Threads
- PS Plus Essential’s January 2025 lineup, with the poorly reviewed Suicide Squad headliner, disappointed subscribers.
- The tier’s declining quality contrasts with better offerings in Extra and Premium tiers.
- Players urge Sony to improve game selections or risk losing subscribers.
Who wouldn’t want a fresh batch of games each month using the PS Plus Essential tier? Every month, PS Plus Essential offers some PS4 and PS5 games, allowing subscribers to download them instead of purchasing them directly. However, this month, the selection of games left subscribers disappointed.
Since early 2024, PS Plus Essential has been offering less exciting games. Now, as January 2025 rolls around, this trend continues with the addition of games that are either cheap or poorly rated instead of highly-anticipated or critically acclaimed games, further letting down their subscribers.
The lineup for this month, Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League, Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit Remastered, and The Stanley Parable: Ultra Deluxe, show that PS Plus Essential has been getting worse over the past year. It’s not just disappointing; it’s frustrating.
The Headliner That Fell Flat
Back in the day, PS Plus Essential was the go-to subscription for anyone who doesn’t want to spend a fortune playing top-tier games. Nowadays, I think Sony has forgotten what made this tier so special for subscribers.
I couldn’t believe that Suicide Squad, one of 2024’s biggest critical and commercial flops, is the headliner of this month. Is this really the best Sony could do for its Essential lineup? Fans are really not happy seeing Suicide Squad as this month’s headliner.
Honestly, at the start, the trailer for Suicide Squad intrigued players, but the game disappointed players with repetitive live-service gameplay and excessive monetization. Critics slammed it, and according to Metacritic, it ended up with some of the worst scores for a AAA game in recent memory.
How did we go from the excitement of Rocksteady’s Batman: Arkham series to this? The live-service mechanics drained the potential of what could’ve been an epic game. Yet, this game is leading PS Plus Essential’s January lineup; why? It feels like a desperate attempt to revive a game everyone has already dismissed.
A Remaster & A Remake: The Other Two Titles
The Suicide Squad wasn’t enough to make subscribers feel bad for this month. The other two titles in January’s lineup, Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit Remastered and The Stanley Parable: Ultra Deluxe, worked as fuel to the fire.
I know both games are well-praised by the community. Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit is an absolute classic, and its remastered version does justice to the original’s adrenaline-fueled gameplay. Similarly, The Stanley Parable is a masterclass in narrative design, and its Ultra Deluxe edition adds a ton of new content to explore.
But the thing is, they’re both old games. Hot Pursuit Remastered is a re-release of a game from 2010, and The Stanley Parable started life as a Half-Life mod before its standalone release in 2013.
While their updates are commendable, they still seem outdated or reminiscent of the past and don’t give a modern or fresh vibe. Why is PS Plus Essential serving up remasters and remakes instead of fresh, exciting titles? It seems like they’re filling the lineup with low-cost options to cut corners.
A Call For Change
Compared to the Extra and Premium tiers, Essential falls far behind. Subscribers to Extra or Premium have access to some truly amazing games, such as Demon’s Souls and Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade. These are the big, exciting titles that anyone would expect from a subscription that’s meant to offer value.
On the other hand, PS Plus Essential has added games that are not well-received. It feels like Sony is trying to push us to upgrade to Extra or Premium by making the cheapest tier less attractive. Maybe people will start considering upgrading, but part of me refuses to do so. Why should I pay more for the experience I used to get for less?
I don’t think I’m alone in wanting change. The whole point of this service was to give gamers access to great games without overspending. But as the lineup gets worse, it’s harder to continue keeping the subscription.
Instead of giving us titles that are poorly rated, why not use PS Plus Essential to highlight underappreciated indie hits? There are so many incredible games out there that could use a bigger audience. Otherwise, it might not just be me who cancels their subscription, and it could be a mass exodus of frustrated gamers.
Thank you! Please share your positive feedback. 🔋
How could we improve this post? Please Help us. 😔
[Comparisons Expert]
Shehryar Khan, a seasoned PC hardware expert, brings over three years of extensive experience and a deep passion for the world of technology. With a love for building PCs and a genuine enthusiasm for exploring the latest advancements in components, his expertise shines through his work and dedication towards this field. Currently, Shehryar is rocking a custom loop setup for his built.
Get In Touch: shehryar@tech4gamers.com
Join Our Community
