The rollout of PlayStation Plus’s new tier system hasn’t turned Sony’s subscription service into a direct Xbox Game Pass killer. The first content update since Sony began offering games with three subscription tiers, it was harshly judged by some fans, with many comparing it to the standard Microsoft has set in the five years since Game Pass launched. While Sony’s answer to Game Pass is still in its infancy, the new incarnation of PlayStation Plus is a mixed bag.
On the plus side, thanks to the library of games, new fans have been converted to the Soulslike genre by Elden Ring to check out some other great hits. This month’s update also includes the well-reviewed new release strayed as a daily quote. However, these positives do not help those who have bought the most expensive tier of the service in search of the content that should set it apart: classic PlayStation games.
Sony has always lagged behind its console competitors in terms of exploiting its back catalog. Microsoft has made backward compatibility a feature since the Xbox One, and Nintendo has never passed up an opportunity to repackage its classic games. Sony, on the other hand, has never really embraced making its classic games part of new console generations.
An example of Sony’s stance on its back catalog came when current CEO and president of Sony Interactive Entertainment, Jim Ryan, told Time magazine that backward compatibility was a feature many fans requested but rarely used. He added that seeing older generations of “old” looking games alongside PS4 titles at a Gran Turismo event left him wondering “why would anyone play this?”
Backwards compatibility with the PS4 has been a part of Sony’s PS5 strategy from day one, with the PlayStation Plus Collection of PS4 Greatest Hits titles being a welcome perk for Plus subscribers when the system launched. Sony making classic games a selling point of the new PS Plus felt like a welcome change in direction.
When the actual lineup of classic games in the Premium tier was revealed, many found it disappointing. Part of this stems from the fact that the PS2 games have already been re-released on PS4. Although it is nice for fans who bought Rogue Galaxy and other titles on the PS4 to transfer those purchases through backwards compatibility, it’s hard to find their inclusion an exciting proposition without new additions to the PS2 offering.
If Sony’s PS2 offering on PS Plus is a repeat of the PS4, the lineup of original PlayStation games is reminiscent of another Sony compilation of the last generation of consoles. The PlayStation Classic was Sony’s answer to Nintendo’s wildly popular NES and SNES Classic mini consoles, which came preloaded with many of those systems’ most beloved games. Although it contained some all-time greats and even rare gems like the first Persona game, the Classic’s offerings felt paltry compared to Nintendo’s.
PS Plus’ selection of PlayStation games is even more disappointing. At least the Classic contained games like Metal Gear Solid and Grand Theft Autobut these big titles were missing from PS Plus’s first wave of PlayStation games, along with games like Castlevania: Symphony of the Night and PaRappa The Rapper. July’s new additions to the Classics section or Premium did little to help with this, as they were limited to three relatively obscure PSP games.
Sony’s disappointing PlayStation Classics roster feels like a continuation of their apathy toward their back catalog, but it may not all be their fault. In an era of remasters and remakes of beloved games, publishers may be hesitant to offer the classic versions. The PS2 era Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy games were pulled from PSN in favor of their ill-fated remasters. PS2 staples like Devil May Cry and Crash Bandicoot have readily available remasters. None of this, however, explains why first-party Sony games like it: turned metal are missing.
Sony’s current lineup is disappointing for fans looking to play the best classic PlayStation games, but it’s worth remembering that the new version of PS Plus has only been up and running for a month. As hard as it may be for fans to accept this due to a late response to Game Pass, Sony won’t be willing or able to dump all of its content at once. There is still hope that a better selection of PlayStation and PS2 games will be part of the Premium tier. Even if not, retro fans from Sony can keep themselves busy with PS Plus’ robust PS3 offering, as long as they have a good internet connection to stream them with.
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