Key Takeaways
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- The quality of games offered through PlayStation Plus has not significantly declined over the past four years, as suggested by an analysis based on Metacritic scores.
- Monthly averages for these scores suggest a relatively high-quality standard, with three out of the four months before the analysis achieving above-average scores (above 80).
- The perception of value from PlayStation Plus offerings may vary among subscribers due to individual taste differences.
- The blog highlights the importance of games like Psychonauts 2 and DayZ in influencing the overall Metacritic score, showing how popular titles can affect the perceived quality of a monthly selection.
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Analyzing PS Plus Games Quality: Metascores Debunk Decline Claims
PlayStation Plus has undergone significant changes recently, but the core benefit remains: subscribers to the basic tier still receive three free games each month. Contrary to recurring complaints within the gaming community, a recent analysis suggests the quality of these games has not declined over time. Canadian YouTuber Oliveocelot investigated this perception by analyzing the Metacritic scores of all games offered on PlayStation Plus over the past four years. He calculated monthly average scores to determine overall trends. Oliveocelot’s findings indicate that the perceived decline in quality is unfounded. For example, September 2025, which featured Psychonauts 2, Stardew Valley, and Viewfinder, achieved the highest Metascore of any month in the last four years, likely due to the strong reception of Psychonauts 2. In contrast, August 2025, with Lies of LA, DayZ, and My Hero Ones Justice 2, received the lowest score during the same period, possibly dragged down by DayZ. The three months prior to this analysis showed a strong average Metacritic score above 80, a relatively rare occurrence. Ultimately, Sony cannot cater to every subscriber’s taste each month. Consequently, the perceived value of PlayStation Plus offerings will invariably vary from person to person.
In Case You Missed It
In our exploration of gaming trends, Marcus Thompson’s analysis in “Oblivion: Remaster is This Year’s Most Successful Relaunch” Oblivion: Remaster is This Year’s Most Successful Relaunch caught our attention. Diving into Ampere Analysis’ study of 42 game relaunches, Thompson reveals fascinating trends between remakes and remasters, with Oblivion: Remaster bucking them impressively, earning $180 million and attracting 7 million monthly players since its April release. Meanwhile, Carlos Mendoza’s latest piece on Players for Life transports us to 80s Hill Valley as he shares the upcoming LEGO Speed Champions Time Machine Back to the Future set LEGO Back to the Future DeLorean on its Way. Scheduled for January 1, 2026, this 357-piece set lets you build both versions of the iconic DeLorean, complete with Mr. Fusion energy source and all the iconic features. And speaking of fan favorites, Mendoza also published “FF7 Rebirth Welcomes New Update with Highly Requested Features on PC” FF7 Rebirth Welcomes New Update with Highly Requested Features on PC recently, where he delves into the December 2024 update’s improvements and highly requested features.