Sony reportedly requiring timed trials for games over $34

By Billy Givens Published April 26, 2022

According to a new report, Sony is currently informing its developers about a new rule that will require all games over $34 to have a timed trial for PlayStation Plus Premium subscribers.

While we previously knew very little about how the way PlayStation Plus Premium trials would work, sources have told Game Developer that any game over the threshold will be required to include a trial that lasts a minimum of two hours. The change is not retroactive, nor does it apply to VR-specific titles, but developers releasing games on PlayStation 5 in the future will now need to allot time and resources to create these trials.

Recommended Videos

Developers will have up to three months after the launch of a game to bring a timed trial to PlayStation Plus Premium members, and it’s required to be available for at least 12 months. While Sony has expressed a willingness to be flexible and allow custom game demos in place of the trials, the company will approve such options on a case-by-case basis. Developers can also still opt to create demos, trials, and free weekend access periods that can be accessed by all PlayStation Plus subscribers regardless of tier.

Premium is the third and highest tier of Sony’s upcoming PlayStation Plus revamp and will include everything in the previous two tiers alongside a selection of retro PlayStation titles and the aforementioned timed trials. Sony recently revealed when players will be able to upgrade to the two new tiers of PlayStation Plus, including a targeted date of June 13 for those in the Americas.

Gaming Writer

Billy Givens is a freelance writer with over a decade of experience writing gaming, film, and tech content. He started as a…

Topics

Gaming

The Witcher 4 runs at 60 FPS and has ray-tracing even on the base PlayStation 5

Ciri wielding a burning chain in The Witcher 4.

At the State of Unreal 2025 event, CDProjekt Red revealed the first real look at The Witcher 4 gameplay. While it was a limited demo primarily focused on the improvements to Unreal Engine 5, we did get a solid look at how the game runs, even on a base PlayStation 5, and all the small ways tweaks and optimizations have been applied to make the game look as good as it does.

And that's the biggest takeaway from the demo: it looks really good. The presentation opened with a new trailer for the game, showing a rather grumpy merchant in a wagon traveling down a bumpy road, only to have his journey cut short by the appearance of a Manticore. Ciri later finds the remnants of the attack, and then we see a smooth transition from cutscene to gameplay.

Gaming

PlayStation State of Play June 2025: How to watch and what to expect

Two samura face off in

E3 may be long dead and buried, but its spirit still lives on every June. This week is a loaded one for video game showcases, as we'll get Summer Game Fest, the Xbox Games Showcase, and more streaming over the next few days. Now you can add one more must-watch showcase to your radar: PlayStation's State of Play.

Tomorrow, June 4, Sony will give fans a major update on what's coming to PS5 with a sizable stream. That's great news, because the back half of Sony's year is a bit of a mystery right now beyond two or three major games. What else in store for PS5 owners this year? Here's all the information you need so you can catch the show. And if you can't watch it live, stay tuned to Digital Trends, as we'll keep you updated on all the big news.

Gaming

3 new PlayStation Plus games to play this weekend (May 30-June 1)

Key art for Destiny 2: The Final Shape. It shows three characters standing in front of an orange sky.

Under normal circumstances, we would have to wait until next week to get our drop of new PlayStation Plus games, but this is a special occasion. We're currently right at the start of the Days of Play event where Sony celebrates with tons of community events and huge discounts on PS5 games and accessories. The icing on the cake is that we're not only getting four new games for Essential members, but an additional four for Extra and two more for Premium, with several already available. That's a lot to keep up with if you weren't prepared for it, which is where I come in. We will have to wait for most of the games until Tuesday, but here are a few new games you can start playing over this weekend to start the celebrations early.

Destiny 2: The Final Shape