Sony to Raise Price of PlayStation Plus Service
August 23 2016 - 1:40PM
Dow Jones News
Sony Corp. is boosting the price of its PlayStation Plus service
weeks before the company is expected to unveil two new versions of
its flagship videogame console.
PlayStation Plus combines discounts, exclusive access to demos
and free back-catalog games with services such as cloud storage and
Sony's online multiplayer network.
Such loyalty programs are crucial at providing videogame
companies a revenue stream beyond selling hardware and individual
games. It also helps build a community of gamers less likely to
switch to a rival system. In June, Sony said PlayStation Plus had
nearly 21 million members. Microsoft Corp. offers a similar
membership service called Xbox Live.
The price increase, slated for the U.S. and Canada, is the first
since PlayStation Plus launched in 2010. Beginning Sept. 22, an
annual subscription for U.S. customers will rise 20% to $59.99,
while a three-month membership will jump nearly 40% to $24.99.
One-month plans will stay at $9.99.
Sony declined to comment. In a blog post, the company said the
new pricing reflects current market conditions.
Sony has sold more than 40 million PlayStation 4 machines to
date, far eclipsing the sales of rival consoles from Microsoft and
Nintendo Co.
Sony is expected on Sept. 7 to introduce a slimmer and
less-expensive PlayStation model, as well as a previously announced
high-end version to handle virtual reality and 4K content. In
October, the company is planning to release a VR headset.
Write to Sarah E. Needleman at sarah.needleman@wsj.com
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
August 23, 2016 13:25 ET (17:25 GMT)
Copyright (c) 2016 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.
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