PlayStation Plus subscribers who claimed Final Fantasy 7 Remake in March can now download the PS5 version of the game for free, but obtaining the correct version is somewhat more complicated than it needed to be. Major AAA games are sold in a variety of editions that are confusing enough, but the separation of PS4 games from their PS5 versions has only added to the problem. Like the Xbox Series X/S consoles are to Xbox One, PS5 is backward compatible with PS4. While Xbox has made the transition as seamless as possible, with Smart Delivery, Sony’s largely artificial distinction between generations has led to confusion and controversies. Longtime PS Plus subscribers obtaining the optimal version of a quality game is good news, but the complexity in claiming it is another symptom of PlayStation's distinction between the two generations.
When the version of the FF7 Remake offered through PS Plus was limited to the PS4 version, even for PS5 owners, there was reason for disappointment. Obtaining a PS5 was difficult for many, and the console remains elusive today for a lot of fans. A tentpole exclusive at the time, prior to Final Fantasy 7 Remake’s PC version, accessing the long-awaited RPG was reason enough for many gamers to subscribe to PS Plus, or renew dormant subscriptions. PS5 owners were limited to only the PS4 version of the game, but nine months later this error in judgment has been corrected.
The PS4 version of FF7 Remake obtained via PS Plus has been upgraded to include the PS5 version, but some gamers posted their inability to access it in online forums. With many multi-generation PlayStation 4 and 5 games, clicking the ellipses next to “download” lets PS5 users pick “select version.” PS Plus subscribers who claimed FF7 Remake in March will still only show the PS4 version as available when they check “select version” on their PS5 because another step is required. Gamers need to search the PS5 store for “Final Fantasy VII Remake,” find the “free upgrade” for FF7 Remake's PS5 version, and “purchase” the freebie. Once this transaction has been completed in the store, the PS5 version of the game becomes available for download.
FF7R's PS5 Version On PS Plus Could Drive Add-On Sales
While this process only adds an extra step, simply having the PS5 version of the game appear under “select version” would have been more intuitive. The necessity of buying a free upgrade in the store evidences the artificial barriers between generations that PlayStation users contend with, unlike Xbox owners. PS Plus has had other recent controversies with its selection of PS5 titles. The addition of Godfall: Challenger Edition to PS Plus irked many, as it was the game’s endgame cycle, only, not the main campaign. PlayStation owners can buy Godfall's main campaign as an add-on for $15, but this raises questions regarding ownership of an add-on to a game that is not “owned,” but accessed via a subscription plan that could lapse.
Similarly, those who obtained FF7 Remake through PS Plus can now purchase the Intergrade DLC, which includes the EPISODE INTERmission content featuring Yuffie, as a $15 add-on. Giving subscribers belated access to the PS5 version of FF7 Remake could be seen as an altruistic gesture. It could also be viewed as a means to entice sales of the PS5-exclusive FF7R DLC to those who have not purchased the main game. A free upgrade is nothing to complain about inherently but landing in the wake of Godfall: Challenger Edition's PS Plus debacle, it suggests a somewhat disturbing trend. The free games included with PS Plus are a large part of its value proposition, but these recent moves suggest they are less about rewarding subscribers, and more about selling paid DLC add-ons.
The PS5 version of Final Fantasy 7 Remake being available for PS Plus subscribers is a good thing for the consumer, and a course correction of a nine-month-old mistake. The fact that it may be a means to promote DLC sales, as with Godfall’s truncated PS Plus addition, paints a poorer picture for the future of the service. With the rumored Spartacus initiative promising to shake up PS Plus and PlayStation Now, these services need to present themselves at their best. The PS5 version of Final Fantasy 7 Remake may help take the sting from the PS Plus Godfall version for some subscribers, even if it does require an extra step to access it.