It’s been a year since the new PlayStation Plus plans launched in Australia, and Sony’s going all out with discounts and is even giving away some hardware for the celebration.
Last year, PlayStation Plus transformed into a modern game subscription service, like Xbox Game Pass. For a monthly fee, you gain access to a rotating library of games in addition to a handful of games you can redeem and play for the length of your subscription. With this change to the PlayStation Plus, the brand rolled out three tiers priced at different points depending on what you want: Essential, Extra, and Deluxe.
From now until 30 June 2023, even if you aren’t currently subscribed, you can take advantage of several big promotions PlayStation is running to drum up some hype. It comes not long after just about every game company on the planet announced a ridiculous amount of stuff during the Summer Game Fest period.
PlayStation Plus Celebration highlights
Win a PS5 console and PSVR 2 headset
Arguably the headline act of PlayStation’s current promos is the chance to win a PlayStation 5 and its corresponding PSVR 2 headset. Best of all, you don’t even have to be an active PlayStation Plus member. Just head to the competition website, follow the prompts and then you’re in with a shot to win over $1,500 worth of PlayStation kit.
Alongside the promotion, there are some cool stats on how much people played games since the new PlayStation Plus model launched last year. It turns out that people loved playing as a cat in Stray, an indie-made game that was recognised at The Game Awards in 2022.
To test your skills, you can also enter the Sackboy: A Big Adventure speedrun tournament for the chance to win a three-month PlayStation Plus Deluxe membership.
Freebies aplenty for your PlayStation account
We all love free stuff, so there are a few digital goodies to pimp out your profile with. It includes a cute set of illustrated avatars based on popular PlayStation franchises, and device wallpapers that pay tribute to PlayStation’s history.
Another bonus to take advantage of is the upcoming open online multiplayer weekend. Normally, you need to subscribe to PlayStation Plus to play games online, with the exception of free games like Fortnite. Between 24-25 June, you can jump in and play any online multiplayer game you own without needing an active subscription.
New PlayStation Stars campaigns
A little while ago, Sony debuted its PlayStation Stars program. With it, you can earn digital collectibles by playing specific games, earn money back on purchases, and record milestones along the way. During the PlayStation Plus Celebration, you can earn exclusive digital items by playing designated games. Each game fits into one of three categories: a major game available through the PlayStation Plus Game Catalogue, a trial of a recently-release game, and a classic.
Game Catalogue
- Final Fantasy VII Remake
- Demon’s Souls
- Yakuza Kiwami
- Uncharted Legacy of Thieves Collection
- Assassin’s Creed The Enzio Collection
Game Trials
- Hogwarts Legacy (PS4)
- God of War Ragnarök
- MLB The Show 23 (PS4)
- The Last of Us Part I
- Dying Light 2 Stay Human
Classics Catalogue
- Legend of Dragoon
- Disney Pixar Toy Story 3
- Jak & Daxter: The Precursor Legacy
- Bioshock Remastered
New Game Catalogue additions
As is the case each month, different games come to the PlayStation Plus Game Catalogue library, and the PlayStation Plus Celebration promotion is no different. Next week, these are the games you can access via the subscription service:
- Far Cry 6 (PS4/PS5)
- Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revenge (PS4/PS5)
- Rogue Legacy 2 (PS4/PS5)
- Inscryption (PS4/PS5)
- Soulstice (PS5)
- Tacoma (PS4)
- Deus Ex: Mankind Divided (PS4)
- Killing Floor 2 (PS4)
It’s an extremely strong list of games. I personally vouch for Rogue Legacy 2, which was one of my favourite games of 2022.
Up to 75% off games on the PlayStation Store
Coinciding with the PlayStation Plus Celebration is a mid-year sale with big discounts on a huge range of games. There’s a full list here, so it’s worth cracking out the CTRL-F function and searching for any games on your wishlist.
All up, there’s a lot happening, so make sure you check out anything that catches your eye before the various promotions end.
