prices increase tomorrow, here’s how to avoid it

Sony is increasing the prices of its PlayStation Plus Essential subscription in Europe from May 20. We explain how to avoid this increase.

After YouTube and Netflix, it’s the turn of Sony to increase the prix of its online gaming service PlayStation Plus. Via an announcement on its X account, the Japanese manufacturer detailed a new price list which will come into force tomorrow.

The new PlayStation Plus prices and their date of application

For European users, the increase concerns the first two subscription plans PlayStation Plus Essential. Starting tomorrow, the price of the monthly subscription will increase to 9,99 €against €8.99 today. If you prefer to commit a little longer, the three-month package increases to 27,99 €compared to €24.99 before the increase. The price increase will be effective this Wednesday May 20, 2026. As a reminder, the “Essential” plan allows you to access online multiplayer, take advantage of “free” monthly games, as well as exclusive discounts on the PlayStation Store.

To justify this decision, Sony cites “current market conditions”. Although this explanation remains not very detailed, it comes in a context where manufacturing costs and streaming services have generally increased. We can also note that this price revision precedes the highly anticipated release of GTA 6, scheduled for later this year. It is likely that Sony is anticipating a massive influx of new players wishing to access the online features of this title and is seeking to optimize its revenues before this major event in the world of video games.

How to keep the old price

Not everyone will experience the announced price increase as Sony has clarified that members who already subscribe will not be impacted by these new prices for the moment. However, this protection does not last forever and to keep your current rate, you must keep your subscription active, without interruption.

If you let your subscription expire, even for a few days, any subsequent resubscription will be at the new prices of €9.99 per month or €27.99 for three months. Likewise, any modification to your current formula (such as a change of level) could result in the application of the new grid.

Read: PlayStation Network: Sony will abandon the PSN name, but not its functions

If you are not yet a subscriber, but are considering doing so, we can only advise you to subscribe before tomorrow, Wednesday May 20, to try to lock in the current pricing conditions for as long as possible. However, not all subscribers are equally lucky. Indeed, in certain regions like Turkey or India, prices are increasing for everyone, including current subscribers.

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