There is a lot of speculation regarding how Sony should respond to Game Pass. The most common answer is to start putting their first party titles on Playstation Now day one. However, I think that kind of response is unlikely, since hardware sales, mindshare, consumer buying habits, and profit margins have yet to be impacted. So what could Sony do to increase the value proposition of PS Now in the near future? I think they should leverage their entertainment pillars similar to Amazon Prime and take a page out of Disney+:
(1) PS1, PS2, PS3, PS4, PSP, PSV backwards compatibility. An extensive legacy collection with the options to download or stream. I think this is the most obvious step to adding more value to PS Now.
(2) Add the back catalog of Sony Pictures television + movies. While they have decades worth of content, compared to other streaming options, Sony Pictures pales in comparison and would be overshadowed if they had their own subscription service. But having their movies and television on a subscription like PS Now adds value that other subscription services can't match. Although this could be a bit more difficult with all the contractual obligations in place (IE. the Netflix deal or The Boys on Amazon Prime).
(3) Discounts for first party titles on Day One & select third party titles in the ball park of $20 - $25. Perhaps a $10 discount on select Indie titles.
(4) Keep the price the same while expanding into different countries. Add another tier for PS+ that includes PS Now. This way, instead of merging PS+ and PS Now, both of these services have a unique value proposition.
What do you think? Can Sony pull this off? Does this model provide enough value? Will there be any synergy between Sony Interactive and Sony Pictures? Is it sustainable? Give me your thoughts.
