At a glance, it would seem like the free PlayStation Plus games for June 2022 would be an automatic hit with subscribers of the service. On PlayStation 4, users are being treated to God of War, one of the most critically-acclaimed games of all time, and the fighting game Naruto to Boruto: Shinobi Striker. Meanwhile, both the PS4 and PS5 versions of Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl are available for subscribers to check out, which seems like quite the lineup.
However, there are many fans who are seemingly unhappy with the free PlayStation Plus games for June 2022. Looking at the lineup of games, some may be confused why subscribers aren't thrilled with the free PS Plus games for June 2022, but the reasoning behind the discontent makes sense.
God of War seems to be one of the biggest points of contention with PlayStation Plus subscribers. Yes, God of War is one of the highest-rated video games released in the last decade, and yes, it's one of the more high profile, bigger budget games to ever hit the PlayStation Plus service. However, God of War's popularity means that many PlayStation gamers have likely had it for years, either buying it at launch or picking it up at any of the times it was heavily discounted in a PlayStation Store sale. Not only that, but the game has been readily available to PlayStation Plus subscribers on PS5 for the last two years.
Free PS Plus Games for June 2022 List
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- God of War
- Naruto to Boruto: Shinobi Striker
- Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl
God of War has been a part of the PS Plus Collection lineup since the PlayStation 5 first launched in November 2020. This means that PS Plus subscribers with Sony's new console have had access to the game for years now, and even those who don't have a PS5 have had access to it if they're willing to jump through some hoops. To some PS Plus subscribers, this makes God of War a wasted spot in the free games for June 2022 lineup.
There really isn't a difference between God of War being given away as part of the monthly free games and it being available through the PS Plus Collection. Any of the games claimed through the PS Plus Collection remain available for PS Plus subscribers forever, as long as they're subscribed to the service. And since the PS Plus Collection debuted two years ago, only one game has actually been removed from the lineup, Atlus' Persona 5. Since God of War is a first-party game, it's highly unlikely that Sony would bother taking it out of the PS Plus Collection lineup anyway, but there's another reason why God of War is so redundant as a free PS Plus game.
On June 13, Sony will be rolling out its big PlayStation Plus revamp in North America. For the uninitiated, the PS Plus revamp is separating the service into three separate tiers. There will be PS Plus Essential, which will let subscribers still access online multiplayer as well as claim a batch of free games every month. Then there's PS Plus Extra, which throws some extra high profile games in the mix for subscribers to check out, along with access to a slew of other titles. And finally, there's PS Plus Premium, which is the highest-priced tier but comes with access to a selection of retro games pulled from the PS1, PS2, PSP, and PS3 libraries.
Most of the games playable through PS Plus Extra and Premium will not be available for subscribers to claim for their libraries like most free PS Plus games. Instead, they function more like Xbox Game Pass games, where they will be cycled in and out of availability. This is because PS Plus Extra and Premium are essentially another shot at PlayStation Now, but just with a PlayStation Plus-centric makeover.
But like Xbox Game Pass, it's highly unlikely Sony will bother removing its first-party games from the PS Plus Extra and PS Plus Premium lineups because it has no reason to do so. This way, it can offer subscribers a consistent value and ensure that they stay subscribed. And as it so happens, God of War is going to be a part of the PS Plus Extra and PS Plus Premium games lineup when the service launches, which makes the game available in yet another way to subscribers.
For those keeping track, that means God of War is available to PlayStation Plus subscribers in three different ways for the month of June. It's part of the monthly free games lineup, it's part of PS Plus Collection, and it's going to be part of PS Plus Extra/Premium. Considering this, it's no wonder some PS Plus subscribers feel it being part of the free PS Plus games for June 2022 is wasted space. But while some PS Plus subscribers are underwhelmed by the free PS Plus games for June 2022, the good news is that the PS Plus Extra and Premium tiers are adding a ton of other games, so it should still be an exciting month for those that choose to upgrade.
