PS2 games on PS5 still doesn't justify PlayStation Plus Premium's expensive price
Sony is adding PS2 games to PlayStation Plus Premium, but it needs to do more
PlayStation Plus Premium has slowly improved since it was released back in June 2022, but a price hike has made Sony’s subscription service harder to recommend.
Sony raised the price of a 12-month subscription to PS Plus by up to 35% in August 2023, which resulted in PlayStation Plus Premium increasing from $119.99 to $159.99.
Sony justified the price increase by saying, “This price adjustment will enable us to continue bringing high-quality games and value-added benefits to your PlayStation Plus subscription service.” But I don’t think it’s delivered on that promise just yet.
PS Plus day one games
We’ve seen a couple more games launch directly on PlayStation Plus on day one, including Tchia, Animal Well, Stray, and Tales of Kenzera: ZAU, and many of the best PS5 games are now on the service. Sony finally gave away some PSVR 2 titles, too, which was long overdue. but it’s remaining steadfast in its decision not to release first-party titles on the service on day one.
Cloud streaming on PS5
Sony also launched cloud streaming for PS5 games, and I must admit it works wonderfully on my internet connection. The quality is comparable to a game running natively on the console, and it’s useful if you’re running out of space on the PS5’s SSD.
Unfortunately, you can only stream games directly on the PS5, which might defeat the point for many. Microsoft’s Xbox Cloud Gaming works on mobile, PC, and handhelds like the Asus ROG Ally X, letting you continue your games on the go. It would be fantastic to see Sony let those who own a PlayStation Portal access cloud gaming, too, as it would make the handheld far more viable when outside of the home.
Sony Pictures Core
Perhaps less enticing, but still welcome, was the launch of Sony Pictures Core. PS Plus Premium subscribers can enjoy 100 free movies as part of their membership, but the lineup can’t compete with the likes of Netflix, Prime Video, Apple TV+, and others. Sony Pictures Core is a rental service first and foremost, boasting the highest streaming picture quality available. I wouldn’t be surprised if most PS Plus Premium subscribers never use Sony PicturesCore, honestly.
More classics are coming
The news that Sony is bringing more PS2 games to PS5 is probably the most enticing addition to PS Plus Premium for many. The service’s classic catalog, which contains PS1, PS2, PS3, and PSP games, hasn’t exactly been compelling, with new titles being added at a glacial speed.
The PlayStation Plus Premium games list has been static in terms of PS2 games, but that’s finally changed now that Sly Copper the Thievius Raccoonus, Star Wars: The Clone Wars, and Tomb Raider Legend were added this month. It means we should see more games from Sony’s most successful console come to PS Plus, but what titles we’ll see and how often they appear is the real sticking point.
Give us PS5 themes already
If Sony wants to make PlayStation Plus Premium a no-brainer for some, it should bring PS5 themes to the service. We’ve seen that Sony is technically capable of running themes on PlayStation 5, as they’re now available on the PlayStation Explore tab. But the highly-requested feature is still missing, despite being available on PS3 and PS4.
Sony could offer exclusive PS5 themes through PS Plus Premium, or it may choose to lock themes behind its highest tier altogether. While I hope that wouldn’t be the case, there’s no doubt it would encourage more people to sign up for Premium.
Right now, though, the annual price of a PlayStation Plus Premium subscription is still too expensive for what you get. PlayStation Plus Essential or Extra are the tiers I’d recommend, but if you do what a Premium membership, we regularly give away PlayStation Plus discount codes to paid subscribers to help you get the best deal. Don’t forget to hit that subscribe button so you don’t miss out on the next batch when they drop.
Adam Vjestica is The Shortcut’s Senior Editor. Formerly TechRadar’s Gaming Hardware Editor, Adam has also worked at Nintendo of Europe as a Content Marketing Editor, where he helped launch the Nintendo Switch. Follow him on X @ItsMrProducts.