Biggest Shock of the Year: PS Plus Free Games 2023 Breaking a Major Summer Tradition
PS Plus subscribers may be in for a disappointment in 2023 as a beloved annual summer tradition is on the verge of coming to an end The tradition in question has been a staple for gamers since 2018, but it seems that the days of receiving free games during the summer months may be numbered
Sony has recently announced their selection for June's PS Plus Essential Tier, featuring NBA 2K23, Jurassic World Evolution 2, and Trek to Yomi. This month's lineup seems to be a step-up from previous months, although the absence of a Call of Duty game may come as a surprise to some subscribers. While there is still time for this to change, it is unlikely to happen due to Microsoft's recent acquisition of Activision Blizzard. Despite some hurdles in the process, this acquisition appears to be moving forward without major disruption to business as usual. Interestingly, several Microsoft-owned games have even appeared on recent PS Plus Extra and Premium lineups.
However, it remains unclear how the negotiations are progressing between Sony and Activision Blizzard regarding the fate of Call of Duty. This iconic game franchise has been at the center of the acquisition talks, with Sony having previously secured exclusivity rights for several years. While Microsoft stands to gain much more than just Call of Duty if the deal goes through, the potential loss of this beloved game as a PS Plus summer tradition is a real possibility. Regardless of the outcome, it seems that the future of Call of Duty is still up in the air.
PS Plus' Call of Duty Tradition
2018: Black Ops 3 2019: Modern Warfare Remastered* (Exception to the Summer release) 2020: WWII and Modern Warfare 2 Campaign Remastered 2021: Black Ops 4
While the tradition of a Call of Duty game being released on PS Plus every summer has held strong, there is a chance it may come to an end this year. Although no game from the franchise has been released later than July, there have been exceptions in the past, such as the 2019 release. However, if the tradition does end, it will be interesting to see what other titles Sony will offer on the service this summer. While Modern Warfare seems like the most obvious contender given its popularity, it's difficult to rule out other games like Black Ops Cold War or Vanguard. At this time, though, it's uncertain which game will be featured on PS Plus this summer.
PS Plus subscribers get a handful of games every month.
