In many ways,PS Plusis the ultimate hype man. Video games that release day one on the service tend to perform better than many anticipated, while the quality of the free games every month hardly ever stumbles. By focusing on variety,PS Plusensures that there’s a little something for everyone; notably, however, it’s had a different tactic at work here lately.
One of the PS Plus games for May 2021, for example, wasBattlefield 5. This is notable because fans were practically begging for the then-known-asBattlefield 6reveal, and about a month later,Battlefield 2042was showcased to a ton of hype. WhetherBattlefieldlives up to the hype PS Plushelped build remains to be seen, but as it stands, it seems that thePS Plus games for July 2021all do this—they all dive in to build hype for a potential sequel or follow-up of sorts, perhaps suggesting some details regarding their reveal too.
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PS Plus: From Innocence to Requiem
PS Plus players can get a PS5 version ofA Plague Tale: Innocencein July 2021, but it stands out just a little bit because its sequel has already been revealed. During Microsoft’s E3 conference, it showcased the abovetrailer ofA Plague Tale: Requiem. While it launching on Game Pass is big news, the original’s inclusion on PS Plus is big too. This means players will be able to get to check it out if they haven’t already in anticipation of the 2022 sequel. What’s more, it’ll allow players to keep in mind what sort of PS5 enhancements will likely come in the game.
With a 2022 release date, it’s unlikely to build the same sort ofreveal hype asBattlefield 2042, but it’s clear that Sony isn’t letting its players forget about this one either. All of that, of course, is only good forA Plague Tale: Requiemwhenever it releases.
PS Plus: From Battlegrounds to 2K22
WWE 2K Battlegroundshas a bit of an odd history. It released in 2020 as a sort of buffer betweenWWE 2K20and this year’sWWE 2K22after the critically-panned reception of the former.WWE 2K20is incredibly buggy and regarded by many as unplayable, which meansWWE 2K22is a follow-up to the entireWWEgaming franchise. It’s not a direct sequel toBattlegrounds, but it is the firstWWEgame to be released after it. PlayingWWE 2K Battlegroundsnow may continue that buffer period ahead of WWE 2K22.
At the same time, it stands to reason that PS Plus is playing hype man toWWE 2K22by includingBattlegrounds. No release date has been given yet, butWWE 2K22is set to release this year. More could very well come to this month as players spend a little time withBattlegrounds, but at the latest, it makes sense thatWWE 2K22would have a big presence at August’s SummerSlam PPV.WWE 2K22has a lot riding on it and a lot of fan eyes on whether it can restore the reputation ofWWEgames as a whole, but it bodes well that PS Plus appears to be in its corner.
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PS Plus: From Black Ops 4 to Slipstream
Finally, in similar vein toBattlefield 2042, PS Plus is playing hype man to another first-person shooter franchise. The inclusion ofCall of Duty: Black Ops 4isn’t surprising, as aCall of Dutygame tends to appear at least once every year, but the timing could not be any more conspicuous. Recently,Call of Duty 2021’s code name Slipstream leaked onlineand its due for a reveal any day now. A lot has been said aboutCall of Duty 2021behind the scenes, but as nothing is more certain in the gaming industry that a newCall of Dutyevery year, it’s likely to release this year.
WithBlack Ops 4,players can go back toBlackoutand/or have alternatives toBlack Ops Cold War/Modern Warfareas the upcomingCall of Dutyprepares to get off its feet. It’s likely to be revealed by the end of this summer with a November release date, and PS Plus is there setting that up for a little more attention.
PS Plus Free Games for July 2021 Move Forward
It’s entirely possible this is all coincidental; no one outside Sony knows how PS Plus game deals are made after all. It could be that this potential hype-building for sequels is just a side effect of the service’s popularity. No matter how one looks at it though, thePS Plus free game rosteraddition ofA Plague Tale: Innocence, WWE 2K Battlegrounds, andCall of Duty: Black Ops 4all set up what’s next for their perspective franchises—A Plague Tale: Requiem, WWE 2K22,andCall of Duty 2021.
PS Plussubscribers get a handful of free games every month.
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