The rollout of PlayStation Plus' new tier system hasn't made Sony's subscription service an immediate Xbox Game Pass killer. The first content update since Sony began offering three subscription tiers worth of games has been judged harshly by some fans, with many comparing it to the standard that Microsoft has set in the five years since Game Pass launched. Even though Sony's answer to Game Pass is in its infancy, the new incarnation of PlayStation Plus is a mixed bag.
On the positive side, its library of games has allowed new fans 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 Stray as a day one offering. However, these positives are no solace for those who have bought into the service's most expensive tier in search of the content that should help 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 truly embraced making its classic games a part of new console generations.
An example of Sony's attitude toward its back catalog came when the current CEO and President of Sony Interactive Entertainment, Jim Ryan, told Time Magazine that backward compatibility was a feature that was heavily requested by fans but rarely used. He added that seeing older generations of "ancient" looking games alongside PS4 titles at a Gran Turismo event left him wondering "why would anyone play this?"
Backward 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 line-up of classic games included in the Premium tier was revealed, many felt it was underwhelming. Some of this stems from the fact that its PS2 games were already re-released on PS4. While it's nice for fans who bought Rogue Galaxy and other titles on the PS4 to have those purchases carry over via backward compatibility, it's hard to find their inclusion an exciting proposition without any new additions to the PS2 offerings.
If Sony's PS2 offerings on PS Plus are re-runs from the PS4, its line-up of original PlayStation games is reminiscent of another Sony compilation from the last console generation. 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 loved games. Although it did include 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 underwhelming. The Classic at least included games such as Metal Gear Solid and Grand Theft Auto, but these major titles were missing from PS Plus' 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 alleviate this, as they were limited to three relatively obscure PSP games.
Sony's disappointing PlayStation Classics selection feels like a continuation of their apathy toward their back catalog, but it may not be all their fault. In an era of remasters and remakes of beloved games, publishers might 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. However, none of that explains why first-party Sony games like Twisted Metal are missing.
Sony's current line-up is underwhelming for fans looking to play the best classic PlayStation games, but it's worth remembering that the new incarnation of PS Plus has only been operating for a month. As hard as it may be for fans to accept this from a belated answer to Game Pass, Sony isn't going to be willing or able to dump all its content at once. There's still hope that a better selection of PlayStation and PS2 games will be part of the Premium tier. Even if they aren't, retro Sony fans can keep themselves occupied with PS Plus' robust PS3 offerings, as long as they have a good internet connection to stream them with.