In what can only be described as a really brilliant move, Sony Interactive Entertainment (the company's division behind the PlayStation brand) has announced its Play At Home initiative with two free downloads.
Writing on the official PlayStation blog, SIE CEO Jim Ryan says that Play At Home is designed to encourage PlayStation users to stay home while the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic maintains its grip on the world.
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He writes:
"People all over the world are doing the right thing by staying home to help contain the spread of COVID-19. We are deeply grateful to everyone practicing physical distancing and take our responsibility as a home entertainment platform seriously, so we are asking our community to continue supporting the safe choice and the need to Play At Home.
"As a thank you to all who are doing their part to lessen the impact of this pandemic, Sony Interactive Entertainment is pleased to announce the Play At Home initiative."
Ryan then goes on to explain that the initiative arrives in two parts. Firstly, PlayStation 4 users will be able to download and keep, completely free, both thatgamecompany's evergreen classic of meditative exploration, Journey, and the three-game action-adventure compilation, Uncharted: The Nathan Drake Collection. Said collection, which includes Uncharted: Drake's Fortune, Uncharted 2: Among Thieves and Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception, was included in January 2020's PlayStation Plus 'free games' offering.
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These games will be free to download from midnight (BST) on April 16, until May 6 at midnight (BST). Users in China and Germany get Knack 2 instead of The Nathan Drake Collection.
The second part of Play At Home is focused on developers whose own fortunes may be rocked by the pandemic. Writes Ryan:
"Independent developers are vital to the heart and soul of the gaming community and we understand the hardships and financial struggles that many smaller gaming studios are facing. With that, SIE has developed a fund to support them during this time. We have earmarked $10 million to support our independent development partners. More information about the fund, including participation criteria, will be made available soon.
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"During these days of physical distancing, fans have turned to gaming for moments of respite and enjoyment. At Sony Interactive Entertainment, we are privileged to bring this much-needed entertainment. We know this is just one small step and we are thankful to be able to offer this support to our players, our communities, and our partners."
So just to refresh your memory, Uncharted: The Nathan Drake Collection and Journey can be yours, forever, for no money whatsoever, from April 16 until May 6. All you need to do, really, is play your part while the world goes through what it needs to, to get through this: stay home, play games, stay safe.
Featured Image Credit: Sony Interactive EntertainmentTopics: PlayStation, Uncharted, PlayStation 4