on the ps4, it doesn't really matter, since those people are paying for something that isn't "required for anything" ( outside free games).

Hell it could even be argued that that is an even better situation for sony, because if that was the case, all they would have to do is tweak the ps+ situation on the ps4 to being in a lot more users.

I am unfortunately one of that number.

The only reason I have PS+ membership right now is because Sony took fucking 50 bucks out of my wallet to automatically renew my susbscription. A big reason why I am now on the road to getting a PC.

Because a sony rep mugged you while you were walking home from work right? I mean really, how is it sonys fault you weren't paying attention? Everyone knows you have the option to turn on or off the automatic renewal of ps+ on psn.

 

[Saelune]

Whenever people criticize PS Plus or Xbox Live, I just cant help but think...people pay MMO subscriptions, like 15$ a month for WoW... 15x12months =180$ a year for one game. Sure, plenty who criticize PS Plus and Xbox Live probably also think MMO subscriptions are dumb too, but those likely numerous who are themselves subscribed to WoW...Well.

I prefer multiplayer on consoles. Don't have to deal with all the BS playing multiplayer on PC usually has. Probably a big reason my Steam Library is very single-player. Id rather pay a subscription to Microsoft or Sony than donate to some Russian guy's Counter-Strike server so I can shoot lasers and use the LMG that's normally available by default.

 

[strumbore]

On the PS3, Playststion Plus gave players access to an impressive catalogue of high quality, full-sized games at a significant discount or for no additional charge.

On the PS4, Playstation Plus just holds our multiplayer ransom with no benefits at all beyond promotional demos.

 

[mysecondlife]

If I had a lot of time to play I'd still be a subscriber.

But I'm not and I've moved onto PC.

 

[Bob_McMillan]

I am unfortunately one of that number.

The only reason I have PS+ membership right now is because Sony took fucking 50 bucks out of my wallet to automatically renew my susbscription. A big reason why I am now on the road to getting a PC.

Because a sony rep mugged you while you were walking home from work right? I mean really, how is it sonys fault you weren't paying attention? Everyone knows you have the option to turn on or off the automatic renewal of ps+ on psn.

Well, sorry for thinking that the "do not automatically charge my credit card to renew subscriptions" box was different from "do not automatically use any funds in my wallet to renew subscriptions" one. Which are in two different sections of the PS Store by the way.

 

[mysecondlife]

I am unfortunately one of that number.

The only reason I have PS+ membership right now is because Sony took fucking 50 bucks out of my wallet to automatically renew my susbscription. A big reason why I am now on the road to getting a PC.

Because a sony rep mugged you while you were walking home from work right? I mean really, how is it sonys fault you weren't paying attention? Everyone knows you have the option to turn on or off the automatic renewal of ps+ on psn.

Well, sorry for thinking that the "do not automatically charge my credit card to renew subscriptions" box was different from "do not automatically use any funds in my wallet to renew subscriptions" one. Which are in two different sections of the PS Store by the way.

I... gotta agree with Lufia Erim with this one. It really falls on you to be careful with your credit card.

Yeah, psn store is a mess but that should have been one more reason to remove credit card information from it once you weren't going to be using it.

 

[Fox12]

Because a sony rep mugged you while you were walking home from work right? I mean really, how is it sonys fault you weren't paying attention? Everyone knows you have the option to turn on or off the automatic renewal of ps+ on psn.

Oh, lets get real. A person shouldn't have to worry about being automatically renewed on a service they are trying. That's pretty nefarious on Sony's part. It's not like they give you much notice. They should give you the option to automatically renew, but they shouldn't put you on that list automatically.

Personally, I don't much care for PS+. I'll hold a membership whenever a new Fromsoft game gets released, but otherwise it doesn't impress me much.

 

[Lufia Erim]

Because a sony rep mugged you while you were walking home from work right? I mean really, how is it sonys fault you weren't paying attention? Everyone knows you have the option to turn on or off the automatic renewal of ps+ on psn.

Oh, lets get real. A person shouldn't have to worry about being automatically renewed on a service they are trying. That's pretty nefarious on Sony's part. It's not like they give you much notice. They should give you the option to automatically renew, but they shouldn't put you on that list automatically.

Personally, I don't much care for PS+. I'll hold a membership whenever a new Fromsoft game gets released, but otherwise it doesn't impress me much.

Okay shania twain, look, there is no secret conspiracy from sony to steal money from people. It's literally an option given to you when you enter your credit card information to purchase ps+ on the store. I know this because I've done it. Basically it's so you don't have to worry about your subscription getting interrupted because it ran out. It's literally the same method used in mmos or subscription based services like netflix or Spotify. And option you can decide to use or not use. No one needs a high school diploma to figure that out.

 

[Fox12]

Because a sony rep mugged you while you were walking home from work right? I mean really, how is it sonys fault you weren't paying attention? Everyone knows you have the option to turn on or off the automatic renewal of ps+ on psn.

Oh, lets get real. A person shouldn't have to worry about being automatically renewed on a service they are trying. That's pretty nefarious on Sony's part. It's not like they give you much notice. They should give you the option to automatically renew, but they shouldn't put you on that list automatically.

Personally, I don't much care for PS+. I'll hold a membership whenever a new Fromsoft game gets released, but otherwise it doesn't impress me much.

Okay shania twain, look, there is no secret conspiracy from sony to steal money from people. It's literally an option given to you when you enter your credit card information to purchase ps+ on the store. I know this because I've done it. Basically it's so you don't have to worry about your subscription getting interrupted because it ran out. It's literally the same method used in mmos or subscription based services like netflix or Spotify. And option you can decide to use or not use. No one needs a high school diploma to figure that out.

A bit of a dated reference there, but whatever.

Congratulations on figuring out how to work a credit card, I guess. I've gotten a ps+ account before too, and it was more annoying then it should have been to get that automatic renewal option turned off. Of course companies are hoping you won't cancel it. That's why they structure it the way they do. Clearly it works, if Bob is anything to go by.

 

[Brian Tams]

Yeah, that's it. Celebrate the fact that people need to pay 50 bucks to use their own internet to play with other people.

 

[Madmatty]

I still haven't subscribed and I never will if you have to have ps plus to use ps store then I'm signing off completely I'm going off the grid with my ps4 if that happens

 

[Something Amyss]

What I find interesting about those numbers is how PS3 wasn't factored in to this. I had PS Plus before I had a PS4. That could make less than half the PS4s sold not having PS Plus.

Except the reason they made it paid for this generation is practically nobody was subscribed. So while I'm sure some number of no-PS4 owners are part of this, that number was always quite small.

 

[KoudelkaMorgan]

I wonder if you will need it to be able to access mods on Skyrim/Fallout 4 for PS4. Other than that I wouldn't ever sub to this.

 

[DeadProxy]

I am unfortunately one of that number.

The only reason I have PS+ membership right now is because Sony took fucking 50 bucks out of my wallet to automatically renew my susbscription. A big reason why I am now on the road to getting a PC.

Because a sony rep mugged you while you were walking home from work right? I mean really, how is it sonys fault you weren't paying attention? Everyone knows you have the option to turn on or off the automatic renewal of ps+ on psn.

Just to throw some support or slack Bob's way, I only discovered that option existed literally yesterday. I don't use credit cards, so I never would have seen that specific warning, but the "auto renew from wallet" option is buried under a couple menu's that I really have no reason to check all that frequently. And it's been months since I had to even think about how much time was left on my subscription, so not even getting some kind of PM or email saying "Hey, you just entered your last month of subscription time, blah blah blah" to jog my or other peoples memory so they can reconsider their subscription is pretty lame, since it's only because I was curious about how much time I had left that I found the Auto renew button off in the system menu's instead of being in the store.