PS5 store now defaults to Best Sellers, sorts cheap Platinum games to bottom

[AJ_Radio]

On 8/13/2022 at 1:27 AM, HusKy said:

Would make more sense to limit these games to maximum 315 trophy points, which is exactly the thing they used to enforce in the past.

They did up until 2015 - 2016. Then My Name is Mayo came along and proved that anything can get a platinum.

[Sunny]

Well it's doesn't solve the issue it just takes it out of sight, they should limit the amount stacks and how many points each stack gives, it's jarring to me that each week we get 6 stacks of the same thing over and over again, Sony has 0 control quality, it got far worse ever since they handed the reins to the people in California, everything just went from okay to chaos.

[AJ_Radio]

1 minute ago, Sunnyburrito said:

Well it's doesn't solve the issue it just takes it out of sight, they should limit the amount stacks and how many points each stack gives, it's jarring to me that each week we get 6 stacks of the same thing over and over again, Sony has 0 control quality, it got far worse ever since they handed the reins to the people in California, everything just went from okay to chaos.

At least somebody else shares my thoughts. 
 

I’m not blaming California for everything here, but looking at a lot of trophy lists from 2013 to 2015 and then 2017 onward, there is no doubt there was a major shift in regards to what got a platinum and what didn’t. 
 

Energy Cycle was a 10 minute platinum back in 2017 that had six stacks altogether. Something like that would of never received a platinum back in 2013 - 2015, because from what I’ve seen all those indie titles of that time had an actual trophy list, meaning that Sony had some quality control. 
 

Now there is no quality control and the browser store website is an absolute mess, cluttered with garbage. Navigating the website is a chore. 
 

The PS Store is Steam 2.0. It’s getting the same kind of shovelware and the garbage seems to heavily outweigh the actual good indies those developers put their hard work into.

[Sunny]

18 minutes ago, AJ_Radio said:

At least somebody else shares my thoughts. 
 

I’m not blaming California for everything here, but looking at a lot of trophy lists from 2013 to 2015 and then 2017 onward, there is no doubt there was a major shift in regards to what got a platinum and what didn’t. 
 

Energy Cycle was a 10 minute platinum back in 2017 that had six stacks altogether. Something like that would of never received a platinum back in 2013 - 2015, because from what I’ve seen all those indie titles of that time had an actual trophy list, meaning that Sony had some quality control. 
 

Now there is no quality control and the browser store website is an absolute mess, cluttered with garbage. Navigating the website is a chore. 
 

The PS Store is Steam 2.0. It’s getting the same kind of shovelware and the garbage seems to heavily outweigh the actual good indies those developers put their hard work into.

I'm 100% with you on this, I'm not going to pretend I know everything that goes on with these big companies and the know how of decision making but ever since they shift command some really bad and even worse anti consumer decisions were made, then the entire trophy system management and the overall quality control went straight to hell, like you said I'm not saying it's all on them but it played a huge part.

[AJ_Radio]

1 minute ago, Sunnyburrito said:

I'm 100% with you on this, I'm not going to pretend I know everything that goes on with these big companies and the know how of decision making but ever since they shift command some really bad and even worse anti consumer decisions were made, then the entire trophy system management and the overall quality control went straight to hell, like you said I'm not saying it's all on them but it played a huge part.

Like when they changed PSN levels and the amount of points a platinum trophy is for no apparent reason. 
 

I don’t think anybody knows why Sony changed the values.

[Elvick_]

People realize this punishes legitimate games too right? If they aren’t good sellers then they’re doomed to the bottom, how is this good? And who said this is Sony addressing these games (that they keep approving, not only approving for sale, but approving of multiple regional and platform lists for trophies). Where’s the statement of reason for this change? 
 

this is literally nothing to address the problem of “shovelware: buy a plat edition”. I guarantee this is more about pushing good selling games over bad and it’s just a byproduct that buy a plat games get pushed to the bottom. Sony’s motivation wasn’t to save platinums or the store from trash, because this doesn’t do it. They still approve the games and again approve the multitude of lists when all they need is one. Nothing that pops in like 5 minutes should be allowed any stacks. 
 

playing Topatoi and while a bit janky it’s a fun PS3 game and it clearly flopped when there’s no good guide and the only dlc all star video guide looks like it was recorded on a potato. A game like this would be buried by this default sort for not selling at all. 

4 hours ago, AJ_Radio said:

The PS Store is Steam 2.0. It’s getting the same kind of shovelware and the garbage seems to heavily outweigh the actual good indies those developers put their hard work into.

Uh no. Steam is a good store front with many discovery tools. And the ability to completely ignore games (and devs; although that requires the opt in to the “beta” profiles, which should be forced on every dev now so we can ignore them alll). PS Store doesn’t even have a competent webstore anymore. Not that it was a great Ui before, but now three platforms of games aren’t even purchasable on it for no reason. And PS3 in particular is a risk to even try to buy something. Even my old ass laptop can go through the Steam Store without freezing and potentially corrupting my hard drive (which the PS3 did for me). 
 

I wish the shitty PS Store was like Steam. People just say things, but clearly don’t use the many tools Steam has to ignore devs that suck. Or games they don’t want. It’s not hard. And it’s the only storefront that lets you do any of it. I’d ignore Energy — devs and these jumping hotdog or whatever nonsense devs so fucking fast, but alas PS Store is far from Steam 2.0 because I’d it were it wouldn’t be shit.

Edited August 17, 2022 by Elvick_

[AJ_Radio]

11 minutes ago, Elvick_ said:

Uh no. Steam is a good store front with many discovery tools. And the ability to completely ignore games (and devs; although that requires the opt in to the “beta” profiles, which should be forced on every dev now so we can ignore them alll). PS Store doesn’t even have a competent webstore anymore. Not that it was a great Ui before, but now three platforms of games aren’t even purchasable on it for no reason. And PS3 in particular is a risk to even try to buy something. Even my old ass laptop can go through the Steam Store without freezing and potentially corrupting my hard drive (which the PS3 did for me). 
 

I wish the shitty PS Store was like Steam. People just say things, but clearly don’t use the many tools Steam has to ignore devs that suck. Or games they don’t want. It’s not hard. And it’s the only storefront that lets you do any of it. I’d ignore Energy — devs and these jumping hotdog or whatever nonsense devs so fucking fast, but alas PS Store is far from Steam 2.0 because I’d it were it wouldn’t be shit.

Sony took out credit card and debit card payment methods for both PS3 & PS Vita for what I think were security reasons. But realistically, they’re just trying to kill off the legacy systems for good, as these days, only a select few people are playing those older consoles. 
 

Furthermore, Steam had tons of shovelware at a time when quality control was still a thing at Sony. But notice how I never said the Steam interface is bad. I’ve had my Steam account for over a decade and not once have I had problems navigating the store. 
 

Both the PS3 and Vita stores are outright broken. Sony no longer allows patches for games on these consoles which goes back to there being a select few people. 
 

If the Steam achievement system wasn’t a colossal pile of shit I’d probably be playing more games on there. But as it stands, I remain on Sony consoles because their trophy system still actually has some merit, even with all the trash there is now. 
 

Xbox Achievements turned bad too, so I gave up bothering with those. Nintendo of course doesn’t have achievements, but I typically find them behind the rest of the pack, as they have since the Nintendo Wii era.

[Quink666]

 

 

A lot of trash plat shover ware games are mentioned in this recent video. I hope other bigger channels make videos like this to bring more attention to the issue.

[dieselmanchild]

This doesn’t really solve anything at all, but it’s a start. At the very least one could read this move as an acknowledgment from Sony that the shovelware is getting out of control, which is a positive development.
 

However, the only real way you would ever get rid of these games is if Sony were to revise their platinum trophy criteria so these trash heap games couldn’t take advantage of the people who just want to buy their platinums. If you removed the platinums they would probably disappear overnight.

[Caesar Clown]

Yeah, great change. Instead of spam games, we get lies. I'm so sure Madden 23 is a best seller and that EA didn't pay extra money to have it in the top slot.

[DrBloodmoney]

7 minutes ago, Caesar Clown said:

Yeah, great change. Instead of spam games, we get lies. I'm so sure Madden 23 is a best seller and that EA didn't pay extra money to have it in the top slot.

Madden and Fifa are always huge sellers - they routinely end up on the biggest sellers of the year, every year.

[Nelson_]

On 8/17/2022 at 6:39 AM, Elvick_ said:

People realize this punishes legitimate games too right? If they aren’t good sellers then they’re doomed to the bottom, how is this good? And who said this is Sony addressing these games (that they keep approving, not only approving for sale, but approving of multiple regional and platform lists for trophies). Where’s the statement of reason for this change? 
 

this is literally nothing to address the problem of “shovelware: buy a plat edition”. I guarantee this is more about pushing good selling games over bad and it’s just a byproduct that buy a plat games get pushed to the bottom. Sony’s motivation wasn’t to save platinums or the store from trash, because this doesn’t do it. They still approve the games and again approve the multitude of lists when all they need is one. Nothing that pops in like 5 minutes should be allowed any stacks. 
 

playing Topatoi and while a bit janky it’s a fun PS3 game and it clearly flopped when there’s no good guide and the only dlc all star video guide looks like it was recorded on a potato. A game like this would be buried by this default sort for not selling at all. 

Uh no. Steam is a good store front with many discovery tools. And the ability to completely ignore games (and devs; although that requires the opt in to the “beta” profiles, which should be forced on every dev now so we can ignore them alll). PS Store doesn’t even have a competent webstore anymore. Not that it was a great Ui before, but now three platforms of games aren’t even purchasable on it for no reason. And PS3 in particular is a risk to even try to buy something. Even my old ass laptop can go through the Steam Store without freezing and potentially corrupting my hard drive (which the PS3 did for me). 
 

I wish the shitty PS Store was like Steam. People just say things, but clearly don’t use the many tools Steam has to ignore devs that suck. Or games they don’t want. It’s not hard. And it’s the only storefront that lets you do any of it. I’d ignore Energy — devs and these jumping hotdog or whatever nonsense devs so fucking fast, but alas PS Store is far from Steam 2.0 because I’d it were it wouldn’t be shit.

 

Im considering making a Steam account next year, trophies aren't even that much fun anymore ?

Edited August 28, 2022 by Nelson_

[AugustUnder]

On 8/17/2022 at 1:09 PM, DrBloodmoney said:

Madden and Fifa are always huge sellers - they routinely end up on the biggest sellers of the year, every year.

 

Yup, this is 100% correct. There was always a large subset of gamers that bought systems just to be able to keep playing the new Madden (or FIFA or NHL or whatever sports game). For some, this is all they want out of a system, and there is no way I am going to say it is right or wrong. People like what they like. As far as grubby platinums go ( a term I saw a YouTuber use and I fell in love with it), I think we take those way too seriously at times. Should they be highlighted in the store? No, probably not, but I don't think we really need to get all bent out of shape because people kind of like grabbing a .99 cent game with a cruddy bowling mechanic coupled with some sort of bible lesson which no one reads. Me playing that doesn't really change the enjoyment I get out of Nioh. In fact, I find that I come to appreciate the more "respectable" games even more after a few palate cleansers. 

 

This is not to really defend the grubby platinums, nor to really say anything meaningful about the new default sorting on the store or how it may impact sales of less popular games. It may just be me yelling at clouds, but while I was annoyed it was no longer sorted by newest 1st, a few clicks and I can view the list however I want and it really isn't too big a deal. 

Edited August 25, 2022 by AugustUnder
spelling error correction.

[mcnichoj]

Now we'll be forced to see the same garbage AAA games all year long while some hidden gem indies get pushed to the side.

Just like how its always been.

[DrBloodmoney]

9 minutes ago, mcnichoj said:

Now we'll be forced to see the same garbage AAA games all year long while some hidden gem indies get pushed to the side.

Just like how its always been.

 

That is a genuine problem, for sure - however, I'd contest that those indie gems (which I am just as eager to see as you,) were already being buried under a slurry of jumping/ running foodstuffs anyways.

 

At least they usually get some kind of spotlight in the "Indie Gem" type electronic Standies - which, to be fair, Sony has generally kept the really exploitative non-games out of.

 

Edited August 26, 2022 by DrBloodmoney

[tonkie18]

Where do you guys look at games? I look on the PlayStation app on my phone and there’s a section saying ‘new games’ I check it most days and right now I’d say the majority of the games on there are expensive/longer games. There’s a lot of ezpzs as well. But I don’t know how games are getting missed because that shows you everything that is released? There’s never been a day that that many ezpzs were released that you miss the bigger games or indie games. If that’s the true reason people are getting so worked up then download the app and check it every couple/few days you won’t miss any new releases?

[Riiszk]

7 minutes ago, tonkie18 said:

Where do you guys look at games? I look on the PlayStation app on my phone and there’s a section saying ‘new games’ I check it most days and right now I’d say the majority of the games on there are expensive/longer games.

What? Unless you're seeing something different to me, the majority of the first page right now looks like shovel ware. Whether it has multiple stacks or not, it's all shit/quick games bar maybe 5 (a generous 5). 5/50 games is still a disgrace and you're saying this is a better list than normal? Damn. 

The last game I see worth anything is F1 and then Saints Row almost 3 pages back. I know some really like Fallen Legion too

[tonkie18]

Ok the first games on that list .,

 

Saints row

F1 Manager 22

Saints row

Madden 23

Cult of the Lamb

Saints Row

Thymesia

Madden 23

Soul Hackers

Path of the Titans

Two point campus

Path of the Titans

Way of the Hunter

Soul Hackers 2

Soul Hackers 2

Madden 23 

Rollerdrome

Digimon Survive

Rimworld

SD gunham 

Arcade paradise

Sword and Fairy

Cursed to Golf

Me and the Professor

Dark Alliance

Soul Hackers 2

Cult of the Lamb

 

Before it ever gets to a shovel ware game. You have every new release, every version of every new release and the cheapest game there is £15.99. Indie, AAA with a few ezpzs thrown in.

 

I use the app and as soon as I go to the store I scroll down and there is a section called ‘new games’ you see everything that is released and if you check regularly you will never miss a game!

[DrBloodmoney]

3 minutes ago, tonkie18 said:

Ok the first games on that list .,

 

Saints row

F1 Manager 22

Saints row

Madden 23

Cult of the Lamb

Saints Row

Thymesia

Madden 23

Soul Hackers

Path of the Titans

Two point campus

Path of the Titans

Way of the Hunter

Soul Hackers 2

Soul Hackers 2

Madden 23 

Rollerdrome

Digimon Survive

Rimworld

SD gunham 

Arcade paradise

Sword and Fairy

Cursed to Golf

Me and the Professor

Dark Alliance

Soul Hackers 2

Cult of the Lamb

 

Before it ever gets to a shovel ware game. You have every new release, every version of every new release and the cheapest game there is £15.99. Indie, AAA with a few ezpzs thrown in.

 

I use the app and as soon as I go to the store I scroll down and there is a section called ‘new games’ you see everything that is released and if you check regularly you will never miss a game!

 

@tonkie18

 

That's what they're talking about in this thread - it's been changed recently, to show the real games first, with the non-games sidelined further down, via a loose popularity metric.

 

The list you're showing here is post-change - 

Prior to the change, the list was purely chronological by release date, and with the non-games coming out daily, often with multiple versions per region, they had a tendency to drown out any real games, very quickly pushing them off the front page, where casual traffic on the site could easily miss them.

 

 

[tonkie18]

And if I went further down the list it has an ezpz next, then a few more bigger/longer/expensive games. A few ezpzs, then bigger games. The majority of them on there today are bigger games. It shows everything. So I’ve just never understood the ruckus about it. If you really don’t want to miss anything released just check that part regularly. Yes some days there will be an influx of ezpzs but never enough to bury other releases. 

@DrBloodmoney I check that list almost daily and it’s always been that way. It’s always shown everything as it’s released. It’s never buried the ‘good’ games. 

And I get these stupid pings to my phone I can’t turn off when games I have shown no interest in are released. They literally happen every couple of minutes. A really annoying bug I think. But if you find the weird way I set that up it’s also another option not to miss anything. 

[You]

On this site today, both stacks of Cowabunga collection trophy lists for PS4 and PS5 got released today, and both were scrolled off the page within 6 hours, in a quarter of a day.

Who checks the PSStore everyday? I don't even do that, sure 8 stacks aren't listed on the PSStore but there's definitely a steady stream of "games" coming in where it's certainly a good idea to list those ones at the very bottom.

[Riiszk]

13 minutes ago, tonkie18 said:

I use the app and as soon as I go to the store I scroll down and there is a section called ‘new games’ you see everything that is released and if you check regularly you will never miss a game!

 

Oh yeah, the app is an awful lot better. 

I'll use that instead 

[DrBloodmoney]

10 minutes ago, tonkie18 said:

 

@DrBloodmoney I check that list almost daily and it’s always been that way. It’s always shown everything as it’s released. It’s never buried the ‘good’ games. 

 

no, it was updated specifically to address this issue recently - here's a few of the news articles outlining it:

 

https://www.thegamer.com/playstation-store-shovelware-update-new-releases/

 

https://www.pushsquare.com/news/2022/08/sony-adjusts-default-ps-store-sorting-amid-shovelware-backlash

 

https://www.playstationlifestyle.net/2022/08/13/ps-store-easy-trophies-games-sorted/

 

https://comicbook.com/gaming/news/playstation-ps4-ps5-store-update-shovelware/

 

 

how successful it was is a matter of debate, but certainly a change was made by Sony relatively recently to at least attempt to give more prominence to the real games, over the not-so-real ones.

Edited August 26, 2022 by DrBloodmoney

[tonkie18]

Well speaking from my experience (but I guess that’s pretty redundant here) ? all games have always had a platform on that list. I don’t do social media, there’s very little for me to do on my phone and most days if I’m bored I will scroll through that list. If they have made a change it is that subtle I don’t notice the difference because it’s always been that way. Some days there will be loads of ezpzs, some days there will be a lot of bigger releases. It depends what is released. 

[DrBloodmoney]

15 minutes ago, tonkie18 said:

Well speaking from my experience (but I guess that’s pretty redundant here) ? all games have always had a platform on that list. I don’t do social media, there’s very little for me to do on my phone and most days if I’m bored I will scroll through that list. If they have made a change it is that subtle I don’t notice the difference because it’s always been that way. Some days there will be loads of ezpzs, some days there will be a lot of bigger releases. It depends what is released. 

 

Yeah - I mean, it doesn't really affect me particularly, as I'm generally only on the store searching for games I already know about, but the change shouldn't really be about addressing my experience, or yours, or anyone on this site...

... but rather about giving indie games from small studios a fair shake of the casual foot-traffic.

 

TBH, most people frequenting this site are already balls-deep in gaming, so likely getting their information about new releases etc. from other sources (podcasts / gaming news / word of mouth on these forums etc.)

However, there is (or was) an issue on the store, in the sense that a smaller, less marketed indie games, that could be a labour of love that a small team poured their heart and soul into for 5 years, were only getting a day - or maybe two if they were lucky - of store prominence on the New Releases section, before being crushed under a slew of palate-swapped trophy-delivery software that the developers barely spend a day working on, before shoving out the next one.

 

Nothing wrong with a store having those games on it - but Sony have a vested interest in the future of gaming, and so have something of a commercial interest in addressing their duty of care to smaller "real" developers. They should be trying their best to get as many casual eyes on those games, because that scene is the soil from which the future of AAA gaming is grown. 

 

It's like a supermarket - nothing wrong with a supermarket stocking the cheapest, most unhealthy foods - they should, it is a store for everyone, after all - but there's a reason that they are at the back of the store, and the fresh fruit and veg is the first thing you see when you walk in.

It benefits the store, as well as the consumer. 

Edited August 26, 2022 by DrBloodmoney