Honestly the reason why Plus is more popular than Gold is probably down to the differences in install base. On both platforms it's mandatory for online play and with Xbox it used to be a requirement for FTP games. I don't believe it's unfair to compare the two since they are almost identical at this point.
Well, in PS5 PS Plus also has the PS Plus Collection in addition to the monthly games.
Also Plus has much better free games than XBL Gold, which are these days rarely even worth adding to library - let alone to play. Plus is often worth it, even without online play.
Yes, at least in my case each year there are at least 2 or 3 games included there I'd have bought anyways (and their combined price is higher than a yearly subscription) so only for the games it's worth for me.
I also would like to highlight the PS Plus discounts. Each year I save enough money with them to pay multiple yearly subscriptions. So for the discounts alone PS Plus is worth for me too.
These two reasons for me make it worth for me specially if you get a year when discounted or in cd key stores, I almost don't play online multiplayer. I save a lot of money every year thanks to PS Plus.
There are some extremely popular FTP games like Fortnite or Call of Duty Warzone. Those that don't want to pay to play can it's only if you want to play some specific titles that you might need PlayStation Plus or Gold. I agree that nobody is forcing you because you have other options but it's still a requirement if your really want to play certain titles online.
Yep, the sub is required for the online multiplayer of paid games. But the majority of players don't seem to be interested on this considering only 47M of the 111M PSN MAU pay for PS Plus.
This is a 42% of the PS users with the console connected to internet and pretty likely there are more players with the console in a location without internet connection (like a bedroom without wifi or wired internet available), so aren't counted for MAUs.
That middle tier is where Sony will need to focus. We know their first party won't be there day one, but if they got some of the bigger 3rd party games on there reasonably close to launch (like GOTG) then that would be good. Leveraging their Japanese contacts is a must. The middle tier is the closest thing to GamePass by the sounds of it, then the premium tier being the true differentiator as PlayStation's back catalogue is infinitely more appealing than Xbox's.
I think the top goal of Spartacus will be to use this intermediate tier to increase the average revenue per user and total revenue of Sony's game subscriptions. Unlike PS Now it will be available worldwide, and I'm pretty sure a huge portion of the PS Plus subbers will see as a good deal to pay a couple of bucks more per month more to have access to hundreds of downloadable games.
In fact I think that the majority of new users that Spartacus will get will be for this -base Gamepass equivalent- intermediate tier.
Regarding the top tier, I think it will depend of the games they add to PS Now, if they release their mobile and smart tv client soon and how the 'extended demos' really work and what games are included in these demos. I think that to include all their 1st party games plus some key 3rd party games in these demos since release day, and demos being a full game 10 hours trial (and better if maybe a day before launch) like in EA Play.
