Dual Pixels
  • News
  • PlayStation
  • Xbox
  • Nintendo
  • PC
  • TV
  • Originals
  • Review
No Result
View All Result
  • News
  • PlayStation
  • Xbox
  • Nintendo
  • PC
  • TV
  • Originals
  • Review
No Result
View All Result
Dual Pixels
No Result
View All Result
Home News

Our Thoughts on PlayStation Spartacus

Joey Lampe by Joey Lampe
March 28, 2022
in News, PlayStation
0 0
0
PlayStation Spartacus Reveal;
0
SHARES
89
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

The oft rumored PlayStation streaming service finally appears to be official, revealing as early as this week. While Sony has been coy on even confirming its existence, the industry seems quite sure that this week is reveal week. Here are our thoughts on how we got here and what we expect of PlayStation Spartacus.

PlayStation Plus.

I’ve never been a fan of PS+. I’m generally the type of person that buys the game I want to play, so the free + games were never that enticing. There was certainly value to be had, especially if you liked trying out indie titles. The value just didn’t make sense, especially when the quality seemed to drastically drop as the years passed. 

At $60 per year, it wasn’t outwardly expensive. Equalling to about $5 per month, it’s a drop in the bucket within the onslaught of subscription services. You could argue it was worth it for online play and cloud saves, but that would be pushing it. 

PlayStation Now (PS Now).

Debuting in 2014, PS Now has gradually become a more lucrative service. With limited offerings and only being able to stream games early on, it now has a deep collection of games and the ability to download them locally for many. They’ve also rolled out the ability to play via streaming from a PC. Untethering the subscription from the console was a fantastic move that certainly lowered the barrier to entry. 

Coming in at $60 a year as well, PS Now is a decent subscription if you don’t like to own games. it’s grown in its offerings, even if it doesn’t include everything or allow for local downloads for all games. 

What is PlayStation Spartacus?

Supposedly, the upcoming announcement (if it happens) will combine these two offerings. This makes sense for a variety of reasons: 

  • The value for either in themselves isn’t enough. Yes. PS+ does well, but a lot of that fact is due to having to have it to play online
  • Simplification of services allows for easier adoption of said service. 

For as great as PS Now potentially could be, it still needs something more. I think that something more is the combination of the two services. A holistic approach, of which will most certainly be tiered, will allow for less confusion and a strong likelihood of adoption. 

How Much will PlayStation’s new sub cost? 

Who knows? It is up to anyone’s guess. I’d bet that they’d be smart to split the difference between the two separate offerings. Let’s say $90 per year for the lower tier. That would combine PS+ and PS Now into a much neater package. But, the rumors allude to Sony reaching further in its back catalog and providing more value to the service. I’d wager that hitting $15 per month would be ideal, which would put it in the range of Microsoft’s offering with Game Pass. Depending on the offering, I could see it hitting $20 per month, while offering a collection of a comprehensive library of games. 

What PlayStation Spartacus Isn’t.

Pricing may end up being similar, but Sony’s new service is not a Game Pass competitor. Microsoft’s offering is so lucrative due to it having first party games (and select third party titles) releasing day one on the service. I don’t think PlayStation would do this, nor do I think it is smart to. Sony doesn’t have to do anything to market their first party titles. They sell extremely well, and they would lose money by placing their first party games on the service day and date. The two companies are in very different spots in the gaming industry. Thus, they are using their subscription services in very different ways. 

My Hopes for PlayStation’s New Subscription.

Assuming it exists, here are the four things I hope the service includes: 

  • Only two tiers. The best subscription services are the ones that include fewer services. Make it simple for users to use. I think two tiers would be ideal. One for the everyday user that just wants to play online and  play certain games via streaming/downloading. The other tier would be more power user focused that includes exclusive titles, and the ability to trial just released games. Similar to how EA Play Pro users can trial games. 
  • PS3 Games. I highly doubt they emulated ps3 games for the service to be able to download locally. It’s a shame too, since there are so many great games stranded on the hardware. From Resistance to Killzone to Metal Gear Solid 4, it’s just impossible to fully play through these franchises. 
  • Exclusive perks for owning PlayStation titles. I think it’d be beneficial to provide benefits for games that aren’t even on the service. Something like kicking over some credits to Gran Turismo 7 users or even an exclusive costume for Returnal Players. Just a little something to add to your PlayStation ecosystem of games. 
  • $20 or less per month. I feel like this is the sweet spot for a sub. While not a direct comparison, Game Pass has sort of worked as the bellwether for what gamer’s will pay. 

In no way is PlayStation being forced to compete with another company that has a subscription service. They are in a spot where creating a subscription service will further encourage people to choose to play on their system vs any other. As much as I’d hate to add another service to the growing roster, it’s looking likely to happen with what they have to offer; that is, especially if they are able to dig into their unparalleled roster of older franchise games. 

Will PlayStation Spartacus manage to cut through the clutter of the subscription wars? Hopefully we find out later this week!

Tags: neoPlaystationPS NowPS+subscription
Previous Post

Dual Pixels Radio #65: Street Fighter 6, Uncharted, Pokemon Scarlet & Violet

Next Post

Moon Knight “The Goldfish Problem” Review

Joey Lampe

Joey Lampe

I am passionate about games and the gaming industry as a whole and am excited to be able to share it with all of you.

Next Post
Moon Knight Disney+ Logo

Moon Knight “The Goldfish Problem” Review

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

  • Trending
  • Comments
  • Latest
Why the Steam Deck Hurts PS5, XBOX More than Switch

Why the Steam Deck Hurts PS5, XBOX More than Switch

July 15, 2021
Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 Lives Again Thanks to Mods

Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 Lives Again Thanks to Mods

January 23, 2022
Back 4 Blood Gameplay Showcase

Back 4 Blood Gameplay Showcase

December 17, 2020
Joey Ansah (Akuma) & Mike Moh (Ryu) Interviews and Behind-The-Scenes | Street Fighter Assassin’s Fist

Joey Ansah (Akuma) & Mike Moh (Ryu) Interviews and Behind-The-Scenes | Street Fighter Assassin’s Fist

May 23, 2014
Update: Nintendo NX Controller Leaked Photo

Update: Nintendo NX Controller Leaked Photo

98
Rumor: Information On Next Gen Pokemon Games, Dubbed “Pokemon Plus” & “Pokemon Minus”

Rumor: Information On Next Gen Pokemon Games, Dubbed “Pokemon Plus” & “Pokemon Minus”

72
Rumor: Next COD Dubbed “Bloodline”, Activision Entangled in Nintendo NX

Rumor: Next COD Dubbed “Bloodline”, Activision Entangled in Nintendo NX

67
Possible Leaked Super Smash Bros. Character Screen Reveals Full Roster

Possible Leaked Super Smash Bros. Character Screen Reveals Full Roster

64
The Last of Us Episode 1. Nico Parker and Pedro Pascal

The Last of Us Episode 1 Review

February 2, 2023
Hexware #1 cover with Jesminder/Which-Where with a pentagram on fire.

Comic Read of The Week: Hexware #1 | 12/7/22

December 20, 2022
Diablo IV title card.

Diablo IV Release Date Trailer – The Game Awards 2022

December 8, 2022
Dune characters looking out over Arrakis shaped like a crescent moon.

Dune: Awakening Teaser from The Game Awards 2022

December 8, 2022

Recommended

The Last of Us Episode 1. Nico Parker and Pedro Pascal

The Last of Us Episode 1 Review

February 2, 2023
Hexware #1 cover with Jesminder/Which-Where with a pentagram on fire.

Comic Read of The Week: Hexware #1 | 12/7/22

December 20, 2022
Diablo IV title card.

Diablo IV Release Date Trailer – The Game Awards 2022

December 8, 2022
Dune characters looking out over Arrakis shaped like a crescent moon.

Dune: Awakening Teaser from The Game Awards 2022

December 8, 2022

WHAT IS DUAL PIXELS?

Dual Pixels is more than just an organization, it's a culture. The interactive arts are our passion, this includes gaming and innovations brought forward with technology.

The beauty of being an independent organization is the fact that we have the opportunity to bring back the enthusiasm in a gaming industry. The Dual Pixels brand is full of perspective hence the reason why we also go by the appellation "The Digital Crossover".

  • Staff
  • Advertise
  • Privacy & Policy
  • Contact

Copyright ©2023 Dual Pixels Entertainment LLC, All Rights Reserved. | Powered By LIT NYC

No Result
View All Result
  • News
  • PlayStation
  • Xbox
  • Nintendo
  • PC
  • TV
  • Originals
  • Review

Copyright ©2023 Dual Pixels Entertainment LLC, All Rights Reserved. | Powered By LIT NYC

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Create New Account!

Fill the forms below to register

All fields are required. Log In

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In
This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. Cookie settingsACCEPT
Privacy & Cookies Policy

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled

Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.

Non-necessary

Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.