Update: A PlayStation rep provided a statement to GamesBeat, confirming they are retiring PlayStation Now gift cards worldwide in order to focus on their standard PlayStation Store gift cards. They provided no comment on why they're making the move or what this might mean for the future of PS Now or their other subscription services.
Globally, we are moving from PlayStation Now gift cards to focus on our current cash denomination PlayStation gift cards, which can be redeemed for PlayStation Now.
Original story: More evidence has emerged that big changes are in store for Sony’s PlayStation Now subscription service, as GamesBeat has heard from British retailers, including Game, that they’ve been instructed to pull PS Now prepaid cards from the shelves by Friday, January 21. Apparently, Game leadership has sent the following message to individual stores across the country.
Stores have until the close of day Wednesday 19, January to remove all POS and ESD cards from all customer-facing areas and update their digital bays in line with this week’s upcoming commercial update…
While Sony pulling PS Now pre-paid cards might seem a perplexing move in isolation, it jives with other reports we’ve heard about the company’s plans for its subscription services. As we heard from Bloomberg’s Jason Schreier last month, Sony is working on an expanded and improved subscription service that would directly challenge Xbox Game Pass, codenamed “Spartacus.” The new service will essentially combine PlayStation Plus and PlayStation Now, and will likely retain the PS Plus branding with PS Now being phased out. Apparently, the plan is to offer three tiers – the first will basically be what PS Plus is now, offering online play and monthly free games, the second would offer a catalog of PS4 and PS5 titles, and the third would offer extended demos and a large back catalogue of PS1, PS2, PS3, PSP, and Vita titles.
Schreier’s report claimed this new upgraded version of PS Plus would be rolling out in spring, so the timing of Sony pulling PS Now cards from stores makes sense. Take this all with a grain of salt for now, but it’s feeling more and more likely a big announcement regarding PS Plus and Now is coming soon.
What do you think? Excited for what “Spartacus” might bring? Will Sony be able to bring it to Game Pass in a real way?
About the author: Professional writer of trivial things. Nathan has been covering games, entertainment, and online culture for over a decade with bylines at IGN, GameSpy, Cracked, Uproxx, ComicBook, and more. Joined Wccftech gaming team in 2017, and has written hundreds of game reviews and thousands of news stories since.
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