Sony does not plan to offer its most expensive, day-one releases through a subscription service similar to Xbox Game Pass, PlayStation head Jim Ryan told GameIndustry.biz. He said the company does not view making blockbuster launches available to all subscribers for a low monthly fee as sustainable.
Ryan contrasted Sony’s strategy with Microsoft’s, explaining that while PlayStation operates a catalog-based service — PlayStation Now, which supports streaming and some downloads — the company does not intend to debut high-budget titles on such a platform the same day they hit shops.
Why Sony rejects day-one releases on subscription
According to Ryan, the core of Sony’s approach is producing “new and great games” rather than letting a subscription catalog define the platform. He said many major titles require development budgets well above US$100 million, and making them available to every subscriber for a modest monthly fee would not make financial sense for the company.
What this means for major PlayStation releases
Practically, Ryan’s comments indicate that flagship PlayStation exclusives such as Horizon Forbidden West and God of War will not be accessible on PlayStation Now at launch in the way some Xbox titles appear on Game Pass. Sony sees its subscription offering as different in role and scope from Microsoft’s service.
PlayStation Now versus Game Pass
Game Pass is a subscription on Xbox that emphasizes day-one access to a broad array of new releases. PlayStation Now, by contrast, provides a catalog of games for streaming and download in certain regions but, per Ryan’s remarks, will not be used as the primary vehicle for releasing Sony’s highest-budget new games.
Source: AndroidCentral
