Sony Purges More Low-Effort Shovelware Games From PlayStation Store

Sony is cleaning up the PlayStation Store once again. The company recently removed a large batch of low-effort games from its digital catalog. This move targets publishers that flood the system with cheap titles to make a quick profit.

Players in the USA and around the world have complained about these games cluttering the search results and making it harder to find actual quality releases.

Sony removes entire catalogs from creators using copied assets

The latest ban wave specifically hit developers known for releasing asset flips or content generated by artificial intelligence, as spotted on PSNProfiles. Entire game collections from publishers like GoGame Console Publisher, Welding Byte, and VRCForge Studios are now completely gone. Some of the deleted games include unusual titles like Urban Driver Simulator and Jesus Simulator. 

These games often try to copy the names of successful independent projects to trick people into spending money. Sony has been trying to tackle this issue for a while. Earlier in the year, it took down over a thousand similar games from a single developer. The main focus is to stop these creators from taking advantage of the digital store.

Sony is protecting buyers from bad purchases

Digital storefronts are constantly fighting a battle against low-quality software. When a platform is full of asset flips, buyers get annoyed, and developers of real games lose their visibility. By deleting these games, Sony is making it easier for customers to browse the store without stumbling over clear scams.

Other tech companies face similar issues. Mobile app stores frequently deal with fake versions of popular games, leading to lawsuits and constant moderation efforts. For now, PlayStation owners will enjoy a slightly cleaner digital shop.

Sony is expected to keep monitoring its platform to prevent these types of games from returning in the future.

Via Insider-Gaming