It sounds like some fans are upset even about Control: Ultimate Edition coming to PlayStation Plus. A third-person adventure game by Remedy Entertainment, Control is reaching more players than ever before but at a cost.
The trouble started back when news of the next generation update came out, as Control's free PS5 upgrade only applied to the Ultimate Edition of the game. At this point, some players were starting to feel the burn from purchasing Control.
Fast-forward to a recent announcement for the release of the PlayStation 5 Ultimate Edition. Much to the surprise of gamers, this new version is a part of the PlayStation Plus Collection offering for February. The problem is a recent sale put the PS4 version on discount, so plenty of players jumped on the deal. Now that it is going to be available for free with PS Plus, buyer's remorse is sinking in.
To make matters worse, Sony is not providing refunds to those who bought the game on sale just a couple of weeks ago. In the past, the company has let PS Plus holders claim refunds for games bought right before airing on the collection. There is also rough news for anyone who played the game early. Saves from the previous generation will not transfer to the new consoles. This means these fans will need to start a fresh save file to enjoy the next generation benefits.
It seems like the core problem is a matter of transparency. Control: Ultimate Edition is a great experience for those paying for PS Plus. But the discount only weeks before the PS Plus announcement is starting to look like a last-ditch cash grab for impressive sale numbers. Titles on the PlayStation service are shown shortly before release, so there is no way for customers to know and make an educated decision. Having to start a new save file can be a huge downside to those hoping to play the PS5 version, too.
However, some will likely point out that 505 Games or Sony do not owe gamers an advance notice. It is within the publisher's right to put a game on sale, regardless of if it is coming to PS Plus. While Sony should probably be consistent when it comes to refunds, this could be dependent on a game's publisher.
Control is out now on PC, PS4, Switch, and Xbox One, with the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series Ultimate Editions arriving on February 2, 2021.