Ever since the outbreak of Covid-19, a contagious virus whose contraction could prove lethal, everyone in their power has been employing methods to emphasize social distancing. From the government imposing strict lockdowns to employers introducing innovative methods such as the work-from-home alternative, minimal social contact is being stressed upon and the gaming world is no different.

On 1st March Sony started giving away its video game series Ratchet & Clank without any subscription whatsoever. It was made available until March 31st for free. It has also given away another of its games Journey, Uncharted: The Nathan Drake Collection since then.

Moreover, it will be giving away nine more games for free on 25th March as well as another one on 19th April as part of its “Play at Home” program.

What is the “Play at Home” Program and Why is Sony doing it?

Well, the idea was originally pitched last year as a way to keep gamers busy and have something to do with all the extra time they now had during the lockdown. Sony knows it cannot keep everyone busy but it can do something about the people who own a Ps4 or PS5 by giving away a handful of its best and most popular games for free, which is exactly what it did. There is such opportunity even in gambling. You can play hits likeJammin Jars or Juicy Fruit slot demo for free on developers sites or review sites.

Moreover, ever since the lockdown game developers are still adjusting to doing their work from home. It is not an easy change to adjust to which has been causing numerous game delays for a while now, which was another reason for Sony’s Play at Home program: to give their fans something as a free offering until new games are developed. Quite like a marketing strategy to still stay relevant with the fans who might have sought other games if they were not given so.

(Now: Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart is said to be out in June, whereas Horizon: Forbidden West is expected later in the year).

Games to Download For Free

The following is the list of games to be made downloadable for free on 25th March and 19th April:

Rez Infinite

An action-packed adventure filled with sights, sounds, and shooting action.

Abzu

From the creators of Journey, Flower, and The Pathless, ABZU is a magnificent underwater adventure. With a colourful and vibrant ocean filled with mystery and enigma, it is quite a sensational game indeed.

The Witness

This is a single-player game with numerous locations to traverse and over 500 puzzles to keep you interested.

Enter the Gungeon

It is an Indie game developed by Dodge Roll and published by Devolver Digital about a dungeon crawler following a group of people seeking to shoot, loot, and find the Gungeon’s ultimate fortune, that is, the gun that can kill the past.

Subnautica

You have crashed into an alien ocean world and the only way to escape is by going down in it, navigating your way through the harmful as well as the harmless waters.

Moss

Another single-player adventure game. When secret magic awakens as Quill, a mouse with dreams of greatness finds a mysterious Glass Relic and…well, it is better to play the game to find out. (It will be made available for free eventually).

Astrobot: Rescue Mission

Assist Astro in helping to rescue his crew in this fun-filled adventure, bursting with secrecy and entertainment.

Paper Beast

A dreamlike place with exotic and surprising creatures, interwoven with obstacles and puzzles to keep you interested.

Thumper

Here you are a space beetle, navigating through a hellish void and a giant from the future. Filled with soundtracks that are sure to keep your nerves tingling.

Horizon: Zero Dawn Complete Edition

Help Alloy, a young hunter in a machine-ridden unravel the mysteries of her past.

The Deadlines for Downloading These Games for Free

The first nine are available to download and play for free until 22nd April whereas Horizon: Zero Dawn Complete Edition will be available till 14th May.

The good news about these games is they are readily available for anyone with a PS4 or PS5, even if they do not have a PlayStation Plus subscription. Additionally, they do not really have an expiration date, as opposed to the ones on PlayStation Plus.

How to Claim these Games

All you need to do to claim these (currently) free games before the deadlines mentioned above, head over to the Play at Home page on the PlayStation store, log in to your PlayStation account and add the games you want to play to your library.

Moreover, Sony is said to be giving away free games throughout June.

Thus, the Play at Home is a great program by Sony to contribute what it can for helping people have something to do while practising social distancing or if they are quarantining at home. This lockdown has been tough on everyone, with people facing numerous physical and mental problems and the Play at Home program offers a considerable escape from the misery that seems to be on the news 24/7.