Speaking to PlayStation’s Fred Dutton, Jim Ryan (President and CEO, SCEE) has said that PlayStation Plus is very much a “core part of the way forward” with regards to the newly announced PlayStation 4, but also reiterated that there’s plenty of life left in the PS3.

“We’re very happy with the service that we’ve been able to offer with PS Plus,” he said. “It’s been really well received – the value is quite extraordinary and the take-up has trebled over the course of the past year.”

“We definitely see that as a core part of the way forward.”

Sadly, Sony aren’t yet talking about what PlayStation Plus might mean on the new platform. It’s unlikely, for example, to expand into an Instant Game Collection from the off. Perhaps it’ll be multi-tiered, with several price points opening up things like streaming, or cross-game chat.

“We’re not yet in a position to disclose our plans for the future of PlayStation Plus,” Ryan added, “but there will definitely be a prominent role to play for it in the PlayStation 4 landscape.”

Ryan didn’t seem phased about the PS3, either, now that PS4 is out there. “Typically history can help us only so far here,” he said.

“We’re actually still selling PS2s in regions such as the Middle East seven years after we introduced PS3,” he continued. “There are a number of reasons why the transition might be a bit more accelerated this time round, but PS3 is a very important part of our portfolio, certainly in 2013, 2014 and probably beyond that.”

“I’d point to the software line-up on PS3 that we have coming up – God of War: Ascension next month, The Last of Us, which is looking great, and Beyond later in the year. And there’s other stuff yet to be announced which is highly significant too.”

“There’s a lot coming on PS3 and it’s going to be very important to us for some time yet.”

Via PlayStation.