According to a GameDeveloper report, PlayStation has updated its developer guidelines to state that a game demo lasting at least two hours will now be required for any title which costs $34 or higher (around £27). This rule is not retroactive, so will only apply to games currently in development and not yet released. Additionally, developers will have a three-month grace period after a game launches before this trial must be made available. There’s nothing in the report on what would happen if a developer fails to provide such a trial. Sony has reportedly told developers these trials should be available to Plus Premium subscribers for at least 12 months. An alternative custom demo can also be provided - not needing to be two hours long - but this will only be approved on a case-by-case basis. This afternoon, Sony emailed PlayStation Plus subscribers with a breakdown of what to expect in each PlayStation Plus tier, and to remind you that your existing membership will migrate. PlayStation Plus Essential (£6.99 monthly / £19.99 quarterly / £49.99 yearly) is the new name for what is essentially the current Plus offering: monthly downloadable games, discounts, cloud storage and online multiplayer. PlayStation Plus Extra (£10.99 monthly / £31.99 quarterly / £83.99 yearly) adds “400 of the most enjoyable PS4 and PS5 games” including some Sony first-party titles which are more than one year old, such as Spider-Man: Miles Morales and Returnal. PlayStation Plus Premium (£13.49 monthly / £39.99 quarterly / £99.99 yearly) adds a further 340 games from PS3, PS2, PS1 and PSP to stream and/or download depending on platform, as well as those time-limited demos. “Time-limited game trials will also be offered in this tier, so customers can try select games before they buy,” the email reads, as seen by Eurogamer.
