Games By Russell Holly Feb. 7, 2014 11:40 am
Despite being mandatory for most online gameplay, Sony has revealed that approximately half of all PS4 users have PS Plus accounts.
One of the big changes from the PS3 to the PS4 was a shift in how PlayStation Plus was going to be used for the new console. On the PS4, unless you were playing free-to-play games like DC Universe Online or Blacklight Retribution, a PS Plus account would be required for multiplayer online play. This was viewed as a mostly good thing, since it would mean more resources put into the occasionally malfunctioning PlayStation Network. Now, with more than four million PS4 consoles in the wild, it looks like roughly half of them are subscribing to the service.
Compared to the PS3, the number of people using PS Plus has increased threefold. Strangely, that means that half of the PS4 user base has not yet found a reason to either play online or justify paying for the privilege. Sony positioned themselves on a moral high ground over Microsoft with the mandatory PS Plus announcement by making it so users could still access live streaming services and social sharing features without a subscription, which is something Xbox Live is frequently criticized for.
While this number may sound a little on the low side, that $5 monthly subscription from more than two million subscribers is nothing to scoff at. Sony has a great opportunity here to continue demonstrating value with PS Plus, and eventually games will release that will encourage users to take the plunge and give the service a try.
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One of the big changes from the PS3 to the PS4 was a shift in how PlayStation Plus was going to be used for the new console. On the PS4, unless you were playing free-to-play games like DC Universe Online or Blacklight Retribution, a PS Plus account would be required for multiplayer online play. This was viewed as a mostly good thing, since it would mean more resources put into the occasionally malfunctioning PlayStation Network. Now, with more than four million PS4 consoles in the wild, it looks like roughly half of them are subscribing to the service.
Compared to the PS3, the number of people using PS Plus has increased threefold. Strangely, that means that half of the PS4 user base has not yet found a reason to either play online or justify paying for the privilege. Sony positioned themselves on a moral high ground over Microsoft with the mandatory PS Plus announcement by making it so users could still access live streaming services and social sharing features without a subscription, which is something Xbox Live is frequently criticized for.
While this number may sound a little on the low side, that $5 monthly subscription from more than two million subscribers is nothing to scoff at. Sony has a great opportunity here to continue demonstrating value with PS Plus, and eventually games will release that will encourage users to take the plunge and give the service a try.
More...
