Sony has rolled out significant price increases for PlayStation Plus subscriptions in Canada, affecting all tiers of the service. The new annual rates now stand at $109.99 CAD for the Essential tier, $189.99 CAD for Extra, and a whopping $224.99 CAD for the Premium option.
This price hike has caught many Canadian PlayStation users off guard. The Essential tier, which provides the basic benefits needed for online play, has nearly doubled from its original $60 CAD price point just a few years ago. This tier is particularly important as it’s required for online multiplayer in most PlayStation games.
“I’m considering building a PC next generation instead of buying a PS6,” commented one frustrated user, highlighting how the increased costs might influence future platform choices.
Another pointed out a particularly sore point: “It’s insane they don’t let you back up physically on external or USB drives like PS4,” suggesting the forced cloud save requirement adds insult to injury.
The timing of this increase comes amid broader economic pressures. While Sony hasn’t officially explained the reasoning behind these specific regional adjustments, industry analysts point to several likely factors. Rising operational costs, currency value fluctuations, and the need to maintain revenue growth all probably played a role in the decision.
PlayStation Plus has evolved considerably since its 2010 launch. What began as an optional subscription offering bonus games and discounts transformed into a requirement for online play with the PS4.
The service further expanded with the PS5 era into the current three-tier system, adding access to game trials and classic titles at higher price points.
Sony’s approach contrasts with Microsoft’s Xbox Game Pass, which focuses on providing a large library of games, including day-one releases of first-party titles. This difference in strategy has become more pronounced as subscription services increasingly form the backbone of gaming platform strategies.
Wallet fatigue sets in
The subscription model has become the dominant strategy across entertainment, but gaming subscriptions present unique challenges.
Unlike streaming services where content is merely watched, gaming requires active engagement, and paying to access features like online play feels different than paying for content libraries.
For Canadian PlayStation owners, these increases present difficult choices. A year of PlayStation Plus Premium now costs more than three full-price games. Some users might downgrade to lower tiers, while others might reconsider their gaming platform entirely, with PC gaming, which doesn’t charge for online functionality, becoming increasingly attractive.
