Sony Explains Why PlayStation Plus Won't Have Day One Releases

The world of streaming has practically overturned the video game industry, and though Xbox might be leading the charge with Game Pass, it hasn't stopped PlayStation from getting in on the action.

Though the updated PlayStation Plus system didn't seem like much when it was first revealed - especially with its confusing pricing system - players have nestled into the service nicely, and it has been treating them well with a wealth of AAA and indie games alike to keep them busy.

We may have gotten lucky with the release of Stray, but it doesn't seem like day one releases are going to be a feature that PlayStation adopts quickly. And though we didn't have much of an explanation for it for a while, we've now been offered a reason.

Why Won't PlayStation Have Day One Releases?

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In conversation with Games Industry, PlayStation executive Shuhei Yoshida has revealed why PlayStation Plus isn't as eager as Xbox Game Pass to give subscribers day one releases.

Yoshida compares the gaming streaming business to the life cycle of movies - some will come out in cinemas before they arrive on streaming or pay-per-view. It's this method that sees the most revenue for games, and considers the most spread across a larger audience.

Yoshida Claims There Are Exceptions To The Day One Rule

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The Sony boss suggests that new games could come to PlayStation Plus once six or twelve months have passed, when sales have slowed and the gaming industry has almost moved on. In the meantime, it doesn't look like they'd jump straight to Plus. But, Yoshida claims there are some exceptions to the rule.

Yoshida goes on to claim that there are some games that break this rule, and for good reason. He suggests that PS Plus had a big hand in the successes of Fall Guys and Rocket League before they went free-to-play, and also points out that Stray was something of an anomaly. Stray was more of an experiment than an indication of things to come, but either way, the service is still an absolute treat. Here's hoping we can get more experiments in the future.