In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Sony launched the Play at Home initiative, giving away free games to PlayStation gamers with no strings attached. Sony has revived the PlayStation Play at Home program for 2021, starting things off with a free copy of Ratchet & Clank on PS4, which is available to claim until March 31 at 8pm PT. Now Sony has announced the next batch of free games for Play at Home, with the company giving away a staggering 9 titles on March 25 with another to come on April 19.
From March 25 to at 8pm PT to April 22 at 8pm PT, PlayStation gamers on PS4 and PS5 will be able to claim nine free games for their digital collection. This includes some of the most critically-acclaimed indie games available, with Abzu, Enter the Gungeon, Rez Infinite, Subnautica, and The Witness all part of the lineup. Sony is also giving away some PlayStation VR games as well, with Astro Bot Rescue Mission (one of the highest-rated VR games on any platform), Moss, Paper Beast, and Thumper all becoming free on March 25.
Then from April 19 at 8pm PT until May 14 at 8pm PT, Sony will be giving away Horizon Zero Dawn Complete Edition as a completely free download. Easily the highlight of the PlayStation Play at Home initiative for 2021 so far, Horizon Zero Dawn is the critically-acclaimed PS4 title from Guerrilla Games that features open world action and giant robot dinosaurs. A sequel, Horizon Forbidden West, is in development for PS4 and PS5 and is expected to launch in 2021.
Sony is clearly putting a lot of effort into the PlayStation Play at Home games, offering fans an incredible value with no strings attached. It will also introduce more gamers to certain games that Sony is releasing sequels for this year. For example, Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart is coming as a PS5 exclusive a few months after Ratchet & Clank on PS4 was made free and as previously mentioned, Horizon Forbidden West is said to be coming in late 2021 as well.
Meanwhile, there are other "free" games that PlayStation fans can look forward to in April, though access to them will technically require a PlayStation Plus subscription. Sony has not yet revealed all of the free PS Plus games for April 2021, though it has confirmed that PS5 owners can look forward to Oddworld: Soulstorm once the new free PS Plus games lineup is available on Tuesday, April 6.
Moving forward, fans can expect Sony to release even more completely free games as part of the Play at Home program. Other Play at Home bonuses, like the extended Funimation trial deal, will also be available, though fan will have to stay tuned for more information.