According to reports, PS Plus Extra and Premium subscriptions are plummeting dramatically, hitting some of the lowest player counts this year. This decline coincides with the addition of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 to Xbox Game Pass, which has certainly taken numbers from PS to Xbox side of the console wars.
Despite the addition of popular titles like Remnant 2, July 2024 turned out to be an abysmal month for PlayStation.
PS Plus Extra Fails to Retain Players
Sony’s decision to increase prices for Plus Extra and Premium tier subscriptions has driven many players away from the service. While notable games such as Remnant 2 and Crisis Core Final Fantasy VII Reunion made it to the service in July 2024, the service saw a drastic drop in player count, losing 48,67% compared to June.
Even without considering the bonus Days of Play games from June, there was still an 18.77% decrease in player engagement. The subscribers are right to leave the service as PlayStation is failing at providing meaningful options for returning users.
Long-time subscribers aren’t offered any kind of discounts, which is only available for new or returning players. The drop in the quality of games available through service in recent months also contributed to the mass exodus.
Sony appears to be disconnected from the community leading to July 2024 marking the third-lowest player count for PS Plus Extra and Premium this year. Here’s a look at the best months for PS Plus Extra and Premium so far in 2024:
- June 2024 (Top game: Police Simulator Patrol Officers)
- April 2024 (Top game: Dave the Diver)
- May 2024 (Top game: Red Dead Redemption 2)
- March 2024 (Top game: Marvel’s Midnight Suns)
- July 2024 (Top game: Remnant 2)
- January 2024 (Top game: Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands)
- February 2024 (Top game: Foamstars)
Despite some industry heavyweight titles, it appears that Sony will need to offer more games to justify its price hike and win back subscriber interest, instead of offering Among Us, which is free on mobile and cheap on other platforms.
Xbox Game Pass is Poaching Playstation Players
While the Remnant 2 was the most played game for the month of July on PS Plus Extra, this wasn’t enough to turn things around. Not even many other titles proved worthy of owning online game storage for PlayStation owners.
On the other hand, Microsoft and Xbox are seemingly dominating the subscription service market. While the Xbox 360 Marketplace has closed its doors, players can enjoy plenty of new titles on next-gen consoles through the game pass.
Day one game releases is what drives the subscription service forward. Instead of paying a full price for a AAA game, players can get it for half price and less. Microsoft is pushing hard for Game Pass as many popular titles are expected to hit the service in the near future, including all the classic Call of Duty games, with Modern Warfare 3 already hitting the service.
Furthermore, titles like Diablo IV and Remnant 2 can already be found on the service, while everyone is awaiting the eponymous day one launch of Call of Duty: Black Ops 6. While this has resulted in a price hike, unlike PS Plus Extra, Microsoft’s service offers a varied catalog of games worthy of its price.
As a result, many Sony console players are switching from one console to the other and their respective subscription services.
What are your thoughts on PS Plus Extra failing miserably? Are you a subscriber of any of these services? Let us know in the comments below.
