Sony is rumored to be launching a service designed to rival the Xbox Game Pass. For the uniniated, Microsoft's subscription service allows its users to pay $10 to $15/month to access hundreds of modern games.

PlayStation Spartacus, as it's currently codenamed, could be the equivalent offering for the PlayStation. Here's what we know (or think we know based on the rumors) right now.

What Is PlayStation Spartacus?

According to Bloomberg, Spartacus is the codename for Sony's rumored subscription service that will compete with Microsoft's popular Xbox Game Pass plan.

Spartacus will allow both PS4 and PS5 owners to access a large number of games from PlayStation's past and present. Due to the much larger userbase of PlayStation 4 over PlayStation 5 at the time of writing, it's very likely that current PS4 owners will be given all of the same features as those who own a PS5.

Spartacus is rumored to be arriving in the Spring of 2022.

What Games Are Likely to Be Available Through Spartacus?

Playstation 2 Slim Surrounded by PS2 Games and Controller

Sony is rumored to be planning three different payment tiers for Spartacus.

  • Tier 1 will give users the current PlayStation Plus benefits, which include monthly games on PS4 and PS5 titles, access to online multiplayer, exclusive member discounts in the PlayStation Store, and early access to demos, betas, and pre-orders.
  • Tier 2 is expected to give Spartacus members access to a larger number of PS4 and PS5 titles.
  • Tier 3 will unlock the ability to play classic PlayStation games from the PS1, PS2, PS3, and PSP.

Related: Is PS Now Worth It? The Pros and Cons of PlayStation's Game Streaming Service

Will Spartacus Replace PlayStation Now and PlayStation Plus?

Spartacus is expected to merge the features of PlayStation Plus and PlayStation Now, making it less complicated for users to understand which service to subscribe to.

As it stands right now, PlayStation Now is the service that gives users the ability to download and stream classic PlayStation titles, which will be moved to the highest payment tier of Spartacus.

PlayStation Plus gives gamers access to online multiplayer, which is expected to be included in the lowest payment tier of Spartacus.

Related: What Is PlayStation Plus and What Are the Benefits?

Spartacus Is Sony's Answer to a Better Subscription Service

Sony seems to have fallen behind Microsoft in terms of its cloud gaming experience since Xbox Game Pass debuted in 2017.

As an example of the power of having such a stellar subscription service, Xbox's most important (and rather elusive) AAA title, Halo Infinite, was made available to Game Pass Ultimate members for free. It remains to be seen whether Sony will give Spartacus members similar access to its biggest and best titles at launch as part of their membership.

Spartacus could simply be Sony's way of merging its two existing services, or something bigger and better that will give PlayStation the upper hand in its ongoing battle with Xbox.