PS4 News Release: Sony PlayStation Plus Will “Play Prominent Role In PlayStation 4 Landscape” Says Sony Europe CEO

The latest news about the PS4 since the Sony release event last week is that Sony will focus on digital distribution via PlayStation Plus to set its new PlayStation 4 console apart.

It has been confirmed that every game title will be available as a digital download and physical disc on the first day of the new PS4 release, as was the case with the PlayStation Vita.

Shuhei Yoshida, Sony Worldwide Studios head, suggested that the company might use a multiple subscription level service similar to what is used by cable TV providers in the future.

In an interview with PlayStation Blog, Sony Europe CEO Jim Ryan spent a lot of time talking about PlayStation Plus, Sony's current subscription service.

PlayStation Plus currently gives gamers a collection of older game downloads every month.

A PlayStation Plus yearlong membership covering PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Vita is currently offered at $50. Subscribers receive access to the Instant Game Collection, early access to demos, automatic updates, discounts, and more.

Ryan says that it's currently a popular service, but that it will become even more important for the PS4.

"[Playstation Plus has] been really well received - the value is quite extraordinary and the take-up has trebled over the course of the past year. We definitely see that as a core part of the way forward. We're not yet in a position to disclose our plans for the future of PlayStation Plus but there will definitely be a prominent role to play for it in the PlayStation 4 landscape," he explained.

Forbes writer Dave Thier suggests that the PlayStation Plus will move from being an additional product for committed gamers to being a core service, similar to how Xbox Live Gold works for Microsoft.

He explained that Sony would have to work hard to offer enough additional specs to tempt gamers to purchase the package.

"Of course, Sony will probably still have to follow the precedent it set on PS3 by offering multiplayer and video streaming without a subscription, thus preventing even more pressure on developing robust, valuable offerings to justify yearly fees," Thier concluded.