Thoughts on the New PlayStation Plus

Hello, video game fans. Back again with another set of thoughts. Have you read my previous thoughts about EVO 2022? What was special about that one is that it informs anyone that after 15 years since EVO 2007, Super Smash Bros. won't be in the lineup either this year only or ever again as Nintendo ended their tradition this year following Sony's purchase, yet all of the DLC characters have been released. Wow, that hurts a bit. But it's a fair enough decision. Don't get me wrong. Smash is a fighting game. It just that it doesn't use health bars in game, but it uses a Stamina feature and a Final Smash meter, which SSF2 also uses. They weren't really that clear.

So what's on the docket recently? Well, there's an upcoming Skullgirls Lore to assigning the Skullgirls characters to BBTAG character themes alongside the Black Dahlia one, which I can't really discuss, but I can tell you that Umbrella's full release on Steam and PlayStation is on the horizon and fast approaching as everything in the Active Angel Beta has been finalized a week ago without transferring everything to the retail version to pave the way for it after months of work that took blood, sweat and tears. Then it's off to the wait for Black Dahlia and her Alpha phase where I play Walpurgisnacht upon her entrance as a point character on the player 2 side and after the death of a point character on the same team and the time I make a Nine palette out of her. To participate, you must purchase the Season 1 Pass.

There's an EVO 2022 lineup reaction skit coming soon to Mightykeef's channel that will be explosive. Emphasis on "explosive" since Super Smash Bros. won't be at EVO either for this year only or ever again. I'm even learning and labbing Athena Asamiya and finding other two characters to learn and lab on KOFXV, which is what I probably should do eventually.

But what I like to mention now is regarding the new and beefed up PlayStation Plus, which was codenamed Spartacus. Sony is actually giving PS Plus a big upgrade by giving it two higher additional tiers that involve granting access to a collection of modern and classic games, but there is one flaw. Upcoming first-party games like God of War: Ragnarok won't be on the service on day one of its release. You know how Game Pass is the Netflix of gaming? Well, since PS Plus is getting an upgrade, it'll be the Hulu of gaming. Here are the three tiers below.

Essential - Offers the same benefits the original PS Plus offers; monthly free games, exclusive discounts, the PS Plus Collection and access to online multiplayer.

$9.99 for monthly

$24.99 for quarterly

$59.99 for yearly

Extra - Offers benefits provided in the Essential tier and access to a library of over 400 PS4 and PS5 games, including blockbuster hits by PlayStation Studios and third-party partners.

$14.99 for monthly

$39.99 for quarterly

$99.99 for yearly

Premium - Offers benefits provided in the previous tiers, time-limited game trials and access to a library of 340 classic games across PS1, PS2, PSP and PS3 generations. PS3 games are only available to play through streaming while PS1, PS2 and PSP games are available to both download and through streaming on PS4, PS5 and PC.

$17.99 for monthly

$49.99 for quarterly

$119.99 for yearly

These are the three tiers that the new PS Plus will have. Once it launches here in June, PS Now will transition to the new service. That said, I'll be buying the monthly plan under the Premium tier so I can not only play the classics, but to find out what they are. With over 400 PS4 and PS5 games and over 340 PS1, PS2, PSP and PS3 games added at launch, do the math and over 740 games across the PlayStation family will be on the new service at launch.

I know you are itching to play games that were released under the umbrellas of defunct video game companies and bear a charming environment as much as I do. Chances are, they might or might not be in the catalogue. You'll see what they are once the new PS Plus drops here in June. In fact, if you have an Xbox Series, you are able to play your favorite classics that are released under the defunct umbrellas since full backwards compatibility is supported thanks to the Xbox 360 architecture that is easy to work with. Well, most of them. While the PS5 can only play PS4 games through backwards compatibility, the Premium tier's got you covered.

So you're wondering what's the conflict to this. I'll tell you right now. There is one conflict in terms of emulation: the PS3. Sony has confirmed that the PS3 games will only be available to stream. It's because the PS3 console is hard to emulate and uses some sort of unique structure the Xbox 360 didn't have. That's why both the PS5 and PS4 can't play PS3 games through backwards compatibility. Because of this, Sony is most likely not to emulate the PS3. This means the PS3 games will only be available to stream on the new PS Plus and you need a stable internet for streaming. But the PS2 games will be available to not only stream, but also to download along with the PS1 and PSP games, which are also available for streaming. It's due to the fact that the PS1, PS2 and PSP consoles are easy to emulate and their architecture is straightforward.

But still, the Premium tier is where it's at, as long as I can revisit my favorite classics, including the most charming one that must be added, Midway Arcade Treasures, a compilation that has arcade games that are released under the Midway Games umbrella. You guys heard of Midway Arcade Treasures before, right? My cousin and I both played it and I found it the most charming game that is in my wish list. What makes it the most charming about that one is that it is like Namco Museum. You just need to beg Nintendo to make Super Mario: The Wrath of Bowser following Smash not returning at EVO this year and SEGA to make Sonic: Enter the Frontiers.

Well, Midway Arcade Treasures is basically the Namco Museum of Midway, but the company was liquidated and bought out by WB Games and rebranded into NetherRealm Studios, so it is unclear that they might remake it. I suppose that it can be tied with Crash Bandicoot: The Wrath of Cortex and Spyro: Enter the Dragonfly as most charming. Both games use a charming environment, yet I heard they turned out to be a fail. Still, I hope for those two be included into the PS Plus Premium catalog. I mean, if Activision plans to make a Crash and Spyro crossover game, I'll be down for that. After all, both Crash and Spyro are under the Activision umbrella since Mind over Mutant and Dawn of the Dragon were released under the same publisher since... you know, Sonic 06 has failed because of glitches, bad camera angle and unbearable load times.

By the way, if the original Skullgirls Encore is listed on the catalog at launch, I might play it eventually. But it won't get the Season 1 Pass that contains Annie, Umbrella, Black Dahlia and the fourth TBD character accordingly and won't cross-play with PS4. That's why they don't have the resources for that. But BBTAG music stays. Because the PS3 version won't get the Season 1 Pass, Justice Sword, Active Angel, Walpurgisnacht and the fourth Season 1 Pass character's theme (preferrably an Under Night In-Birth theme) are disabled. But since it's a PS3 game, it can only be streamed and it'll be harder when playing online and listening to BBTAG music. After all, you can't beat BBTAG music.

There is one advantage for playing the PS3 version. PS Plus isn't required for online play, but required for online play on the PS4 version, which is the only Sony console that Skullgirls will get future content on and that's why they don't have to worry about memory limits and it's also playable on PS5 through backwards compatibility and loads faster than on PS4. And with Skullgirls at this year's main lineup, the excitement surges. Again, Umbrella is getting very close to her PS4 release and with Skullgirls being on the lineup for this year's EVO, she will come out before then, so expect duos and trios that involve the Renoir sisters assigned to Missions for the Brilliant Executor and Active Angel and TV's finest assigned to A Pure Hearted Beast and Justice Sword to be shown on the big screen for 20th Century Fox to sponsor. Then it's off to waiting for Black Dahlia, and I know she may not come out before EVO. Maybe I should think about co-streaming it and create my own watch party. 

EVO is upon us but not the Smash players since Nintendo has decided to not to join the party and end their tradition at EVO. I'm currently waiting for Mightykeef to post the EVO 2022 lineup reaction skit so I can find out how Smash Ultimate would react about it not being at EVO this year. If it has a Sony logo on it to indicate that Sony bought EVO, it might also indicate that Sony bought EVO, but it's not why Smash couldn't make it. This means the nine games in this year's lineup will all be played on a Sony console.

And... why am I off topic? I just want to talk about playing the classics on the new PS Plus more. I know I said this before, but I'm buying the Premium tier, which offers access to playing classic games released on the PS1, PS2, PSP and PS3. I hope for Sony to add more of them (preferrably the ones on my wish list). I am interested to relive the nostalgia and feel the old school charm and goodness among the defunct video game companies (mostly on the PS1 and PS2 games) as much as a lot of PS fans are. So I'm sure even on the PS4 and PS5, the retro games will still retain all that charm.

I won't sign off without hints to what I have been working on behind the scenes I compiled below.

Their Drives aren't included, but come musical lodestones, victim trapping bubbles and the sword of the Heavens, the wheel of fate is turning.

Even without their Personas, wild and wacky gadgets, brilliant commander and a conflicted girl at her school are up for the challenge and it won't be long before the P-1 Grand Prix commences.

As the Hollow Night fast approaches and the sun goes down, the Void, undead holder and a clown unleash their EXS.

EVO 2022 Thoughts and Games I Want

EVO has been a biggest thrill ride every year and it's considered the Super Bowl of the FGC because they shown us reveals and it's the most prestigious tournament. Back in 2020, in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, EVO has been relegated to EVO Online to have four games that use rollback, a type of netcode that allows characters to immediately make an action the moment the input is pressed no matter how many miliseconds they are and no matter what playable stage they are playing on, like they are playing offline.

Then a setback has experienced in case if you're out of the loop. EVO 2020 was cancelled because attendees have stood in solidarity with those who spoken out against abuse and withdrawn themselves in the wake of sexual misconduct allegations made against Joey "Mr. Wiz" Cuellar. Long ago, he paid young underage boys arcade tokens to take off their clothes and jump in hazard pools and paid that accuser $20 to show his penis while he was 17. Yeah, it sucks experiencing a disgusting pedophile of a CEO would had to do this, seeing underage meat years back. So they had to withdraw themselves in light of the situation and the admins had to fire Mr. Wiz and replace him with the Cannon brothers. This is called child pornography and that is more than enough to get you arrested as it is not a tolerant.

That behavior was intended to create a hamartia on their environment and directly counter their mission and discretion to build EVO a safer and welcoming environment. That said, the unacceptable behavior of one individual isn't nearly enough to bring EVO down to a halt because it is run by a big group. The things that made EVO so special are the generous players from around the world and the huge support that made it flourish over the years. Especially the part where they show us reveals. 

Last year's EVO Online was exciting, but not as exciting as the live, in-person tournaments since the COVID-19 pandemic has relegated EVO into an online format to have games that use rollback netcode. Thankfully, EVO is returning to Las Vegas this year and the lineup is gonna be announced March 8th. But it won't be just a lineup announcement, but a celebration that commemorates EVO's return to in-person tournaments with over 40 community managers across the globe.

However, the organizers have announced in advance that Super Smash Bros. won't be returning this year because Nintendo has chosen not celebrate the tradition with them following Sony's purchase of EVO. Super Smash Bros. has been a great starting point for EVO since 2007 and it sucks that Nintendo is taking a break this year, yet all of the DLC characters in Smash Ultimate have been released. It is gonna be the first Smash-less EVO of the year since 2007.

Regardless, the fact that Smash isn't returning in EVO 2022 as the organizers confirmed up front doesn't stop me from watching the lineup announcement and the biggest thrill ride of the year for reveals. I can't wait for a Keef video about the lineup to be posted on YouTube. I want to see how Smash Ultimate will respond to the EVO 2022 lineup now that it's not returning this year. Here are the games I want for the EVO 2022 lineup.

Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl - Since Smash Ultimate isn't coming to the lineup as Nintendo has chosen not to join the party, thought that I would want this to be in the lineup. It's a Smash-esque platform-based fighting game with your favorite iconic Nickelodeon characters duking it out, such as SpongeBob SquarePants, Danny Phantom, the Ninja Turtles and so on. I never played it, but I find it fun, so I put it on my Q in GameFly. I... actually am a fan of Nickelodeon.

Soul Calibur VI - Since the pandemic, this couldn't be showcased like in 2019 because of the situation regarding the former CEO of EVO. You know what would be awesome? If we get a Season 3 Pass to have more characters. Great fighting game, by the way.

Tekken 7 - I know this game has ended its development cycle since Season 4 was the last season, but I would like this to get a spot since all DLC characters have been released and its inception to EVO Online thanks to rollback netcode. Well, we might or might not see a Season 5 Pass.

Street Fighter V - With Season 5 being the culmination of the development cycle, there won't be any more characters. Since its release, this fighting game has been on EVO for six years. I know we won't see any more content since Season 5 was the last one before Street Fighter 6, which has been announced, along with the Capcom Fighting Collection, but it deserved to be in the lineup anyway. I still want a Marvel vs. Capcom collection.

I heard a lot of tourneys are dropping SFV from the lineup since Capcom is renewing their community tourney license, which allowed the cops of Capcom to make a strict rule. They are not joking, so be discreet.

BlazBlue Cross Tag Battle - BBTAG became a magical team-based fighting game with a magical cast of characters from BlazBlue, P4A, UNI, RWBY and the characters from the EX universe. So I think it needs to get a spot this year so we can either get Unlimited or the 3.0 Character Pack to come in six waves of three to four characters. One on each universe, knowing Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is getting the pack that comes in eight waves of six remastered tracks across the Mario Kart franchise, including the tracks first featured on Mario Kart Tour, a mobile game that has microtransactions.

Guilty Gear Strive - It has gotten a spot at EVO Online last year because of its rollback netcode and haven't gotten a chance to be played in-person. I'm not interested in getting this game, though it has English dub and they sound better than they were on SIGN, but figured that this needs to be in lineup.

The King of Fighters XV - SNK's newest title of the franchise came out a few weeks ago. I participated in the second Open Beta Test and it's freaking dope. Blue Mary is cool, not gonna lie. But not as cool as Athena will be. This no doubt must be in the lineup so not only we can get a World Premiere regarding this, but it's a new game.

You know what's funny? I pulled a RonaldoKun, by not buying KOF XV if a character I want didn't make it. It's because he wanted Jam Kuradoberi to be in Strive and I wanted Athena Asamiya to be in KOF XV, which she is in the base roster. It's since Fortnite became so popular that people were addicted to it, so I talked to a ghost on that day and wanted to manifest my dreams.

These are the games I want for the lineup of EVO 2022. EVO usually has nine games in its lineup, but decided to list the ones that are interesting. Well, that's all I have to say for this post. Hope you guys have a safe time at Las Vegas now that EVO is back there.