You need a PlayStation Plus subscription to play games online on the PS4. However, The Elder Scrolls Online is the exception to the rule.
A fan asked the pertinent question over at the European PlayStation Blog, and ZeniMax Online Studios game director Matt Firor answered:
“A PlayStation Plus membership is not required to play The Elder Scrolls Online. PS4 players will only be required to pay the same monthly subscription associated with The Elder Scrolls Online that PC and Mac users will pay–nothing more.”
Plus costs $49.99/year and chances are, you probably already have it. However, it’s nice to know that it isn’t mandatory for the upcoming MMO. It’s also good news to hear that console players won’t pay more than PC and Mac users. As for the Xbox One, Bethesda says they’re “pushing” Microsoft to remove the Xbox Live Gold requirement for the game.
If they don’t, though, it means the PS4 has the slight edge. The retail copy of The Elder Scrolls Online comes with a 30-day subscription but once that runs out, you’ll have to fork over $14.99 (€12.99/£8.99) a month if you want to keep playing.
Never was a fan of subscriptions
I still remember when I first heard about it. I think it was when a friend of mine in college signed up for EverQuest. He told me he had to pay for the game, and then there was a monthly charge after that. I was just… confounded. I still don’t get it. But obviously, millions of others do.
