Microsoft has poured all of its resources into making Xbox Game Pass a success in recent years, while Sony has mostly sat on the subscription service sidelines. Sure, they have PlayStation Plus and PlayStation Now, but neither service has gotten much attention. That’s going to change, according to a new article from Bloomberg’s Jason Schreier.
According to Schreier, Sony is working on an enlarged and enhanced subscription service, codenamed “Spartacus,” that would directly compete with Xbox Game Pass. The new service will effectively merge PlayStation Plus and PlayStation Now, and will most likely keep the PS Plus identity while phasing out PS Now.
According to reports, the plan is to offer three tiers: the first will be similar to what PS Plus is now, with online play and monthly free games, the second will include a catalogue of PS4 and PS5 titles, and the third will include extended demos and a large back catalogue of PS1, PS2, PS3, PSP, and Vita titles. Sony is also said to be “increasing its efforts in cloud gaming,” so perhaps the option to play on mobile platforms is in the works.
Also, this new service will be available on both the PS4 and the PS5, potentially allowing owners of Sony’s older gear to access the latest PS5 exclusives. That being said, don’t anticipate new titles to arrive on the service on Day 1 as they did with Game Pass…
This new service, expected in the spring, will likely retain the "PlayStation Plus" branding. Don't expect Sony to include its big new games day one like Game Pass does, but the expectation is a stronger offering than PlayStation Now
— Jason Schreier (@jasonschreier) December 3, 2021
Take this with a grain of salt for the time being, but Schreier is about as reliable a source as you can get. Sony has been cleared following the growth of Xbox Game Pass with jealously for quite some time, so this would all make sense.
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