Is PlayStation Plus Extra Worth It? A Comprehensive Breakdown

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I‘ll focus on making the article much more in-depth, detailed and valuable for the reader.

The short answer is yes – for most PlayStation gamers, the Extra tier provides excellent value and is absolutely worth the extra cost over the Essential plan. You gain access to an on-demand catalog of hundreds of full games for a relatively small annual price bump.

As a hardcore PlayStation fan myself, I‘ve found the Extra collection to be a game-changer in expanding my options for what to play each month. The catalog includes exclusives, big third-party blockbusters, and smaller indie gems. Let‘s take an in-depth look at what you get with PlayStation Plus Extra, who it‘s best for, how it compares to Xbox Game Pass, whether the price is justified, and some final recommendations.

Diving Into the PlayStation Plus Extra Game Catalog

The biggest benefit of upgrading to PlayStation Plus Extra from the Essential plan is gaining access to an extensive on-demand catalog of PS4 and PS5 games – up to 400 titles, according to Sony.

This gives you a Netflix-style library of games to download or stream and play whenever you want, as long as you maintain an active Extra subscription. It‘s added tremendous value to my PlayStation Plus membership.

Here‘s a detailed breakdown of the PlayStation Plus Extra game catalog:

• Includes exclusive PlayStation titles like Spider-Man, God of War, Ghost of Tsushima, Returnal, Demon‘s Souls, and Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart. These are must-play PS4 and PS5 system sellers.
• Features big third-party games released over the last several years like Red Dead Redemption 2, NBA 2K22, Assassin‘s Creed Valhalla, Far Cry 6, and Resident Evil Village.
• Spans a wide variety of genres including action, adventure, RPGs, platformers, racing sims, fighting games, and family titles. There‘s something for everyone.
• Sony adds around 10-15 new games to the lineup monthly. So far additions have included Stray, Marvel‘s Avengers, Rainbow Six Extraction, and Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves Collection.
• As of August 2022, the catalog provides around 340 PS4 titles and 60 PS5 titles. But Sony stated the goal is to reach 400 games over time.

The PlayStation Plus Extra catalog focuses on quality over quantity. While competitor Xbox Game Pass touts "over 100 games" for console, PlayStation Plus Extra has curated a collection of big exclusives, new releases, and fan favorites from the PS4 and PS5 generation.

How Does the Catalog Compare to Xbox Game Pass?

Xbox Game Pass is the closest comparison to PlayStation Plus Extra, providing access to a library of hundreds of games for a flat monthly or annual fee. So how does the PlayStation Plus Extra collection stack up against Game Pass? Here‘s a detailed comparison:

Based on this comparison, Game Pass generally has the larger catalog, especially when accounting for PC and retro Xbox platforms.

However, PlayStation Plus Extra better emphasizes Sony‘s exclusive big budget first-party games and the biggest third-party blockbuster releases. Indie fans may prefer Game Pass but PlayStation gamers get beloved exclusives like God of War, Uncharted, and Spider-Man.

Both services receive a steady stream of new games each month. But Game Pass does offer EA Play access bundled in at no extra cost, providing titles like FIFA, Madden, Star Wars: Squadrons, and more at no additional charge. PlayStation Plus Extra subscribers would have to purchase these games separately.

Analyzing the Value of the Extra Game Catalog

At $40 more per year than the Essential plan, the ultimate value of PlayStation Plus Extra rests on the quality and quantity of games provided through its on-demand catalog. Is this collection of 340+ PS4 and 60+ PS5 games worth the extra cost? Let‘s analyze:

• The MSRP value of buying all 400+ catalog games individually would cost well over $20,000 in total! Even at a discounted average price of $15 per game, that‘s around $6,000 worth of games included in the service.
• At $40 annually over Essential, you‘d only need to play 5-6 of the Extra catalog games per year to get your money‘s worth. Anything above that is fantastic value.
• Given Sony‘s track record, the catalog will likely expand to 500+ games over time, increasing its value proposition.

To determine if the Extra collection is worth it for you personally, consider:

• How many of the available games interest you currently?
• On average, how many catalog games do you realistically see yourself playing each year?
• Do you tend to re-play titles after initially completing them?

For frequent gamers that would play 10+ catalog games annually, PlayStation Plus Extra provides incredible savings compared to purchasing those titles individually. But more casual players may be better off with Essential.

Comparing Essential vs. Extra – What Do You Lose or Gain?

If you‘re trying to decide between PlayStation Plus Essential or upgrading to Extra, it‘s important to understand exactly what you‘ll lose or gain with each tier. Let‘s break it down:

PlayStation Plus Essential ($59.99/year):

• Online multiplayer access
• 2 monthly PS Plus PS4 games
• 1 monthly PS Plus PS5 game
• Exclusive discounts on PlayStation Store
• Cloud storage for game saves

PlayStation Plus Extra ($99.99/year):

• Online multiplayer access
• 2 monthly PS Plus PS4 games
• 1 monthly PS Plus PS5 game
• Exclusive discounts on PlayStation Store
• Cloud storage for game saves
• Access to 340+ PS4 games
• Access to 60+ PS5 games

By upgrading to Extra, you gain on-demand access to an entire catalog of PS4 and PS5 games for just $40 more per year. You lose nothing except that $40 annual cost difference.

However, if you later downgrade from Extra to Essential, you‘ll lose access to any Extra catalog games you had claimed – unless you purchased them separately. So that catalog access is really the only major difference between the two tiers.

Who Should Upgrade to PlayStation Plus Extra?

Based on the huge value provided by the Extra game catalog, combined with no major downsides, here are the PlayStation gamers who can benefit most from upgrading:

• PlayStation fans who want to experience Sony‘s exclusive first-party games like Spider-Man, God of War, and Demon‘s Souls which are included.
• Avid gamers who actively play 4+ different games per month and appreciate options.
• Bargain hunters who enjoy getting the "most bang for their buck" from gaming services.
• Variety seekers who like to jump between different genres and franchises frequently.
• Patient gamers who play games 6-12 months after release once prices have dropped.
• Completionists who want their entire gaming library consolidated in one place.

Essentially, frequent PlayStation players that enjoy variety and value will find Extra to be very worthwhile. Casual gamers may not need such a large on-demand catalog.

Is PlayStation Plus Premium a Better Option?

For $17.99 per month or $119.99 annually, PlayStation Plus Premium adds classics catalog access and game streaming to the Extra tier benefits. Here‘s a quick rundown of what Premium provides over Extra:

• Streaming access for original PlayStation, PS2, PSP and PS4 games
• Downloads for original PlayStation, PSP, and PS4 games
• Time-limited game trials for select titles
• 340 additional classic games, for a total of 740+

The classics catalog with beloved retro PlayStation titles is great. But streaming latency can be an issue, and the total classics collection is currently only around 340 games.

Given the much higher cost and limited retro selection, I don‘t generally recommend upgrading to Premium solely for classics access. PlayStation Plus Extra already provides a “modern hits” catalog with the best recent PS4 and PS5 releases.

However, gamers who really want an all-in-one subscription with modern and retro games should consider the Premium plan or Game Pass Ultimate. But Extra hits the sweet spot for most players.

Final Verdict – Should You Upgrade to PlayStation Plus Extra?

For all but the most casual PlayStation gamers, upgrading to PlayStation Plus Extra is absolutely worth it. You gain access to a Netflix-style catalog of over 400 PS4 and PS5 games for just $40 more per year than the Essential plan.

This adds tremendous value and variety to your gaming options each month. Sony exclusives, third-party blockbusters, indies, and other hits make the Extra collection a game-changer for frequent players.

Plenty of games you may have missed or been waiting to buy cheaper are available right away with an Extra membership. It really enhances the overall PlayStation Plus service.

Compared to Xbox Game Pass, PlayStation Plus Extra offers less games overall but focuses on PlayStation console exclusives and the biggest recent multiplatform titles. Combined with Essential, it provides a fantastic two-tier package.

For core PlayStation fans and avid gamers, upgrading to Extra is a no-brainer. More casual players can likely just stick with Essential without missing much. But I highly recommend giving the Extra catalog a try – chances are you‘ll find it‘s worth every penny.