PlayStation Plus Price Increasing in September in US, Canada

Sony announced today that the price of a PlayStation Plus subscription will be increasing on September 22. For a 12-month subscription, the price will go from $49.99 USD/$49.99 CAD to $59.99 USD/$69.99 CAD, while the 3-month subscription will go from $17.99 USD/$17.99 CAD to $24.99 USD/$29.99 CAD. Finally, the 1-month subscription is staying at $9.99 USD, but will increase to $11.99 CAD.

“If you are a current member, the new prices will take effect if your membership renews on or after this date,” Sony says. “If you do not wish to continue your subscription, please be sure to cancel it by turning off auto-renewal in your account settings before September 22, 2016,” they add.

According to Sony, the PS+ price increase – the first since launch in 2010 – is due to current market conditions:

PlayStation Plus strives to enrich your PlayStation experience through a world-class service built for our fans. This marks the first time that PS Plus membership prices will increase in the U.S. and Canada since the launch of the service in 2010. The new pricing reflects the current market conditions while enabling us to continue providing exceptional value to our members. As a member, you will continue to enjoy the benefits and features that enable shared experiences, such as online multiplayer, free games, and exclusive discounts. You will also continue to get exclusive benefits such as online game save storage and discounts across the PlayStation digital services.

There was no mention of a PlayStation Plus price increase for Europe.

What do you think of the price increase?

[Source: PS Blog]

Essential Reading:

Trophy Hunters

Types of PlayStation Trophy Hunters
The Pokemon Trainer

Yes, this Trophy Hunter has to collect them all, dammit. They will work tirelessly to get that Platinum in every game they came across. Their friends wonder how they have time to eat or sleep. They claim that sleeping and eating are for the weak. They laugh at those who shy away from challenges, especially when it comes to playing harder difficulties. We have one on staff. His name is Chandler Wood.
Super Cereal Hunter

Like Al Gore with Manbearpig, Trophy hunting is serious biznez. These hunters will only purchase games where they can obtain a Platinum Trophy. They want the Trophy lists ahead of time so they can plan and budget accordingly. If there's even a chance they won't get that Platinum, the game will not show up in their library unless they have a secret account where they hide their shameful, less than 100% completed games.
The Strategist

The Strategist is not as hardcore as the Super Cereal Hunter, but they share a bit of common ground. This hunter will also over-analyze the Trophy List when it releases, but they do so in order to plan the most efficient method to obtaining each Trophy. If they can't get a Platinum Trophy, that's okay, they will still buy the game and play it with their main PSN account. But they have a plan in place, one they will not deviate from. Battle maps have been drawn. To-do lists have been made. Do not mess with the handmade strategies.
The Connoisseur

The Connoisseur knows that they're an expert in certain series of games. They can get a Platinum Trophy somewhat easily in these franchises, and they will purchase every installment in that series to do so. It matters not if they like a particular game in the series; it's all about the Platinums, baby.
The Accidental Trophy Hunter

Many Trophy Hunters start out as accidental hunters. They like getting Trophies, and they will go out of their way to get some Trophies. However, they're fairly certain that that Platinum Trophy is impossible to obtain, so they're not going to bother, much like the Realist. That said, as soon as they obtain those Trophies they swore were out of reach, it is game on and they will stop at nothing to grab that Platinum.
The Closet Trophy Hunter

This PlayStation gamer likes to loudly proclaim that they don't care about Trophies. These are virtual goodies that don't matter in the real world, and they're ridiculous to hunt. But behind closed doors, they're secretly as obsessed as the rest of the hunters. Often the loud outbursts over-compensate for their small Trophy count.
The Defeatist

This gamer just knows in their heart of hearts that a Platinum Trophy isn't possible, and it never will be. As such, why bother actively seeking out the other Trophies? If Trophies happen, they happen. Hooray for small, effortless victories.
The Realist

Sometimes that Platinum Trophy just isn't possible, whether it's because of time, desire, or skill level. The Realist knows this, acknowledges it, and accepts it when it happens. However, this knowledge does not prevent them from getting every other Trophy. Just because that Platinum isn't obtainable doesn't mean the other, more obtainable Trophies should be shirked.
The Big Easy

The hunter living in The Big Easy only has one question to ask about nabbing these Trophies: how much effort will it take? If it's too much trouble, they can't be bothered. If they have a Platinum Trophy, chances are great it's their own penicillin—discovered by accident. You'll never see a Trophy in their collection that requires completing a game on the hardest difficulty.
The Kiddie Gamer

These hunters really want dem Platinum Trophies, but like those living in The Big Easy, they don't want to work too hard for them. Instead, they spend their hard-earned cash on kids games and work a bit for those easy Platinums. Pixar titles. Dreamworks. Hannah Montana. Nothing is beneath these players
The Mobile Peasant

This poor schmuck doesn't have time for console gaming anymore, whether it's because of a job or kids. Occasionally, albeit very rare, this gamer chooses to be all handheld all the time. Regardless, the only Trophies the Mobile Peasant owns are all from the Vita. Yes, they even have the Platinum Trophy from Call of Duty: Black Ops Declassified. Perhaps Resistance: Burning Skies as well.
The Retiree

The Retiree was the Pokemon Trainer of the PlayStation 3 era. If there was a Platinum Trophy, they did their damnedest to get it. They still buy every PS3 copy of games when they release on the older platforms, but they won't upgrade to a PS4. Old games may be old, but they like them that way.
The Single-Player 4 Lyfer

Many hunters fall in this category (including me!). They love getting Trophies and hate playing multiplayer games. Discovering that the only way to get a Platinum Trophy includes nabbing multiplayer Trophies is a kick in the gut. It doesn't stop them from playing the game, though, or getting as many Trophies as they can. They have a bit of the Realist in them, but they differ in that they absolutely shun the multiplayer elements at all costs.
The Dudebro

We all know a Dudebro or two. You definitely knew them in college. The Dudebro plays a lot of Call of Duty and buys every version that drops. They also have every single Trophy for each Call of Duty, but for the multiplayer only. They have no idea why the single-player portion exists. The Dudebro comes in all shapes and sizes and genders.
The Jock

As it sounds, the Jock's library is fully stocked with sports games, and they have a Platinum Trophy in nearly every one, if not all of them. These are the some people who buy every iteration of Madden NFL and/or FIFA every year without fail, and they still work to get that Platinum each and every time.
The Hipster

Trophies? Who cares about Trophies?