Every month, PlayStation Plus subscribers are treated to a new batch of free games to claim across PS4 and PS5. Generally the PS4 and PS5 games are kept separate, but sometimes when a game is available on both systems, subscribers are able to access both versions. This way PS5 users can play the best version of the game available, while those on PS4 aren't left out. Unfortunately, that's not the case with one of the free PlayStation Plus games for December 2021.
The free PS Plus games for December 2021 include Godfall: Challenger Edition, LEGO DC Super-Villains, and Mortal Shell. Mortal Shell saw the release of its special Enhanced Edition on PS5 earlier this year, and so some PS Plus subscribers thought they would be able to play that version of the game on their new console. Unfortunately, it's been clarified that Mortal Shell on PS Plus is the PS4 version only.
This was confirmed by the official Mortal Shell Twitter account. While PS5 gamers won't be able to play Mortal Shell: Enhanced Edition on their next-gen console, they will still be able to play the PS4 version thanks to backward compatibility. However, PS5 PS Plus users are understandably unhappy about this situation, and it has thrown more fuel on the fire that is the PS Plus December 2021 backlash.
The PS Plus version of Mortal Shell not offering a free PS5 upgrade isn't the only controversy that the free PS Plus games for December 2021 have suffered. There's also been a lot of criticism aimed at Godfall: Challenger Edition, as it's not actually the full version of the hack-and-slash game. On the contrary, Godfall: Challenger Edition doesn't include any of the base game story content or the Fire & Darkness expansion. Instead it levels up players to max and ushers them directly into the endgame content, which has led to a lot of PS Plus subscribers complaining about being shortchanged.
While the free PS Plus games for December 2021 have suffered some backlash, 2021 still was a pretty good year for the service overall. The full list of free PS Plus games for 2021 show a wide variety of titles, including some fan favorite multiplatform games as well as brand new releases, with many of the free PS5 games on offer being brand new titles for subscribers to check out.
In the meantime, there are rumors that PS Plus could get combined with PlayStation Now so Sony can better compete with the Xbox Game Pass subscription service. Whether or not that actually comes to pass remains to be seen, but for now, fans can continue expecting their free PS Plus games every month like normal.