Game Demos Are Returning With New PlayStation Plus, Say Sources

The all-new PlayStation Plus will be hitting our consoles on 22 June, and on this date those who are currently signed up to PlayStation online services, PlayStation Plus or PlayStation Now, will be converted over to the new system. 

The new service will consist of three tiers and aims to be a competitor to Xbox’s subscription service, Game Pass. The service will offer users the chance to download and stream reportedly over 700 games at the highest tier, including a list of PlayStation’s most popular titles from the classic PS1 and PS2 era. 

To see how far PlayStation has improved over the years, check out these graphics comparisons between the PS3 and PS5 versions of GTA V.

Now according to Game Developer, Sony is demanding that certain studios offer a free timed trial of their games. Sources close to the site said that all games which intend to retail at $34 or more must offer a minimum of a two hour free trial. This new policy requires that the trials are available to everyone who subscribes to the most expensive Premium tier of the service.

Apparently the only communication that developers received concerning the change was via an update on Sony’s developer portal. Developers have up to three months after the game's release to implement the trial, and the trial must be available for at least 12 months.

Sony also expressed to developers that it is open to them creating a separate experience from the main game much like a two hour demo. This would allow those with shorter or more narrative based games to create a playable experience for potential customers without spoiling the story.

Whether a studio is able to release a timed-trial or a demo will be decided on a case-by-case basis. Companies are still able to offer other promotional experiences such as free weekends or demos outside of the required trial.