The COVID-19 pandemic hit the world in 2020, completely changing life for virtually everyone on the planet. This included the cancellation of public events and lockdowns to keep people indoors and away from one another to help stop the spread of the virus. Various companies stepped up to provide free content to people as a way to encourage them to stay home and do their part to try getting the virus under control, and that includedSony’s Play at Home initiative.
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A year later, there is some hope in sight for the end of the COVID-19 pandemic. Vaccinations are rolling out en masse to finally bring the pandemic to a close and bring life back to normal. People are still encouraged to stay at home whenever possible to help contain the spread of the virus, and in light of that, Sony has decided to bring back its PlayStation Play at Home program for 2021. However, it’s taking things to the next level this year, offering many more free games on top of other bonuses for people to take advantage of over the course of four months.
Ratchet & Clank + Funimation
When Sony announced the return of the PlayStation Play at Home program, it announced thatRatchet & Clank, the PS4 reimaging of the series that launched in 2016, would be part of the deal. Until March 31 at 8pm PT, PlayStation gamers can claimRatchet & Clankfor their collection, which is great for those who missed out on it when it was a free PS Plus game or for those who don’t have a PS5 and can’t play it through the PS Plus Collection.Ratchet & Clankearned strong reviewsat the time of its release for its graphics, amusing story, and classicRatchet & Clankgameplay, so it should be a surefire hit for any platforming fans that have yet to check it out.
10 Free Games
One would’ve thought thatMarch’s Play at Home offeringswould’ve ended there, but then Sony made the bombshell announcement that it would be giving away an additional 10 free games. Nine of these games will be available from March 25 to at 8pm PT to April 22 at 8pm PT, and they include five traditional titles that fans can play on their PS4 or PS5 consoles, as well as four games that are exclusive to PlayStation VR. Even if one doesn’t have a PlayStation VR right now, though, they can still claim the free games for use later on, and they should definitely make it a point to do so, as the free VR games include some of the highest-rated games.
The PlayStation VR games that Sony is making free starting March 25 includeMoss,Paper Beast, andThumper, with the lineup headlined byAstro Bot Rescue Mission. Not only isAstro Bot Rescue Missionone of the highest-rated PlayStation VR games, it’s also one of the highest-rated virtual reality games ever made period, arguably only succeeded by Valve’sHalf-Life: Alyx. An absolute must-play game for VR enthusiasts and 3D platforming fans alike,Astro Bot Rescue Missionis perhaps the most notable game in the free games lineup coming on March 25.
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As for the more traditional games, fans can look forward toRez Infinite(which also has a PlayStation VR mode),Abzu,The Witness,Enter the Gungeon, andSubnautica. These are all admittedly smaller-scale games, but they also include some critically-acclaimed titles, particularly in the case ofRez InfiniteandThe Witness, with the latter having been developed byBraidcreator Jonathon Blow.
The 10th free game will be available from April 19 at 8pm PT to May 14 at 8pm PT in the form ofHorizon Zero Dawn. Another critically-acclaimed PS4 game,Horizon Zero Dawnis a big “get” for the lineup, arguably even more-so than theRatchet & Clankgame. After all,Horizon Zero Dawnis not part of the PS Plus Collection on PS5, and so it’s quite likely that there are people who have yet to experience it and will now be able to try it out for free.
The List
Here is a full list of the PlayStation Play at Home free games announced for 2021 so far. Remember to claim them before they’re no longer available.
Available Until March 31 at 8pm PT
Available March 25 at 8pm PT until April 22 at 8pm PT
Available April 19 at 8pm PT Until May 14 at 8pm PT
A Pattern?
The announcement of 10 free games seems to have thrown off the PlayStation Play at Home pattern, but that’s not necessarily the case. So far, it seems as though Sony is releasing one “big” game each month for Play at Home, with that game getting added to the lineup independent of other offers like the Funimation free trial or the nine smaller-scale games that are getting added on March 25.
For March, that big free game isRatchet & Clank, which is a series with a new game that’s coming out this summer.Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apartis scheduled to launch June 11 as a PlayStation 5 exclusive, and so it’s possible Sony is looking to make newRatchet & Clankfans with the free game giveaway. For April, the big free game isHorizon Zero Dawn, and as it turns out, that game is getting a sequel this year as well on PS4 and PS5,Horizon Forbidden West.
Sony has said that the PlayStation Play at Home program will run for four months this year, which means it will conclude in June. Assuming it sticks to the pattern that it’s established withRatchet & ClankandHorizon Zero Dawn, that means PlayStation gamers may have two more big games to look forward to for those months. What those games will be is anyone’s guess, though it seems one of the most likely possibilities is the2018God of Wargame.
LikeRatchet & ClankandHorizon Zero Dawn, the 2018God of Wargame has a sequel coming out in 2021. Little is known about theGod of Warsequel beyond that Sony hopes for it to launch this year, but that is still enough for it to fit the pattern established so far. The other game is harder to guess, but it will definitely be interesting to see what other Play at Home freebies Sony has planned for PlayStation gamers in the months ahead.
