PlayStation Fans Divided As Long-Requested Feature Finally Arrives Behind Hefty Paywall

PlayStation users have taken to social media to express their anger at the fact that Sony has finally introduced backwards compatibility on PS4 and PS5, only to lock it behind a paywall.

Moments ago, Sony announced the long-rumoured PlayStation Plus overhaul: a complete retooling of the service made up of multiple tiers, each offering their own benefits.

This all-new PS Plus is made up of three tiers: Essential (£7), Extra (£11) and Premium (£13.49).

Essential is basically PS Plus as we already know it, with monthly free games, discounts, and access to online play. The Extra, tier offers all the usual benefits, plus "up to 400 of the most enjoyable PS4 and PS5 games". These are a mix of first and third party games, all downloadable at any time.

The final tier, Premium, is probably the most exciting. In addition to all the aforementioned benefits, Premium offers free trials and the long-awaited ability to play original PlayStation and PlayStation 2 games via a combination of Cloud streaming and downloads.

Unfortunately, this news hasn't gone down too well with fans who feel it's not great of Sony to have locked a feature they've been asking for for years behind a hefty paywall. The Premium tier costs £13.49 a month, or £100 for the year.

As you can see, the reaction has been... mixed.

I just want to play my older games on my new console. I've already paid for them. https://t.co/QngW8VEJOL pic.twitter.com/JuangGWzqu

— 𝑴𝒊𝒌𝒆 (@edgexmike) March 29, 2022

Can't believe they are basically charging for backwards compatibility https://t.co/OoVeskPddu

— Pinguinus Erectus 🇧🇷 (@PinguimTarado) March 29, 2022

Ah finally, some PS1 and PS2 games available!
I am 100% the target audience for this,

Oh, and PS3 games... oh, but they're streaming...

Well lets hope the cost is...
*checks notes*
...

£100 a year you say?

Oh.

Er, never mind then. https://t.co/wENXFSKGUj

— Stevesie Gregson (@RoboticSteve) March 29, 2022

120$ a year for this?
Are you smocking?
You just slapped PS+ and PS Now together, 1+1 the prices and called it a day! https://t.co/IvEoTNIE0I

— Yuji Nanaya (@YujiNanaya) March 29, 2022

£100 a year for access to a limited library of PS1, PS2, PSP and PS3 games… thanks for the requested backwards compatibility I guess.

— Harry B (@PhoenixCry9744) March 29, 2022

While this obviously doesn't represent proper backwards combability in the way that Xbox currently offers it, it's clear that users are feeling a little snubbed by the fact that Sony came so close to it while still being so far off the mark. Here's hoping the library of games offered goes some way towards soothing that pain, eh?