PlayStation Plus subscribers browsing the PSN store in certain regions have suddenly found it much more expensive to do so. Sony today has begun implementing a PlayStation Plus subscription price increase of up to 50% in select areas.
The PlayStation Plus subscription price increase has only affected South Africa, Turkey, Russia and Ukraine. It does not appear that the PSN price increase will make its way to the EU or North America, though sometimes trial balloons like this end up being more than adjustments to meet the market.
Sony sent emails to South African PSN Plus subscribers on Sept. 30 indicating that their “PlayStation Plus subscription is due to increase slightly. … On [Oct. 1] the price of a 3 month subscription will rise from R145 to R219.”
That represents a 66% increase in PSN price. According to iAfrica, a second email said the PlayStation Plus price for a 12-month subscription in South Africa would rise 65%, from R489 to R749.
In U.S. dollars, that means the PlayStation Plus October price increase takes the 12-month subscription from $43.50 to $66.66, while the three-month PS Plus subscription price has gone from $12.90 to $19.49.
For context, North American PS Plus subscribers currently pay $49.99 for a 12-month subscription and $17.99 for a three-month subscription. South African PS Plus subscribers are now paying more than North American PSN Plus subs.
Clearly the definition of “slightly” is up for interpretation in South Africa. Anything north of 10% is widely considered larger than “slightly.” A jump of 65% or higher is flat-out significant.
Representatives from Sony told GameInformer that the company isn’t currently planning a similar PlayStation Plus subscription price increase for North America.
With that said, Sony is facing dire financial times while its PS4 business is riding high. A trial like this in other markets could be indicative of potential increases for U.S. and Canadian-based gamers in the future. At the moment that’s pure speculation, but the possibility is there over the long term. Stay tuned.
