It seems that the limited time game trials for Sony’s PlayStation Plus Premium tier will be compulsory for games that cost a certain amount.
According to a report from Game Developer, Sony has reportedly told developers that games that cost $34 or higher will be required to create time-limited game trials of their games. In Europe it’s €33, and in Japan it’s 4000 yen).
This is specifically for the wholesale pricing, as opposed to the retail pricing though, it should be noted. Sources told Game Developer that the trial versions need to be at least two hours long as well. But games that cost less than the listed amount will not have to make trials for PlayStation Plus Premium.
what else did the report say?
The report states that numerous developers were made aware of this new policy through an update to Sony’s developer portal. And Game Developer’s sources claimed they had not received any other communication about the change.
The changes aren’t retroactive, so will only apply to new games. They also do not apply to PlayStation VR titles. Though it does mean that developers that make games fitting that wholesale cost will now have to put in time and money to make those trials.
However, developers do have up to three months after their game has been released to put out a trial. And the trials only have to be available for 12 months. Sony is also apparently open to devs making custom demos instead of just trials. But will apparently be approved on a case-by-case basis. Devs can also still offer free weekends, game trials, or custom demos outside of PlayStation Plus Premium.
Last month Sony officially confirmed that it would be rebranding PlayStation Plus. There will be three tiers to choose from, Essential, Extra, and Premium. Each will offer their own benefits, like access to PS3 and PSP games.
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