A small PS Plus pattern may give hope that, following the controversial selection of free games for February 2022, March could be much better.
The PS Plus free games for February 2022 are available now, should anyone choose to claim them, but many are quite upset with this month’s selection. Namely, it comes down to the fact that each game really utilizes a certain genre or trait that has never done well on PS Plus, meaning this reception was to be expected.
PS Plus free games for February 2022 include the following UFC 4 (PS4), Tiny Tina’s Assault on Dragon Keep (PS4), and Planet Coaster: Console Edition (PS5). UFC 4 isn’t a bad game, but it is a sports game, and they have never traditionally been too popular on PS Plus. This is because most sports fans will already have the latest entry; meanwhile, there’s nothing wrong with Tiny Tina’s Assault on Dragon Keep. It’s just not remarkable for a one-short release of just a single Borderlands 2 release. It’s probably meant to build hype for Wonderlands, but it’s not really needed either.
Then, there’s Planet Coaster—which to many PS Plus subscribers is likely the worst offender. It’s a theme-parker building management and simulation, in and of itself not a bad game style. But PS Plus and simulation games don’t get along. Back in May 2020, Sony included two simulation games on PS Plus—Farming Sim 19 and Cities: Skylines—and this remains the only time a petition raised a massive number of supporters, asking to change the free PS Plus games.
Now, the thing is, PS Plus operates off a number of patterns—even if they are impossible to predict. They’re not impossible to see, though. Throughout much of 2020, PS Plus gave away two games: one big, one niche. Then, as it neared the release of the PS5, it really gave away a bunch of hard hitters, 3-4 games at a time. It’s harder to know what’s going on now, but hindsight is usually 2020.
It’s possible, though ultimately impossible to know, that Sony will improve the PS Plus selection in March. It could be that February may not be the best month, but that this sets up a big March all the same. Something like lowering expectations and hitting with a coup de grace sounds like a fancy, plausible marketing style. Historically, some of the worst months for PS Plus have been followed by pretty good months.
For example, after the PS Plus free games for May 2020 were petitioned, June 2020 saw the addition of Star Wars Battlefront 2 and Call of Duty: WWII. These two shooters hit at a time of renewed Star Wars and Call of Duty interest due to various factors, and it was a pretty well-received month—even if it reinforced the idea that a Call of Duty game is coming to PS Plus every year.
Furthermore, the PS Plus free games for February 2022 are very similar to February 2021. One year ago, Sony added Destruction AllStars (PS5), Control: Ultimate Edition (PS5/PS4), and Concrete Genie (PS4) to the service. Concrete Genie, while a good, interesting game with VR capabilities, didn’t make much of a splash—much like Tiny Tina’s Assault on Dragon Keep. Control is a good game, but like UFC 4, it’s one that is very popular and already owned by many. Meanwhile, Destruction AllStars didn’t land on the right foot and never really found its momentum, much like simulation games like Planet Coaster do on PS Plus.
Sony then swept in March 2021 with an insanely good month: fans got Final Fantasy 7 Remake, Farpoint, Remnant: From The Ashes, and Maquette. Sony didn’t end it there, though, as not only was Destruction AllStars given away for its second month, but Sony also gave away Ratchet and Clank for free as part of its Play at Home Initiative. Indeed, in all of this, there was something for everyone.
However, what’s worth noting is that cherry-picking a pair of months from PS Plus’ past isn’t necessarily the best avenue for looking at patterns. One could easily back it up to where the bad month is the second, and boom, it’s a pattern of getting worse. But, since time moves forward and not backward, it does indicate some hope that March 2022 will be better than February 2022 for PS Plus.
On top of that, PS Plus subscribers already know GTA Online will be coming to the service, seemingly as a "bonus" game since it releases on March 15 instead of on the first Tuesday. This means fans can expect three more games to pair well nicely with that, and given Rockstar Games' recent acknowledgment of Grand Theft Auto 6's development, it's likely to do really well.
Indeed, PS Plus is still fighting its footing in terms of patterns and releases in 2022. The PS Plus free games for January really put it on the right path, but hopefully, February just proves to be a detour for March.
PS Plus subscribers get a handful of free games every month.
A man in Florida tries to rob a bank in a Sonic the Hedgehog mask, leaving his attempted heist with no cash and without anyone being harmed.
When Joshua Duckworth received Pokemon Yellow for Christmas at 5-years-old, his fate as a gamer was set. Since then, he’s been involved with every step of the gaming industries’ growth from the golden PS1 era and the dying days of the arcade to any current gaming trend. When he’s not writing, playing his own games, or thinking about writing or playing his games, he’s probably the second player to his son’s Pokemon Let’s Go, Pikachu! file. Joshua has an MA degree in English from Jacksonville State University, and the best way to contact him is at jduckworth874@gmail.com.
