Sony's PlayStation Store Purge Targets Fake Games and AI Slop
Sony's efforts to clean up the PlayStation Store from low-quality, AI-generated shovelware have seen mixed results, with titles like Jesus: The Journey emerging as potential contenders for the worst game on PS5. Despite the apparent ease for platforms like Sony, Nintendo, and Steam to control their online marketplaces, a flood of cheaply made and misleading games continues to slip through, raising concerns about oversight and enforcement.
The Challenge of Controlling Online Stores
You might assume it would be straightforward for major gaming platforms to regulate what appears in their digital stores. However, they often seem either unwilling or unable to stem the tide of shovelware and AI slop. Last year, there was a broader attempt to crack down on hentai games on the Nintendo eShop and Steam, but how such content even made it onto these platforms remains a mystery. The most plausible explanation is that publishers fail to vet games before listing them, relying instead on post-release removal—if they bother at all.
Sony acted swiftly in the past, removing a shameful The Last Of Us clone, and has now launched a new assault on misleading and copyright-infringing games. Yet, some titles, like one previously featuring Nathan Drake from Uncharted, have dodged removal by merely altering key art, such as swapping the main character for a generic army figure.
Examples of Misleading Titles
These problematic games often have names confusingly similar to established titles or blatantly rip off assets from them. They are typically suspiciously cheap and feature screenshots that exaggerate the gameplay quality. A prime example is 28 Floors: Outbreak, which, until Sony's purge, displayed key art with Nathan Drake. After the crackdown, the image was mysteriously replaced with a generic character, allowing the game to remain on the store.
Published by Witenovastudio OÜ, the game's screenshots suggest a Resident Evil knock-off, though it's unclear if they accurately represent the actual gameplay. Meanwhile, Jesus Simulator was removed by Sony but quickly replaced by Jesus: The Journey, likely capitalizing on seasonal relevance. The latter appears to be a repurposed superhero game, depicting Jesus with laser beam eyes flying around a modern city.
The Scale of the Purge and Lingering Questions
Over the weekend, hundreds of games were removed from the PlayStation Store, with thousands expunged this year alone. Entire back catalogues from publishers like VRCForge, Welding Byte, and GoGame have been eliminated. Despite this, the fundamental question persists: why can't Sony prevent these games from appearing in the first place?
Sony must conduct some level of checks to block offensive content or hardcore pornography, but lower-level infractions seem to pass through easily. An even bigger mystery is who purchases these obvious cons, given the availability of better options on PlayStation 5. Titles like Supermarket CEO Simulator, Water Blast Shooter – Wet Gun, Card Shop Game Store: TCG Simulator, and Watermelon Fruits Puzzle highlight the absurdity of the market.
This ongoing issue underscores the challenges in digital storefront management and the need for more robust pre-approval processes to protect consumers from subpar gaming experiences.
