Sony disables PlayStation Plus subscription stacking ahead of revamp
PlayStation Plus will be getting a revamp in a few months. This makes it a bit strange. One thing that users have observed is the inability to add more time to existing PlayStation Plus and PlayStation Now subscriptions. Now that they’ve been pointing this out in social media and forums, Sony has updated its FAQ to clarify the policy.
In the FAQ, Sony says that subscribers to either of PlayStation’s current premium services won’t be able to add time to their existing subscriptions, also known as stacking. The company clarified however that all vouchers and pre-paid codes players might have may still be valid. Those codes will have to be redeemed after Sony moves to its new version of PlayStation Plus starting on June 13.
One thing that’s a little confusing is what exactly these voucher codes will be good for after the transition. Because the prices of both the old and new plans are slightly different, it seems like all codes will be valid for different amounts or tiers in PlayStation Plus’ new service.
Instead of trying to explain it all, here’s Sony’s somewhat-helpful chart:
PlayStation Plus voucher conversions
| Voucher length | Non-subscriber | Essential | Extra | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Voucher length | Non-subscriber | Essential | Extra | Premium |
| 1-month PS Plus voucher | 31 days of PS Plus Essential | 31 days of PS Plus Essential | 21 days of PS Plus Extra | 17 days of PS Plus Premium |
| 3-month PS Plus voucher | 92 days of PS Plus Essential | 92 days of PS Plus Essential | 58 days of PS Plus Extra | 46 days of PS Plus Premium |
| 12-month PS Plus voucher | 365 days of PS Plus Essential | 365 days of PS Plus Essential | 219 days of PS Plus Extra | 183 days of PS Plus Premium |
Source: Sony Interactive Entertainment
PlayStation Now voucher conversions
| Voucher length | Non-subscriber | Essential | Extra | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Voucher length | Non-subscriber | Essential | Extra | Premium |
| 1-month PS Now voucher | 17 days of PS Plus Premium | 31 days of PS Plus Essential | 21 days of PS Plus Extra | 17 days of PS Plus Premium |
| 3-month PS Now voucher | 46 days of PS Plus Premium | 92 days of PS Plus Essential | 58 days of PS Plus Extra | 46 days of PS Plus Premium |
| 12-month PS Now voucher | 183 days of PS Plus Premium | 365 days of PS Plus Essential | 219 days of PS Plus Extra | 183 days of PS Plus Premium |
Note that PlayStation Now non-subscribers will be able to convert PS Now vouchers to PlayStation Plus Premium, whereas PlayStation Plus vouchers convert (for non-Plus subscribers) to PlayStation Plus Essential.
Source: Sony Interactive Entertainment
Sony also wants current PlayStation Plus and PlayStation Now subscribers to know that their subscriptions aren’t going away, even if the names are changing. Members who have active PlayStation Plus subscriptions on June 13 will be migrated to PlayStation Plus Essential subscriptions, which are functionally the same as their current service. Players who are still enrolled in PlayStation Now Subscriptions on June 9 will receive PlayStation Plus Essential subscriptions. This includes all the features of PlayStation Plus as well as PlayStation Now.
For a full breakdown of all the changes coming to PlayStation Plus and answers to your many questions, check out Sony’s PlayStation Plus page on the PlayStation website.
Samit Sarkar contributed additional reporting to this story.