Last year’s lineups were even better as Sony started adding one more game consistently, albeit most were limited to PS5 owners. Most PS Plus subscribers were happy so long as they got their money’s worth. As it turns out, while it’s a “steal” for subscribers, PS Plus isn’t so good for developers.
According to Oddworld Inhabitants’ studio head Lorne Lanning, agreeing to give away Oddworld: Soulstorm via PS Plus was a “devastating” choice that cost the studio dearly. Lanning explained on the Xbox Expansion Pass podcast that Oddworld Inhabitants lost tens of millions of dollars in sales because of the PS Plus deal for Oddworld: Soulstorm. Lanning added that the studio agreed to a deal with Sony in exchange for money to make the game for free on PlayStation Plus. At the time, the developers expected Soulstorm to sell 100,000 copies at launch. But, as Lanning reveals, more than 4 million PS Plus subscribers downloaded and got Soulstorm for free. Of course, 4 million “free” downloads is different from 4 million buyers. Lanning could never guarantee that Soulstorm would reach such numbers without the help of the PS Plus. For example, Bloodborne, an undoubtedly more popular game than Soulstorm, only sold 2 million units throughout its lifetime. If we assume that Sony had paid Oddworld Inhabitants upfront to finish Soulstorm, the studio got exactly what it wanted and needed at the time. In addition, Sony featured Soulstorm in several showcases for months to help market the game. Given Oddworld Inhabitants’ financial struggles, Soulstorm would not have gotten the exposure it needed without Sony’s help. With minimal marketing, we doubt Soulstorm would have sold well at full price. The ending of Soulstorm set up a sequel, so it’s not like Oddworld Inhabitants will stop making more Oddworld games after “losing” millions due to PS Plus. If anything, the deal with Sony might have helped keep the studio afloat. However, after what it went through, Oddworld Inhabitants might think twice before striking a deal with Sony again. This might also mean that Oddworld Inhabitants will want to stay away from Microsoft too.
