PS Plus is responding to Xbox Game Pass's biggest new release, but it doesn't have the same sense of timing

The announcement that Dragon Age 4 will be heading to PlayStation Plus next month provides the service a perfect counter to this month’s release of Avowed on Xbox Game Pass. While Game Pass still tends to dominate the conversation where gaming subscription services are concerned, Sony’s rival service has steadily upped its value proposition over the years with an impressive library at its higher tiers. Game Pass has raised its prices, making PS Plus more attractive in comparison, and having a AAA, Western-style RPG to match Avowed is excellent for PS Plus.

A quality RPG like Dragon Age 4 is a major boon for genre fans who subscribe to PS Plus. Major Western RPGs in franchises like Mass Effect, Baldur’s Gate, and Elder Scrolls do not typically release with the rapidity of game series like Call of Duty or Assassin’s Creed. This makes every major release a noteworthy event for RPG fans. Getting two critically acclaimed fantasy RPGs like Avowed and Dragon Age 4 in rapid succession gives RPG aficionados plenty to be excited about, and thanks to subscription services, more fans can play both without shelling out $70 for either one.

Dragon Age 4 On PS Plus Is An Avowed Alternative

Sony Is Directly Counter-Punching Against Game Pass' Avowed

Obsidian has certainly created an excellent fantasy action RPG with Avowed. Numerous Xbox Game Pass subscribers are diving into Avowed’s fresh new way to experience the world of Eora, the setting shared with the Pillars of Eternity games. Though many dedicated genre fans will likely play both games, it is hard not to view Dragon Age 4 as a competitor to Avowed and its release on PS Plus as counter-punching — a direct answer to Avowed’s release on Game Pass. This is one of the clearest cases where PS Plus has seemed to directly respond to a Game Pass addition.

Some cynics may see Veilguard’s launch on PS Plus negatively, arguing that a recent game being added to the subscription plan reflects the game’s failure. As consumers, more ways to access quality games at a low price point is always a good thing. $70 is a high price to pay for a new game, especially when patches and DLC will later be collected in a single package at a low price point. Dragon Age 4 hitting PS Plus ultimately just brings the game to a wider audience.

Many people will likely try out Balatro on Game Pass when it might have seemed outside their wheelhouse as a purchase. Similarly, those who would have otherwise waited on Avowed or Dragon Age 4 due to mixed reviews and high price points may experience those games sooner thanks to subscriptions. This is a win for the consumer, most importantly, but also for PlayStation Plus, which badly needed a major RPG like Dragon Age 4 to give genre fans an answer to the Avowed. This does not bring parity to the services, however, since Avowed was a day-one Game Pass release.

Xbox Game Pass Day One Releases Still Stand Out

Video Game Fans May Put Too Much Perceived Value On Newness

One way Xbox Game Pass has justified its price increase for subscribers is its busy schedule of day-one releases. Video game fans tend to place a perceived premium on recently released games. This makes sense, to a small degree, as those are the ones with the highest prices. Veilguard has only been out for four months, which puts it among the newest games to hit the PS Plus service. Still, Avowed is a day-one Game Pass release, if one omits the early access period for those who purchased the deluxe edition upgrade. Day-one releases do help Game Pass stand out.

PS Plus has added some games directly to its service at launch, like The Plucky Squire’s day-one PS Plus addition. Game Pass certainly gets more high-profile titles as day-one releases, however, including every Microsoft console-exclusive game. Perceived value is a tricky thing in the subscription era. When HBO Max had theatrically released movies available for streaming on release day, it was seen as a watershed moment, but streaming services still routinely receive movies a few months after they are released in theaters. Day-one certainly has perceived value, but any entertainment media is just as good a few months later.

The fact that such a freshly-released game is hitting the service shows Sony is serious about presenting real value with PS Plus.

In the case of Sony’s blockbusters, God of War: Ragnarok is on PS Plus now, but it didn’t launch on PS Plus day-one. The game hit the service more than two years after its initial release. It is still the same great game it was then and provides the same experience for those who held out on purchasing it, but the game’s perceived value has diminished over time. Prices drop on older games (outside of the Nintendo ecosystem). Accordingly, Avowed’s day-one Game Pass release might still be perceived as more significant than Dragon Age 4 hitting PS Plus.

PS Plus Has A Strong Future As A Game Pass Competitor

Games Should Gain As Wide Of An Audience As Possible Via Subscriptions

The fantastic JRPG homage Sea of Stars was on both subscription services day-one, which ensured far more players experienced a wonderful game than those based on purchases alone. When games are released on more platforms, and as part of more subscription services, this gives a wider audience access to them, which is wholly good for the consumer. Broad public perception may put too high a premium on newness, with media, but PlayStation Plus undoubtedly offers a great value that makes it a worthy Xbox Game Pass competitor. Dragon Age 4’s upcoming addition adds further value to PS Plus.

Whether or not it was calculated as such by Sony, the timing of Dragon Age 4 hitting PS Plus will be seen as a clear counterpoint to Avowed’s Game Pass release. It's fruitless to debate which is better, or whether Dragon Age 4 being four months old instead of brand new impacts its value for a subscriber.

The fact that such a freshly-released game is hitting the service shows Sony is serious about presenting real value with PS Plus, and keeping up the pace and adding more day-one releases could tighten the race. For multi-console gaming fans, PlayStation Plus is more than just a cheaper alternative to Xbox Game Pass, as Dragon Age 4 proves.