Sony's PlayStation Exec Explains PS Plus Content Rotation Strategy

Video game subscription services are a fantastic way for players to explore a wide variety of titles without buying each one at full price. However, it's disappointing when a much-anticipated game is suddenly removed from the service. So why do companies such as PlayStation and Xbox regularly pull games—including their own first-party titles—from offerings like PlayStation Plus and Xbox Game Pass? A Sony executive recently gave… something of an explanation, at least from PlayStation's point of view.

In a Game File interview with Nick Maguire, PlayStation's VP of global services, he was asked about the company’s practice of regularly delisting games from PlayStation Plus. In May alone, more than 20 titles were taken down. Some removals are understandable, like Grand Theft Auto V—likely due to expiring third-party licensing deals. But it’s more surprising to see older first-party Sony games such as Infamous: Second Son, Resistance: Fall of Man, and Resistance 2 being removed.

“We have 80 collections of games across the catalog,” Maguire replied. “Our goal is to keep the lineup fresh by regularly adding new titles. Sometimes that means removing a few games at once to maintain an engaging offering and help players discover new favorites.”

In the same interview, Maguire touched on the ongoing success of PlayStation Plus, noting that user engagement “has never been higher.” While he didn’t comment directly on how last year’s price increase affected subscriptions or share current subscriber numbers, he did explain some of the thinking behind Sony’s game selection. For example, the company looks for “a moment to grow a franchise”—such as adding a game to the service just before its sequel launches. He also mentioned Sony aims to add about one classic game per month, though this target isn’t always met due to the time required for emulation.

One thing Sony will not be doing in the near future is mirroring Xbox's strategy of adding first-party titles to the subscription service on their release day. “We’ve stayed true to our overall strategy—we aren’t planning to add games day and date,” said Maguire.

Sony recently revealed the new games coming to PlayStation Plus in July, which will include Diablo 4, SNK’s The King of Fighters XV, and Don’t Nod’s Jusant.