PlayStation Boss: We Believe In The Premium Release Before Subscriptions

PlayStation Indies head Shuhei Yoshida revealed more details about Sony’s approach to first-party games and its strategy to release its biggest titles through its subscription services PlayStation Plus Extra and Premium.

Yoshida said in an interview game industry, Sony still believes in “premium versions of games at launch” and the goal is to provide these games with an additional revenue stream later in their life cycle when they become available on the new PS Plus tier. There are exceptions to this rule, such as day one releases for multiplayer-centric games like Rocket League and Fall Guys, so they can quickly build online audiences.

“In the same way, we believe that at launch and possibly six months, three months or three years later, when the game’s sales decline, a premium release of a game, included in this service, PS Plus Extra, can Help introduce these games to new, wider audiences,” explains Yoshida.

The former PlayStation president added that, if executed properly, the opportunity to build positive word of mouth for a game can help grow audiences, especially if the game has new DLC or a sequel. “We encourage publishers to take advantage of these services to manage the lifecycle of each title,” Yoshida said.

Yoshida went on to mention that Sony’s revamped subscription service is still “kind of experimental” for the company, though it sees Stray’s daily rollout as a good example of what its service can offer. The PS Plus library has expanded since its overhaul earlier this year, adding Deathloop, Spiritfarer, and several other games to its Extra and Premium libraries this month.