Is PS Plus worth it? Should PS4 owners buy a membership in 2020?

The PS4 has been one of Sony's biggest success, and the company has been able to dominate the current console generation quite comfortably. Due to its more reasonable pricing and a steady stream of quality first-party titles, the PS4 was able to pull away from its Microsoft counterpart right from the start.

This particular console generation was marked by a series of extremely well-made single-player, narrative-driven games that dominated sales. Titles such as God of War, The Last of Us Part II, and Uncharted 4 were all single-player offerings for the PS4 that were instrumental in its success.

However, that is not to say that multiplayer titles haven't been all that successful, as it can be argued that the most financially successful and long-running titles of the past decade are all multiplayer ones.

The PS Plus is, therefore, an essential service for multiplayer enthusiasts, as it provides access to online multiplayer offerings on the PS4.

Should PS4 owners buy a PS Plus membership in 2020?

Multiplayer gaming is ingrained in the competitive nature of video games, and this is evident by their popularity and relevance through the years. Hence, the PS Plus option is an absolute no-brainer for multiplayer gaming enthusiasts! Or is it?

The presence of quality free-to-play titles

The video game industry, in the past couple of years, has seen a shift away from the standard AAA formula. As game development becomes more expensive than ever before, studios are now opting for sustainable projects, and thus began the era of the "free-to-play" games.

On the PS4, some of the most popular titles on the Store are free-to-play multiplayer games such as Smite, Fortnite, and Apex Legends. The free-to-play model rests heavily on players spending money in microtransactions, but it isn't a necessity for them.

This is making players question whether they really need a subscription service when they can play quality multiplayer titles for no cost. However, other games like FIFA, Call of Duty and the like will still require a PS Plus membership.

Free games on the PS Plus

One of the biggest selling points of the PS Plus service, in addition to multiplayer access, is the monthly games that are available for free. While earlier, PS3 and PS Vita titles were also on offer, they are now only restricted to PlayStation 4 games.

The monthly games have ranged from mediocre to great, and while sometimes it will result in fantastic titles such as Bloodborne, quite a few times, the offerings simply aren't up to the mark.

Yet, it presents an excellent option for players to build up their PS4 library with quality games that they might not have otherwise purchased.

PS Plus Collection

The PS Plus Collection is essentially a compilation of the best PS4 titles such as God of War, Bloodborne, The Last of Us Remastered, and many more. The collection will be made available to subscribers on the PS5 at launch.

This move is to possibly alleviate players' worries of not having enough quality titles on launch when the newest PlayStation does arrive. While it is a good chance that gamers would already own these games on the PS4, for players who do not, this is a great package.

The games on the collection are absolute winners and could collectively end up costing a lot more if bought individually. However, players should remember that the PS Plus Collection is restricted to the PlayStation 5 only, so it is of no value to PS4 owners.

Conclusion

The PS Plus is a great service, but one that requires serious rethinking from Sony. As we move towards the next console generation, Xbox and Microsoft have broadened their vision to include more platforms such as PC and Android.

The comprehensive Xbox Game Pass dwarfs the PS Plus in terms of value and services provided. Combined with the All Access service, Microsoft is indeed staying competitive with a forward-thinking vision.

Sony will have to really rethink its approach to the PS Plus, because as it stands, players would much rather enjoy the quality free-to-play multiplayer titles that do not require this service.