Published on April 15th, 2020 | by Adrian Gunning
Sony Interactive Entertainment announces the Play At Home Initiative
As a thank you to all who are doing their part to help contain the spread of COVID-19 and lessen the impact of the pandemic, Sony Interactive Entertainment is pleased to announce the Play At Home initiative, a three-part initiative asking the community to continue to support the safe choice and need to play at home.
Play At Home has three components: first, making a charitable donation to support those on the frontlines of this outbreak; second, providing free games to help keep the PlayStation community entertained at home; and finally, establishing a fund to help smaller independent game studios who may be experiencing financial difficulties continue building great experiences for all gamers.
Charitable Donation
Through Sony Corporation’s $100 million COVID-19 Global Relief Fund, Sony Interactive Entertainment will help those on the front lines against this pandemic, support children and educators working remotely, and provide assistance to the creative community.
Free Games to Play At Home
To support Play At Home, PlayStation will try to make those occasionally dull moments more exciting by offering Uncharted: The Nathan Drake Collection and Journey available for free* for a limited time through digital downloads from April 16 at 9am AEST through May 6, 2020 at 9am AEST. Once you redeem the games, they are yours to keep.
For most players, Uncharted: The Nathan Drake Collection will need no introduction. This three-game collection from the masters at Naughty Dog includes Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune, Uncharted 2: Among Thieves, and Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception—all meticulously remastered for PS4. There is no better time for globe-trotting adventures with Nathan Drake, an iconic cast of characters, and thrilling treasure-hunting action gameplay.
Then there’s Journey, a beautiful, celebrated adventure that is as moving as it is mysterious. The game’s life-affirming message is timeless, and perhaps more important now than ever before.
In alignment with SIE’s goal in preserving Internet access in the US and Europe, game downloads may take a little longer, but PlayStation appreciates the understanding from the community as measures are taken in an effort to preserve access for everyone.
Creative Funding
Independent developers are vital to the heart and soul of the gaming community and the hardships and financial struggles that many smaller gaming studios are facing are understood. With that, Sony Interactive Entertainment has developed a fund to support them during this time and have earmarked $10 million to support independent development partners. More information about the fund, including participation criteria, will be made available soon.
During these days of physical distancing, fans have turned to gaming for moments of respite and enjoyment. Sony Interactive Entertainment feels privileged to bring this much-needed entertainment to the community and know this is just one small step and are thankful to be able to offer this support to the players, the communities, and to partners.
For more information on the Play At Home initiative, visit the PlayStation Blog.
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