Sony's stance on not offering first-party PlayStation games on PlayStation Plus on day one has been reaffirmed, with the company's subscription head emphasizing the benefits of releasing these titles at a later date. Following the restructuring of the PlayStation service in June 2022, players gained access to a tier system that offers classic games, online multiplayer, exclusive discounts, and other perks. Although the service has been well-received, some have criticized the absence of Sony's first-party titles on launch day, which sets it apart from the Xbox Game Pass.
After an interview with Gamesindustry.biz, Nick Maguire, the leader of PlayStation's subscription team, confirmed that Sony will not be altering its policies anytime soon. Maguire explained that the addition of first-party offerings to the PS Plus service several months after their initial release had resulted in sustained interest over time. He added, "By releasing games later in their life cycle, we can target customers who may not have been interested in them initially, such as those who are 12, 18, or 24 months late to the party. We are pleased to see that these games are still generating excitement and attracting new customers to our service."
Maguire has acknowledged that there may be certain titles that will bypass the policy on PS Plus, citing the example of indie platformer Stray, which has attracted the highest number of players over the first year. In such cases, PS Plus will consider investing in day-and-date releases like Stray. However, the company's strategy of releasing first-party games outside of the service first has been successful and will continue moving forward. Regarding Sony's upcoming live-service games, Maguire couldn't provide much information but assured that PS Plus will adapt accordingly. Additionally, PS Plus Premium subscribers will soon be able to stream their games through the cloud, allowing them to play PlayStation 5 games and game trials without having to download them. The service has become a hit, with users engaging with it seven times more than they did with PlayStation Now. Maguire attributes this success to the service's diverse game variety, which will be expanded this month with the addition of games such as Killzone Liberation and Deus Ex: Mankind Divided.
Source: Gamesindustry.biz
