It's no coincidence that PS Plus Premium is set to add two Twisted Metal games on July 18, just nine days before the new TV series based on the property launches on Peacock, starring Anthony Mackie, Stephanie Beatriz, Will Arnet, Samoa Joe, and more. Indeed, it may seem obvious to many PS Plus subscribers, but this is Sony leveraging one aspect of its business to support another, something that's not necessarily uncommon for the tech giant.
The Twisted Metal series is about an amnesiac driver, played by Mackie, whose job is to deliver a package across a wasteland as he is chased by insane and destructive marauders and their vehicles. The iconic Sweet Tooth is loud and proud, as he is played physically by Samoa Joe and voiced by Will Arnett. Development on this show began as far back as 2019 by Sony Pictures Television and PlayStation Productions. Indeed, many nostalgic fans may see this as a way to new Twisted Metal games in the future, but for Sony, it's also about the past.
PS Plus Premium Games for July 2023 Do Prep-Work for the Twisted Metal Movie
PS Plus in all its tiers can be billed as a premium service; it is easily one of the most identifiable brands in the industry in terms of gaming-related services. Sony is well aware of this and has, at many times in the past, used it to leverage upcoming releases. The interesting part is that it's not always Sony releases. For example, prior to Battlefield 2042's initial reveal and while it was surrounded by rumors, Battlefield 5 hit the PS Plus service. Just as interesting is the PS Plus free games (Essential Tier) for July 2023 additions, which include Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War ahead of the rumored reveal of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 in August.
It's clear how Sony has leveraged PS Plus to the benefit of other properties in the past, including its own. In fact, while it was technically available on the PS Plus Collection at the time, Sony made God of War 2018 available on PS Plus in June 2022, just four months prior to God of War Ragnarok's release. However, because of the expansion of the PS Plus tiers and the inclusion of older games on PS Plus Extra and Premium, there's a new layer here—as made self-evident by Twisted Metal.
Whether Twisted Metal gets a new game in the future (or if one is even in development) is up in the air, but that hasn't stopped Sony from initially leveraging that nostalgia for this TV series, while continuing to "weaponize" it via PS Plus Premium. This could be a good thing in the long run. One could argue that Twisted Metal doesn't really fit into the current gaming landscape well, but that doesn't mean the franchise should be forgotten. If folks check out the series on Peacock and return for some nostalgic gameplay on PS Plus Premium, it's a clear signal to Sony that it should expand its treatment of older properties and include them on PS Plus as well.
Twisted Metal is a good example of this, but Sony has plenty of older franchises it could leverage in similar ways as well. Perhaps Sony and Square Enix could team up to give Parasite Eve this PS Plus Premium and movie/TV series treatment. The first Medievil is already available on PS Plus, but the service and franchise could still expand on this. Meanwhile, a Jak and Daxter movie is reportedly in the works, though whether it truly manifests remains to be seen. Sony could once again find a way to leverage PS Plus and nostalgia to support this movie, and perhaps, the franchise beyond that. What's clear is that the door is open, that PS Plus Premium is a great way to leverage nostalgia, and that older Sony properties may still find life via means outside the immediate gaming sphere.
PS Plus subscribers get a handful of games every month.
