PS4 and PS5 players will enhance their console experience in a slightly different way next month with the release of a new and improved PlayStation Plus subscription model.
And truth be told… it’s not as simple as it sounds… The merging of services, the new tiered membership plans, and a tactic known as “stacking”… it can all be a little confusing for someone just trying to jump into an online match. But don’t worry, we’ve simplified things for you.
Here’s everything you need to know about the all-new PlayStation Plus. If you’re just here for the deals, grab your discounted PS Plus/Now cards (for a limited time) below or jump to the TL;DR section of this post for quick answers.
Stock up on PS Plus and PS Now Vouchers before June 13
What’s New About PlayStation Plus?
On June 13, the online service of PlayStation Plus will merge with the on-demand game service of PlayStation Now. As Sony explains, the new PS Plus “will offer three membership plans to choose from, with a variety of benefits and game libraries featuring hundreds of recent and classic games to discover.”
The overhauled subscription service will now come in three different tiers; each tier offering different benefits, but all providing the core feature of online multiplayer access. Read on to learn more about the three membership levels of the new PlayStation Plus.
Which Is the Best PlayStation Plus Membership Level?
PS Plus subscriptions will come in three flavors when the service merges with PS Now on June 13. And if you’re wondering, the “Essential” tier is *essentially* the same as an old PlayStation Plus subscription. Your membership will automatically roll into Essential if you are a current PS Plus subscriber. Here’s a look at the features of each new level:
Essential
- Two monthly downloadable games
- Exclusive discounts
- Cloud storage for saved games
- Online multiplayer access
Extra
- Provides all the benefits from the Essential tier
- Adds a catalog of up to 400 of the most enjoyable PS4 and PS5 games – including blockbuster hits from the PlayStation Studios catalog and third-party partners. Games in the Extra tier are downloadable for play.
Premium
- Provides all the benefits from Essential and Extra tiers
- Adds up to 340 additional games, including:
- PS3 games available via cloud streaming
- A catalog of beloved classic games available in both streaming and download options from the original PlayStation, PS2 and PSP generations
- Offers cloud streaming access for original PlayStation, PS2, PSP and PS4 games offered in the Extra and Premium tiers in markets where PlayStation Now is currently available. Customers can stream games using PS4 and PS5 consoles, and PC.
- Time-limited game trials.
What Is “Stacking”? Does It Still Work?
Subscription “stacking” essentially means adding time to your current PS Plus or Now subscription before the overhaul of the service takes place in June. It’s the process of savvy gamers buying months (or years) at a cheaper monthly rate before the subscription price changes. In addition, if you’re a PlayStation Plus and PlayStation Now subscriber before June 13, you will be automatically upgraded to the service’s new Premium tier; that’s the highest one there is (see above). You can see imagine this might be exploited…
Unfortunately, Sony has addressed “stacking” by temporarily disabling any renewing of current PS Plus or PS Now subscriptions before the launch of the new service. But, all prepaid subscription cards will still work… You just have to wait until after June 13 to use them.
We’ve temporarily disabled stacking memberships for existing customers until after the launch. Rest assured that your voucher code is still valid, and you will be able to redeem your code either when your existing membership expires and deactivates, or after the new PlayStation Plus service launches in your area, whichever happens first.
TL;DR – Instead of “Stacking”… Try Stocking
New PS Plus launches June 13.
Stacking was a loophole.
Sony cracked down on it.
All hope for a sweet deal is not lost, and you still have time to take advantage of it (provided you’re reading this before June 13).
Sony put an end to the accumulation of subscription time before the launch of their new service, but not to the accumulation of discounted pre-paid subscription cards (which they have assured the public will still be honored after June 13).
You can still save some cash by purchasing discounted top-ups now to use after the conversion.
Yeah, it’s kinda complicated. Blame Sony, not us.
Stock up on PS Plus and PS Now voucher cards before the new service starts.
PS Plus Top-Up Conversion Rates
Sony squashed “stacking”, but saving cash by “stocking” (trying to coin a phrase here) is still possible. Check out our current PS Plus and PS Now top-up card deals and see for yourself.
And when you do get around to cashing in those vouchers after the new PlayStation Plus drops, here’s how much they’ll be worth:
Playstation Plus Top-Up Conversions
| Voucher length | Non-subscriber | Essential | Extra | Premium |
| 1-month PS Plus voucher | 31 days of PS Plus Essential | 31 days of PS Plus Essential | 21 days of PS Plus Extra | 17 days of PS Plus Premium |
| 3-month PS Plus voucher | 92 days of PS Plus Essential | 92 days of PS Plus Essential | 58 days of PS Plus Extra | 46 days of PS Plus Premium |
| 12-month PS Plus voucher | 365 days of PS Plus Essential | 365 days of PS Plus Essential | 219 days of PS Plus Extra | 183 days of PS Plus Premium |
Playstation Now Top-Up Conversions
| Voucher length | Non-subscriber | Essential | Extra | Premium |
| 1-month PS Now voucher | 17 days of PS Plus Premium | 31 days of PS Plus Essential | 21 days of PS Plus Extra | 17 days of PS Plus Premium |
| 3-month PS Now voucher | 46 days of PS Plus Premium | 92 days of PS Plus Essential | 58 days of PS Plus Extra | 46 days of PS Plus Premium |
| 12-month PS Now voucher | 183 days of PS Plus Premium | 365 days of PS Plus Essential | 219 days of PS Plus Extra | 183 days of PS Plus Premium |
We hope that helps… If you still have questions about the new PlayStation Plus, join the conversation over on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.
