For months there has been speculation that Sony is working on a new PlayStation Plus model It's in the works, even though all the rumors so far haven't come true. However, this is now being fueled by Microsoft, who may already know more about it or are also expecting this move from Sony.
Während a panel at the GDC Today, Microsoft's Phil Spencer and Corporate Vice President Sarah Bond spoke about the positive development of subscription services and how they are changing the gaming landscape. Besides various figures and charts about the growth of Game Pass, Bond also made an interesting statement that further fuels the rumors surrounding Sony's PlayStation Plus.
In it, Bond said:
“Subscription services have lowered the barrier to entry and created a whole new market and a love for games and gaming experiences that wouldn’t have existed otherwise,” said Bond. “That’s one of the reasons I’m excited to see gaming becoming a bigger part of our industry: We have our subscriptions, Sony has announced theirs, and I expect other platforms will do the same because it’s really good for developers and players.”
It's possible that Bond simply made a mistake in her statement, or that she was referring to the existing PlayStation Plus or PlayStation Now services. Alternatively, she might be referring to Project Spartacus as a rumor, although it hasn't been confirmed.
Given her position at Microsoft, where she's responsible for forging partnerships, Bond could indeed possess insider knowledge and occasionally let things slip unintentionally. Officially, however, nothing has been confirmed so far.
Should Project Spartacus actually come to fruition, players can probably expect a tiered model that includes demos, early access, PS Now, and more.
