After months of speculation and insider teases, Sony’s digital offerings on PS4 and PS5 have changed. Thanks to the gradual global rollout of the rebooted PlayStation Plus, and its merger with PS Now, players can buy into three distinct subscription tiers. Every option has been tailored with unique content, and will be updated at different points throughout each month. For example, subscribers to PS Plus Essential have gotten access to games like Crash Bandicoot 4 and Man of Medan in July.
Even though launching the rebooted PS Plus on PS4 and PS5 was undoubtedly a challenge, the real test for Sony was always going to come afterwards. Proving to subscribers that the all-new Extra and Premium tiers are worthy of their time and investment is something the publisher is going to have to repeatedly address for some time to come. If the first full content update that is dropping next week is anything to go by, though, it looks like subscribers will have more content at their disposal than they can physically play.
PS Plus’ Stray
When the new-look PS Plus gets its first content refresh on July 19, Extra and Premium subscribers will be given access to one of the PlayStation ecosystem’s most anticipated indie titles. Developed by BlueTwelve Studio and published by Annapurna Interactive, Stray will be available to PS4 and PS5 players for no additional fee provided they’ve bought into one of Sony’s new subscription tiers. Announced initially back in 2020 alongside the latter console, everything that’s been revealed about Stray so far suggests that it will be one of this year’s more unique experiences.
Pitched as an action-adventure title that sees players embody a cat lost within a cyberpunk city, it’s easy to imagine Stray would have found success even without the exposure PlayStation Plus will give it. Features like its adorable premise and intriguing set of gameplay mechanics, as well as a seemingly simple trophy list, are all factors that are in Stray’s favor. Still, the fact that BlueTwelve Studio’s game is going to be available through PS Plus as well is a huge boon for the platform holder. At a time when Sony is keen to showcase the value of its new-look service, throwing games like Stray into the mix is the perfect way to showcase its commitment and desire.
PS Plus Extra’s Update
Even though it’s fair to say that Stray is going to be at the top of a lot of subscriber download lists on July 19, the indie game will be far from the only gig in town on that date. That’s because on the same day, PlayStation Plus Extra and Premium subscribers will also be reinforced by an impressive 14 other PS4 and PS5 titles. Aside from smaller family-friendly games like Paw Patrol on a Roll!, what’s striking is the big AAA names that populate the list.
At the very top is arguably Square Enix’s critically and commercially acclaimed Final Fantasy 7 Remake. With the re-imagined saga’s second installment having recently been announced for a tentative 2023 release, PS Plus subscribers on PS4 and PS5 will have enough time to see what all the hype is about. Even though the Japanese publisher recently announced its intention to sell off some of its western studio’s, Marvel’s Avengers will land on the service too, joining the already available Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy.
Thanks to Sony’s recent partnership with Ubisoft, the stack of 15 games that are coming to PlayStation Plus’ Extra option are rounded out by several of the publisher's most popular titles. In total, five Assassin’s Creed games, including Unity and The Ezio Collection, will become downloadable to subscribers next week. While it remains to be seen if Sony can deliver this amount of content every single month, there’s no denying that the new-look PS Plus’ first refresh is packed from both a quantity and quality perspective.
PS Plus’ Retro Classics
As the most expensive option available to PS4 and PS5 owners, a lot of attention has been placed on PlayStation Plus’ Premium tier. Thanks to issues surrounding emulation and licensing, there’s a sense online that Sony hasn’t truly hit its stride when it comes to the retro games that are the option’s unique selling point. July’s offerings are unlikely to change this perception either, as No Heroes Allowed! and LocoRoco Midnight Carnival are the only confirmed games being added to the tier.
While the original Dino Crisis, Ridge Racer 2, and Soul Calibur: Broken Destiny have all been leaked by various sources, there’s been no official confirmation that they will land on PlayStation Plus next week. Still, it's worth keeping in mind that while two games being added means a lack of quantity, the additions arguably make up for it in other ways. Considering how both titles are PSP games for example, their debut on PS Plus will become the most convenient and cheapest way to legally access them.