Direct deposit: Nearly 1 in 2 PlayStation 4 owners subscribe to PS Plus

Sony is making a profit on PlayStation 4 hardware, and it is making even more from its PS Plus gaming service.

In a meeting with investors yesterday, Sony chief executive officer Kazuo Hirai addressed the performance of the company’s gaming business and revealed that about 3.5 million of the 7 million PS4 owners are in the PS Plus program. This is Sony’s subscription service that gets players access to online multiplayer on the new console as well as select bonus games at no additional charge each month. PS Plus goes for $10 a month or $50 annually, which enables Sony to generate extra revenue from their most committed and engaged customers. PS Plus is also one of the methods Sony uses to retain its customers as gamers lose access to the “free” titles when they end their subscription.