PS Plus saved the indie game and the industry benefits

The co-founder of Giant Squid Studios, Matt Nava, revealed that their latest game, Sword of the Sea, was saved from the brink of cancellation thanks to the support of Sony's PlayStation Plus Extra program. The partnership not only ensured the game's release, but also became a model of how subscription services can support game development in a creative and financial way.

The studio, known for titles like Abzû and The Pathless, was struggling financially to finish the production of Sword of the Sea. It was at this moment that PlayStation intervened, offering funding to the studio in exchange for including the game in the PlayStation Plus Extra Catalog. The agreement allowed Giant Squid to add new mechanics and fix errors, resulting in a more polished final product.

Matt Nava expressed his enthusiasm for the program in an interview with GI.biz, praising Sony for their commitment to the artistic aspect of the industry. "It's just fantastic for Sony to have a program like that. This huge, powerful company has a dedicated group of people who really care about the artistic aspect of the industry." He also addressed the issue of value in subscription services. "On one hand, you're giving the game for free to all these people who are already subscribed, but at the same time, many more people will play it, you have more people watching the game. That's also tremendous value."

The story of Sword of the Sea is an example of how collaboration between big platforms and small studios can be beneficial, ensuring the existence of games that otherwise would not see the light of day and giving them the chance to reach a massive audience. Matt Nava concluded that Sony's support was crucial. "Dude, it saved the game."