The gaming gods are supposedly smiling down upon us because Sony has a treat for PlayStation owners.
It's been a big week for the blue team, with the February 12 State of Play getting the gaming giant's first showcase of 2025 off to a flying start.
As well as release dates for Borderlands 4 and Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater, we got confirmation of a Days Gone remaster, a reveal of Five Nights at Freddy's: Secret of the Mimic, and a gameplay trailer for MindsEye from former Grand Theft Auto series developer Leslie Benzies.
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If release dates and trailer galore weren't enough to keep Sony ponies fed, the PlayStation Plus subscription service is giving away some free access.
We know that you have to pay for PlayStation Plus to get a specific lineup of games each month, but in a surprise move, Sony announced that everyone will be getting a free weekend of PS Plus multiplayer.
It comes in the aftermath of a major PlayStation Network outing that left us locked out of our favorite online games, with some consoles being 'bricked' because you were unable to pair an external disc drive. Fans were less than impressed by the compensation that offered five additional days of PS Plus service, so it feels like the gaming giant is doing something to try and restore its tarnished reputation.
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From February 13 to 15, disgruntled gamers can experience the perks of PS Plus multiplayer without having to spend a dime. The announcement encouraged us to jump into all action and team up with our pals to enjoy the pixels: "Join your friends online this weekend at no extra cost!
"From Thursday February 13 at 12:00am (local time) until 11:59pm on Saturday February 15, you’ll be able to enjoy online multiplayer for free."
This will give you free access to Treyarch's Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 multiplayer, which has been praised as the best CoD in years as a much-needed return to form. Then again, with so much hype around the Gulf War-set game, chances are that most who were going to put BO6 in their crosshairs would've done it shortly after its release in October 2024.
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When news of the free multiplayer weekend spilled over onto Reddit, it was clear many were still unimpressed with PlayStation's compensatory offerings.
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The top comment currently reads, "Online gaming should be free," with others rallying behind the sentiment.
Another angry fan wrote, "Paying a subscription to play online games on console is such a f**king scam," with a third saying, "They should add that the games in the pic aren’t free."
Someone else concluded: "We can thank Microsoft for introducing it. Sony and Nintendo must’ve felt like idiots missing out on that slice of pie so of course they’d introduce paywalled online on their next consoles."
With many still calling for better payback for the PSN debacle, it seems our dreams of being given God of War: Ragnarok or The Last of Us Part II Remastered for free are fading. Still, if you find yourselves without any Valentine's plans this weekend, you might as well make the most of Sony's offering.