I have been using PlayStation Plus Premium for a while now and I love the benefits of online multiplayer and a ready-to-go game catalog. Still, I have noticed some missing features that could make it better.
7
Streaming on Non-PlayStation Devices
You can stream PS4 and PS5 games on your phone and computer using the Remote Play app. However, this requires you to have a PlayStation console. It would be great if PS Plus included a way to stream without needing a console (perfect for when you’re away from home).
Sony should make it similar to how Game Pass allows you to stream Xbox games on a phone, computer, TV, streaming stick, handheld PC, and VR headset.
6
Family Sharing Plan
Sony allows users to enable game sharing on PlayStation consoles. Not only does this let you access someone else’s digital library on your console, but they also share certain PS Plus benefits, such as online multiplayer, monthly games, and the game catalog.
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However, you must have the other person’s profile on your console with game sharing enabled to access the perks. If they decide to remove their profile, you lose access to everything. Furthermore, the PS Plus benefits don’t include cloud saving.
It would be better if Sony introduced a family plan that allowed users to add other members to their PS Plus plan. That way, everyone would get the full benefits without asking someone to use their account, which is also a security risk.
5
Proper PlayStation 3 Emulation (Not Streaming)
Craig Lloyd / Review Geek
The Xbox Series X/S can play thousands of titles across Xbox One, Xbox 360, and the original Xbox. The PS5, on the other hand, is only backward compatible with PS4 games since these consoles use similar architecture.
PS3 emulation is extremely difficult because it uses a wildly different architecture thanks to the Cell processor. Sony seems to be having a tough time creating an emulator for it, which is why you can only stream PS3 games on PS4 and PS5 for now.
This cloud-based setup for accessing PS3 games is limited to the PS Plus Premium subscription. Furthermore, as with the nature of cloud streaming, there will be some noticeable lag and stuttering, especially if your internet connection is weak.
It would be great if Sony could crack the code for PS3 emulation so we can purchase these games and run them natively. I want to be able to download classics like Infamous 2 and F.E.A.R. and enjoy them with better performance and no streaming latency.
4
A Basic “Multiplayer Only” Tier
A lot of players don’t care about the monthly games or the game catalog. They only want to play online multiplayer with their friends. I sometimes get so busy with multiplayer on games like Monster Hunter: World that even paying for the Essential tier doesn’t seem worth it.
I wish Sony would introduce a more basic tier with only multiplayer, like the good old days. It would allow more people to play online since they wouldn’t have to pay a higher price for features they don’t need.
3
More Expansions in the Game Catalog
I played DOOM Eternal through PS Plus but was very disappointed to find out that The Ancient Gods – Part One and Two DLCs don’t come with it. Same thing with Ghostrunner, Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, and plenty of other games—you need to purchase the extra content separately unless they include the Deluxe, Definitive, or Ultimate Edition, like Control.
The lack of DLC inclusion is frustrating, especially when you discover the paywalled content mid-game. This forces you to make an unexpected purchase so you don’t miss extra content that should have been part of the package from the start.
2
Day-One Releases for First-Party Titles
On top of PS Plus Extra, I also have a Game Pass Ultimate subscription, which gives me access to Microsoft’s first-party games from day one. I have played Call of Duty: Black Ops 6, Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, and Avowed without shelling out $70 for each full-priced release. In addition to the hundreds of games available, these day-one releases feel like a game subscription service done right.
While PS Plus includes some day-one releases in its catalog, they aren’t first-party titles. Sony-published games eventually make it to the service, but they take too long to be added. Sometimes they even get removed (e.g., Horizon: Forbidden West and Horizon: Zero Dawn), which is confusing since the company owns these first-party titles.
1
More High-Profile Monthly Games
Thanks to the monthly giveaways, I have managed to snag myself excellent titles like Dead Space, Final Fantasy VII Remake, and Days Gone. I also like how the games stay in the library indefinitely and are not rotated like games in the catalog. However, they don’t always offer high-profile games that many want to play.
Sometimes you get an indie game or remaster you don’t care about. Take January 2025, for example, which offered Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League, Need for Speed Hot Pursuit Remastered, and The Stanley Parable: Ultra Deluxe. The first was a certified live-service flop, the second was a recycled remaster, and the third is a niche title.
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That’s not to say these games are bad (well, except for Suicide Squad), but I have never been so disappointed in the monthly lineup as I was this month. I still claimed them all, though.
There is a lot more that Sony can do to improve PS Plus. For instance, they can reduce the price or improve the PS Plus game catalog a little. But for now, these are my biggest gripes with the service, and they just might lead me to cancel my subscription in the future—we’ll see.
