Revamped PlayStation Plus Threatens Xbox Game Pass With Exclusive Games

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Following the announcement of the PlayStation Plus subscription revamp in March, Sony announced on May 16 the games that will be available at the launch of the service. The novelties arrive in Brazil on the same day as the United States, on June 13, after an early launch in Asian countries.

The new PlayStation Plus is a kind of fusion of its old version with the weak cloud gaming service (no download required) PS Now. The initiative is a belated response by the Japanese company to the popularization of Xbox Game Pass, a Microsoft service with more than 25 million subscribers.

Nintendo also offers a similar alternative with Nintendo Switch Online, but it is away from direct competition from the other two companies. The service of the owner of “Super Mario” is focused on expansions and retro games.

THE Game Pass has two categories:

  1. PC/Console, which gives access to the catalog only on the chosen device (R$ 44.99);

  2. Ultimate, which allows the subscriber to use the platform wherever they prefer (Xbox, PC and cell phone) and also gives access to games via the cloud (R$ 22.99).

The new PS Plus will be available in three categories:

  1. Essentialwhich preserves the functionality of the original version, with two free games per month (R$ 34.90);

  2. Extrawith an additional game catalog, as in the Microsoft service (R$ 52.90);

  3. premiumwhich has old titles (PSP, PS 1 and 2), allows you to play through the cloud and test new games for a limited period (R$ 59.90).

In Brazil, there is an important difference between the two services. Microsoft provides cloud gaming access on the most expensive Game Pass subscription. Sony, on the other hand, has not given a forecast for this functionality to arrive here. Therefore, in countries without access to cloud gaming, such as Brazil, the last category will be called Deluxe.

What also favors Game Pass is the price. For R$ 44.99, the subscriber can have access to everything the service offers, including playing through the cloud. Full access to the new PlayStation Plus features requires a Deluxe subscription, for R$ 59.90 per month.

PlayStation Plus, however, delivers what no other service in the industry can deliver. From the Extra category, the subscriber will have access to a catalog that covers PlayStation Studios titles such as “Bloodborne”, “Marvel’s Spider-Man”, “God of War”, “The Last of Us” and the “Uncharted” franchise.

Games developed by Xbox Game Studios like “Halo Infinite” and “Forza Horizon 5” are also available on Game Pass, but they don’t attract as much attention as the competitor’s originals. Microsoft’s platform, however, gives access to exclusives on the first day of release.

So, apart from the exclusives, there isn’t much left for PlayStation Plus. The Game Pass catalog is wider and offers good games of different genres, with good curation of independent titles and the advantage of playing over the cloud, which works well in Brazil.

Choosing which service to subscribe to will depend on where you play and what you expect from a service like these. While Game Pass is the best in terms of functionality, price and the extension of the catalog, the new PlayStation Plus will attract those interested in some of the best games from the Japanese company.

And the options are not few. I’ve selected 10 exclusive games, 10 third-party games, and 10 PlayStation Plus classics:

  • Exclusives: Bloodborne, Demon’s Souls (PS5), God of War, Horizon Zero Dawn, Infamous Second Son, Marvel’s Spider-Man, Shadow of the Colossus, The Last of Us Remastered, Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End.
  • third-party games: Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, Celeste, Control: Ultimate Edition, Dead Cells, Far Cry 3 Remaster, Final Fantasy XV Royal Edition, Hollow Knight, Outer Wilds, Red Dead Redemption 2, Resident Evil.
  • Classics: Ape Escape (PS 1), Hot Shots Golf (PS 1), IQ Intelligent Qube (PS 1), Jumping Flash! (PS 1), Siphon Filter (PS 1), Super Stardust Portable (PSP), Mr. Driller (PS 1), Tekken 2 (PS 1), Worms World Party (PS 1), Worms Armageddon (PS 1).

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game tip, new or old, for you to test

Elysium disk
(PC, Mac, PS 4/5, Xbox One/S/X and Nintendo Switch)

The RPG released in 2019 by the English studio ZA/UM is almost an interactive novel. The game revolves around a detective with amnesia responsible for solving a murder, but the plot only unfolds after long dialogues and well-thought-out decisions. The title won every category it was nominated for at The Game Awards 2019, including Best Indie Game

update

news, launches, business and what else matters

  • Saudi Arabia’s public investment fund (PIF) now owns 5.01% of Nintendo, a stake that represents about $3 billion. The Saudis also have a stake in Japan’s Capcom, from the Street Fighter and Resident Evil franchises, and in the Americans Activision Blizzard, Electronic Arts and Take-Two.
  • Square Enix announced that “Final Fantasy XV”, released in 2016, has sold over ten million units worldwide, including digital editions. The latest game in the franchise’s main series, 2020’s “Final Fantasy VII Remake”, has sold around five million copies.
  • Sweden’s Embracer said in a statement to investors that it sees great potential in sequels, remakes, remasters and spin-offs of the franchises acquired with the purchase of studios Crystal Dynamics, Eidos Montréal and Square Enix Montréal. The studios are behind titles like “Tomb Raider”, “Deus Ex” and “Thief”.
  • The game Fall Guys went viral on the internet in 2020 by featuring fast, fun, and full of players. Now, starting June 21st, studio creation Mediatonic (acquired by Epic Games in 2021) will be available for Xbox, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation, and PC for free.
  • According to consultancy Newzoo, the video game market is expected to move US$ 203.1 billion in 2022, a growth of 5.4% compared to last year. The mobile games segment continues to represent the majority of the sector’s revenues, US$ 103.5 billion (51%), up 5.1%.

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games that will be released in the next few days and promotions that are worth it

May 25

  • “Roller Champions”: free (PC, Xbox One/S/X, PS 4/5, Switch)

May 26

  • “Sniper Elite 5”: BRL 93.99 (PRAÇA), R$ 299.90 (PS 4/5), BRL 222.45 (Xbox One/X/S)

May 27

  • “Pac-Man Museum+”: price not available (PC, Xbox One/S/X, PS 4/5)

Promotions of the week

  • The PC version of “Borderlands 3”, Gearbox Software’s action RPG released in 2019, will be free until next Thursday (26) on the Epic Games Store.
  • Simulation game Cities: Skylines is out for R$13.99 on Steam and the Epic Games Store until June 16. The title rescues elements of the SimCity franchise and adds new city management mechanics and challenges.

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