PlayStation Plus Premium isn't delivering enough PS1 classics, fans agree

The PlayStation Plus service now offers more games, perks and discounts than it ever has, thanks to being available over three tiers.

Back in the day when PS Plus first launched on the PlayStation 3 in 2010 it merely offered a selection of monthly titles, which was reasonable enough. Then following the launch of the PlayStation 4 in 2013, it was a requirement to have a PS Plus subscription to access online multiplayer, though we still got our monthly games. Yet, in 2022 the PlayStation Plus subscription received a massive overhaul offering three tiers, Essential, Extra and Premium.

Check out the Resident Evil: Director’s Cut trailer below!

PlayStation Plus Essential is pretty much the same deal as the basic tier from 2013 onwards. However, PS Plus Extra offers a much wider selection of video games to play from PS5 and PS4. As for PS Plus Premium, this includes everything in the previous two tiers but with the addition of classic PlayStation titles as well as cloud gaming, trials, movies and more. That being said, it doesn't matter which tier you subscribe to, all receive discounts on selected items from the PlayStation Store and exclusive DLC.

For many, one of the best perks of subscribing to the PS Plus Premium tier is having access to select PS1 and PSP classics. These may be emulation software, but when you can play games such as Resident Evil: Director’s Cut in glorious HD with added save states and a rewind feature, it’s a wonderful thing. If you’re lucky, some classic PS1 titles may even come with Trophy support.

However, some PlayStation Plus subscribers feel that Sony isn't offering enough classic PS1 titles and I agree. Ever since Resident Evil: Director’s Cut was made available in PS Plus Premium, I hoped that OG Resident Evil 2 and Resident Evil 3 would soon follow, along with the original Silent Hill to name a few. At the time of writing, none of those titles have arrived, which is disappointing. Even the first two Parasite Eve games would be welcomed additions, especially as the first game in that series was never released in the UK.

A part of me thinks that publishers have realised that releasing classic titles on PS Plus can be giving money away, rather than charging extra for a collection, such as Metal Gear Solid: Master Collection Vol.1, which features very basic ports. This is in comparison to the recent Tomb Raider I-III Remastered which gives you the choice of using updated visuals and gameplay, as well as the classic options. Sure, Capcom could release the OG Resident Evil trilogy on PS Plus, but it would also be easy for it to charge us for a simple collection, and we’d all most likely buy it (I know that I would).

“Where are the PS1 games for PS Plus Premium?” asked Redditor WyrmHero1944. “When are we gonna get Chrono Trigger, Parasite Eve, Vagrant Story, Legend of Legaia, Xenogears, MGS1, and Gran Turismo?” As we now know, some of those mentioned titles are available, but we get the point that this Redditor is making as many of us hoped to see more classic PS1 titles on PS Plus Premium.

“Yeah, an extensive PS1 catalogue would be great. I miss Lunar: Silver Star Story, Alundra, Echo Night and so many others,” replied LawfulGoodCorgi. “It’s a joke we haven’t even been given the PS1 games that we got on the PS3,” exclaimed Wonderful-Army-6308. “I won’t be getting Premium again until they add more,” said a defiant HHdaKing.

Hopefully, Sony will soon roll out more classic PS1 titles in the PlayStation Plus Premium tier, because, for many, it’s a reason why they choose that tier instead of the Essential and Extra.