PlayStation Spartacus

[Isgrimnur]

Bloomberg

Sony Group Corp.’s PlayStation division is planning a new subscription service to compete with rival Microsoft Corp.’s popular Xbox Game Pass, according to people familiar with Sony’s plans and documents reviewed by Bloomberg.

The service, code-named Spartacus, will allow PlayStation owners to pay a monthly fee for access to a catalog of modern and classic games, said the people, who asked not to be identified because they weren’t authorized to speak to the press about the plans. The offering will likely be available on the smash hit PlayStation 4, which has sold more than 116 million units, and its elusive successor, the PlayStation 5, which launched more than a year ago but is still difficult to buy due to supply chain issues.

When it launches, expected in the spring, the service will merge Sony’s two existing subscription plans, PlayStation Plus and PlayStation Now. Currently, PlayStation Plus is required for most online multiplayer games and offers free monthly titles, while PlayStation Now allows users to stream or download older games. Documents reviewed by Bloomberg suggest that Sony plans to retain the PlayStation Plus branding but phase out PlayStation Now.

[Alefroth]

As both a PS+ and PS Now subscriber, I'm excited to see what the new subscription offers.

[Baroquen]

As a PS+ subscriber but not a PS Now guy, I'm hoping my price doesn't get bumped up for an additional service I don't care about.

(I'm on a second trial of Xbox Game Pass and still am not impressed. (I get the value for others, but it doesn't fit my gaming style)).

[Ralph-Wiggum]

I don’t really see how this new service is any different from PS Now.

[Scraper]

I don’t really see how this new service is any different from PS Now.

I'm assuming it will offer something more than what PSNow currently does, otherwise what's the point. The only way it gets close to Gamepass is if Sony breaks down and offers first party titles at launch.

[Rumpy]

My guess is that it will be one price for both, rather than having to fork out for an additional subscription, which in practice would mean more access to content in one place.