PlayStation Vue

What you need to know

  • New customers will pay $5 a month across all of the PSVue plans.
  • Existing customers will be grandfathered for a month or so.
  • Why? Because costs are rising, Sony says.

Few things in life are guaranteed. Death. Taxes. And streaming services increasing their rates at some point.

The latest to do so is Sony's PlayStation Vue. The PlayStation blog dropped the bad news today. Let's break it down:

At PlayStation Vue, we always strive to provide the best live TV viewing experience at the most compelling value to our customers. This includes both the content that is popular with our overall customer base, as well as the key features that make PS Vue the best place to watch.

Gotta love that. Start with the positive, right? This really is all about you, and making your experience better. It's just, ya know, going to cost you more.

With costs rising each year for content, we constantly evaluate each deal to ensure we continue to deliver the content you want while considering the overall value of each package. After reviewing this, we have made the decision to raise the price of all of our multi-channel plans by $5. This change starts today for new customers. Our existing customers will keep their current price for at least 30 days and will see the new price beginning on their first billing cycle on or after July 31.

And here we go. It's not their fault — all this content costs more now! And that's almost certainly true. (In fact, we've said for quite some time that we should expect costs to continue to rise. The "good" — if there's any to be had here — is that current subscribers get a reprieve for a month. But that's about it. The simple fact is that all of PSVue's plans are going to get more expensive by the tune of $60 a year.

We will continue to focus on making PS Vue the premier destination for live TV streaming, with top networks including HBO, FX, HGTV, ESPN, and NFL Network, in addition to over 650 local broadcast stations. The recent addition of beIN Sports, and soon to be launched NHL Network and ACC Network, will ensure PS Vue has the most robust assortment of national sports channels. While PS Vue already offers unique features such as multi-view on PS4 and Apple TV, the most simultaneous streams at home, and conflict-free DVR (all at no additional cost), we will continue developing new integrations and functionality to enhance your TV viewing experience.

Hey, look. I don't argue with any of that. PlayStation Vue has long been an excellent choice, with all sorts of options. But simply restating those options doesn't change the fact that they're now going to cost you more.

We thank all of you for your continued support.

No, thank you, PlayStation Vue.

PSA: Send your 4th of July iMessages with fireworks this year
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PSA: Send your 4th of July iMessages with fireworks this year

This year, try to remember to use iMessage's cool Send with Fireworks feature when wishing friends and family a happy Independence Day. You've probably thought about doing it after the fact, when it's too late. This year's the year you remember!