New PlayStation Plus Is Available Now In The US

Sony's highly touted new version of its PlayStation Plus subscription service launches in North and South America today, June 13, ushering in what Sony calls a "new era" for the membership program.

With the update, users can subscribe to PlayStation Plus Essential, PlayStation Plus Extra, and PlayStation Plus Premium, each carrying their own benefits based on the tier. For lots more details, check out GameSpot's breakdown of the new PlayStation Plus program.

PlayStation's Jim Ryan said in a statement that the launch of the new version of PlayStation Plus represents a "massive evolution of our game subscription service offering."

He added: "The high caliber of content is what sets PlayStation Plus apart, and the service will continue to grow with new monthly game offerings that include some of the most celebrated titles on PlayStation platforms. We are truly grateful for the passionate support of our PlayStation community over the years."

One of the benefits of the new version of PlayStation Plus is the catalog of titles from first- and third-party studios that members on higher tiers can play at no extra charge. At launch today, players can dive into titles like Red Dead Redemption 2, Ghost of Tsushima Director's Cut, Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy, Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales, and NBA 2K22, among others. The lineup will "refresh and evolve over time," not unlike how Xbox Game Pass adds and removes titles from the catalog on a regular basis.

For more, check out a list of the 400+ titles available in the catalog.

Members on higher tiers also get access to classic titles coming sometime in the future, including Syphon Filter, Tekken 2, and Ape Escape. Players can expect better frame rates and improved resolution. Additionally, some original PlayStation and PSP titles will introduce the ability to save or rewind.

Another notable element of the new PlayStation Plus is that anyone who is currently subscribed to PlayStation Now will have their membership transitioned to the Premium tier for nothing extra.

PlayStation Plus already launched in Japan and other Asia markets. The original version of PlayStation Plus debuted in 2010 and Sony claims it was the first console membership program to offer a "regular refreshed library of monthly games." PlayStation Now, meanwhile, launched in 2014 and is believed to be the first streaming service for console.

In other PlayStation news, The Last of Us 2 has sold 10 million copies and a standalone multiplayer game is coming, while a remake of The Last of Us for PS5 is also in the works.