The PlayStation Plus Extra game library is set to bid farewell to 12 titles in September 2024, including some heavy hitters like Horizon Forbidden West, NieR Replicant, Marvel’s Midnight Suns, and more. This monthly rotation of games is a common practice for PS Plus Extra, allowing subscribers the opportunity to experience a variety of titles over time. However, the departure of a first-party game like Horizon Forbidden West has raised eyebrows among players.
Sony typically adds new games to the PS Plus Extra library and removes older titles on the third Tuesday of each month. Games usually remain available for at least six months, giving players ample time to enjoy them before they are cycled out. The Last Chance to Play section of PS Plus Extra serves as a warning for subscribers, listing the games that will be leaving the service in the upcoming month. Surprisingly, half of the departures for August were only revealed 12 days prior to their removal, leaving little time for interested players to access them.
The list of games departing PS Plus Extra in September 2024 includes Horizon Forbidden West, Marvel’s Midnight Suns, Alien Isolation, Cloudpunk, Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2, NieR Replicant, Spiritfarer, and several Star Ocean titles. This exodus of titles is the largest since June 2024, when 14 games left the service. Of particular note is the departure of Horizon Forbidden West, a first-party title that joined PS Plus Extra in February 2023, just a year after its initial release on PS4 and PS5.
The decision to remove Horizon Forbidden West from PS Plus Extra has sparked speculation among players. Some believe it may be related to an upcoming graphics patch for the game on the PS5 Pro, which could potentially boost sales. Others point to a leaked document from a December 2023 Insomniac data breach, which suggested that Sony was experimenting with the Game Pass model by including Horizon Forbidden West in PS Plus Extra. While the game initially attracted a surge of players to the service, premium sales for the title reportedly stagnated.
Overall, the departure of these 12 games from PS Plus Extra in September 2024 marks a significant shift in the service’s offerings. Players will have until the end of the month to enjoy these titles before they are replaced with new additions. As the gaming landscape continues to evolve, it will be interesting to see how Sony adapts its subscription services to meet the changing needs and expectations of players.