What You Missed This Week in Video Games

“Game On” is The Fly’s weekly recap of the stories powering up or beating down video game stocks.

NEW RELEASES: Among this week’s major new releases is Microsoft’s (MSFT) “Starfield,” a new space role-playing game developed by “Fallout” and “Elder Scrolls” studio Bethesda Softworks. The game, which launched in early access last week, officially rolls out September 6 for PC and Xbox Series X/S. Also out this week is Take-Two’s (TTWO) “NBA 2K24,” which launches September 8 for PC, PlayStation 5 (SONY), PS4, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S. Meanwhile, the PlayStation 5 version of Larian Studios’ “Baldur’s Gate 3” releases on September 6, roughly a month after the title launched on PC. Additionally, Square Enix’s (SQNXF) mobile title “Final Fantasy VII Ever Crisis” rolls out September 7.

PS PLUS PRICE HIKE: Last week, Sony announced that, starting September 6, it will be increasing the price for PlayStation Plus 12-month subscriptions globally across all benefit plans. “This price adjustment will enable us to continue bringing high-quality games and value-added benefits to your PlayStation Plus subscription service,” the company said. Sony noted that PlayStation Plus Essential 12-month subscription will soon cost $79.99; a PlayStation Plus Extra 12-month subscription will cost $134.99; and a PlayStation Plus Premium 12-month subscription will cost $159.99. The new prices for the 12-Month subscription will remain at a discounted rate when compared to purchasing the 1-Month or 3-Month subscriptions over a 12-month period. For current 12-month subscribers, this price increase will not take effect until your next renewal date that occurs on or after November 6.

XBOX UPDATE: Earlier this week, Microsoft said it is rolling out a new dashboard update for Xbox consoles that will bring users the ability to stream Xbox gameplay to Discord. “Additionally, we are updating the variable refresh rate for Xbox Series X S consoles, giving you new places to view and redeem Rewards, and providing new wish list notifications to track your games,” the company said. “We’re continuing our commitment to safety on our platform by rolling out Xbox voice reporting, which allows you to report inappropriate in-game voice chat. On PC, we have some great updates that allow you to easily navigate your library and track the countdown to a game launch.”

‘STARFIELD’ U.K. SALES: The premium upgrade for Xbox Series and PC title “Starfield” made the top ten in the U.K. physical charts this past week, coming in seventh place despite not officially releasing to the masses, Gamesindustry.biz’s Christopher Dring reported over the weekend. The upgrade allowed players to start the game several days before its official release, The Fly notes.

OTHER STORIES TO WATCH:

• Square Enix said that the “Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster” series has now reached 3M copies sold across PS4, Nintendo Switch (NTDOY), Steam, and mobile (read more)
• Sony said its PlayStation Portal remote player for PS5 consoles will release November 15 (read more)
• Activision Blizzard (ATVI) said that 2018 release “Spyro Reignited Trilogy” has sold over 10M units total (read more)