Sony’s PlayStation Game Pass Alternative.

Xbox Game Pass has become one of the compelling reasons why many gamers are turning their heads towards Microsoft’s console. Sony clearly needs to take countermeasures to avoid further disappointing their fanbase. After all, the standard subscription for Japanese consoles offers nothing more significant than three less-popular games per month.

Meanwhile, Microsoft, led by Phil Spencer, continues to stir the gaming industry with not just lucrative subscriptions and services but also with high-profile franchises, all of which are expected to be part of the extended Game Pass Ultimate.

When Will Sony Respond?

Rumors suggest that the Japanese tech giant might unveil a new subscription service as early as this spring. However, there’s no certainty about this yet. The alleged Game Pass equivalent should grant players access to a downloadable game library that can rival Xbox’s offerings.

Xbox has made a significant portion of its library backward compatible with the Xbox Series X. Thus, Sony’s lack of a similar offering, observed over several console generations, is disappointing. Sony has yet to officially unveil its plans for backward compatibility on the PS5, but the revamped PS Plus might segment the offering into multiple tiers.

The basic tier could grant access to an expanded library of free-to-download games, while the premium tier might offer access to demo versions, an extended list of exclusives, and support for legacy games from PS1, PS2, and PS3. Fueling these speculations are recent actions by Sony, which pulled a significant number of subscription cards off shelves in the UK. If we’re lucky, we might even see PlayStation Portable and Vita games finding a new home on the PS5.

While Microsoft’s backward compatibility is commendable, users still find themselves paying for many questionable titles. The monthly subscription is priced around $10 for the base version and $15 for the extended version. Sony’s pricing remains unclear, but it’s reasonable to speculate that they might set a similar price point.