A subtle yet noteworthy change to PlayStation Plus' marketing materials suggests the service's rumored tiered system, codenamed Spartacus, could arrive sometime in the near future. PlayStation users noticed the subtle change following Sony's release of the PS Plus lineup for February 2022, which includes three games: EA Sports UFC 4, Planet Coaster: Console Edition, and Tiny Tina's Assault on Dragon Keep. These subjectively disappointing offers raise even more questions about what Spartacus may entail should it actually serve as Sony's answer to Xbox Game Pass.
Following rumors that bubbled to the surface in early 2021, reports about the supposed Spartacus rebranding for PS Plus and PS Now began making the rounds last December. Bloomberg claimed Sony had its sights set on merging PS Plus and PS Now, an effort that could culminate in a three-tier subscription service in which the first tier boasts PS Plus' current benefits. Tier two will apparently add a sizable collection of PS4 and PS5 games to the mix. Finally, the third tier in the PlayStation Spartacus model will provide access to game demos, PS Now-like streaming, and a selection of classic PS1, PS2, PS3, and PSP games. Sony has yet to corroborate or deny the report.
Twitter user and MP1st writer Okami Games (via ComicBook) noticed an interesting change in PS Plus promo materials between the lineup announcements for January and February 2022. Print on the graphic for January's selection reads, "For PlayStation Plus Members," while in the same spot on the February image, the text says, "Available this month at no extra cost." This may seem a negligible alteration at first glance, yet searching through PS Plus listings on the PlayStation Blog reveals "For PS Plus Members" has been the go-to line since the December 2018 post for January 2019's lineup. Such a change implies a big shift of some kind could be on the horizon for PlayStation's long-running subscription service.
The aforementioned Bloomberg report states the rebranded PS Plus and PS Now service could launch as early as this spring, meaning that if true, Sony would have to announce concrete details sooner rather than later. Should this prove accurate, it could explain why text on the PlayStation Plus graphic received an update for the first time in approximately three years.
PlayStation entered the premium subscription service game in the summer of 2010; even then, PS Plus offered freebies in the form of digital games like WipeOut HD, PS One Classics, and the oft-forgotten PSP Minis. The service has considerably expanded in the years since then but many would argue Sony grew complacent, watching as Xbox Game Pass slowly changed the playing field. It remains to be seen if Spartacus will help the former even the score on the services front.
Source: Okami Games (via ComicBook), PlayStation Blog