Shovelware
Ongoing coverage on Shovelware.
Latest coverage
Sticker Picker Review | TheXboxHub
Sticker Picker, Afil Games' first foray into the spot-the-difference genre, offers a mixed experience. While the game features polished artwork from the publisher's back catalogue and a functional hint system, its limited 30 puzzles and short playtime make the price feel steep. The review criticizes the prevalence of "gen-AI slop" in similar titles, contrasting it with Sticker Picker's human-made approach, but ultimately finds the game too slight.
PS5 Game Dev Says Sony Is Removing Its Catalog And Won’t Say Why
Ukrainian developer Ternox Games announced that Sony is unilaterally terminating their developer agreement and will remove all of Ternox's games from the PlayStation Store after August 23. The studio reports that PlayStation Support has been unresponsive to their inquiries. As a result, Ternox's stock market simulator Stonks-9800 will no longer be released on PlayStation 5, and the studio is exploring physical editions for PC and Nintendo Switch.
PlayStation 5 Version of Fun 2023 Game Blocked by Sony for Weird Reason
Sony has blocked the PlayStation 5 version of the popular 2023 PC game Stonks-9800, according to developer Ternox Games. The developer claims Sony mistakenly identified their studio as a shovelware producer, leading to the cancellation of their PlayStation contract and the delisting of all their games from the PlayStation Store. The Xbox and Nintendo Switch versions of Stonks-9800 will still be released as planned.
Half of all games released on Steam will use AI by 2028, study predicts: "AI lowers the barrier not just to make a…
A study by former developer Sulka Haro predicts that by 2028, half of all games released on Steam will incorporate AI-generated content. Currently, around 31% of new Steam games admit to using AI. Haro's analysis suggests that AI tools lower the barrier to entry for game creation, potentially increasing shovelware, though the majority of publishers have not yet released AI-assisted games.
Sony’s “Stricter Guidelines” On Shovelware PlayStation Games Are Reportedly Targeting More Developers
Sony is reportedly enforcing stricter guidelines on shovelware games for the PlayStation Store, leading to the termination of partnerships with developers like Afil Games. This move aims to clean up the platform, with Afil Games confirming all its titles will be removed from the PlayStation Store but will continue to be available on Xbox and Nintendo platforms.
Ytterligare en påstådd shovelware-utgivare portas av Playstation
PlayStation has banned the publisher Afil Games, known for releasing shovelware titles with easily obtainable achievements, due to stricter publishing guidelines. Afil Games claims these new rules are incompatible with their business model. While their games will be removed from PlayStation, Afil Games intends to continue releasing titles on Xbox, PC, and Nintendo Switch.
Sony is reportedly enforcing "stricter guidelines" against so-called "shovelware" PlayStation games
Sony is reportedly enforcing stricter guidelines on its PlayStation platform, leading to the termination of its partnership with Afil Games, a publisher accused of releasing "shovelware." Afil Games confirmed the decision, stating PlayStation is no longer continuing their partnership for future releases. The company will continue to release games on Xbox and Nintendo Switch. This follows Sony's removal of hundreds of games from the PlayStation Store in January, many of which were also considered shovelware.
Sony seemingly enforcing "stricter guidelines" on PlayStation Store to remove the mounds of PS5 shovelware games accumulating there
Sony is reportedly enforcing stricter guidelines on the PlayStation Store to combat the influx of low-effort 'shovelware' games. Publisher Afil Games confirmed its titles are being removed and future releases will not be accepted due to incompatibility with the new rules. Afil Games will continue to release titles on Xbox platforms and Nintendo Switch.
Sony Quietly Makes PS Store Change We’ve All Been Begging For
Sony Interactive Entertainment has implemented stricter publishing guidelines for the PlayStation Store, leading to the removal of thousands of low-effort games and dozens of developers. This change addresses player requests to filter out shovelware more effectively, a problem previously managed by removing notorious developers after public outcry.
PS5 Shovelware Dev Confirms 'Stricter' Publishing Guidelines from Sony
Sony has implemented stricter publishing guidelines for games on the PlayStation Store, leading Afil Games to confirm its future releases will not be available on PlayStation 5. The developer, known for low-effort titles, will also have its previous games removed from the store. Afil Games plans to focus on releasing titles for Xbox One, Xbox Series, Microsoft Store, and Nintendo Switch instead.
Random: There's a New Killzone Game, and It's Only on Nintendo Switch
A game titled Killzone Extraction has been released on Nintendo Switch, but it is unrelated to the PlayStation first-person shooter series and is considered shovelware. The publisher, Eathrabaria, is likely using the Killzone name for sales, and Sony may take legal action. Guerrilla Games appears focused on the Horizon series, making a new official Killzone game unlikely.
PS5's PS Store Shovelware Purge Continues with the Removal of More Garbage Games
Sony is actively removing shovelware titles from the PlayStation 5's PlayStation Store, with the micro-indie studio Acyntha being the latest to have its relationship with PlayStation terminated. Games like Pizza No Pizza and New Supper Banana will be delisted by the end of the month. This ongoing purge aims to clean up the storefront of titles that exist primarily to offer easy Platinum Trophies.
'We're Continuing Our Journey on Xbox, Switch, and Steam': Sony Wages War on 1,000+ Crappy PS5 Games
Sony is actively removing low-quality games from the PlayStation Store, with publisher Webnetic announcing its entire library of over 1,200 titles will be delisted. While the exact removal date is unclear, this move aims to improve the browsing experience on PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4 by cracking down on egregious examples of shovelware. Webnetic plans to continue releasing games on other platforms like Xbox, Nintendo Switch, and Steam.
PS Store Removes Major Scam Dev and All of Its Games
Sony has removed the developer 'Testagamecreations' and all of its associated games from the PlayStation Store due to scam and shovelware practices. Titles like Liar's Pub and various simulator games were among those removed, marking a step towards a cleaner digital storefront.
Nintendo eShop Continues Its War Against Quality With This Dead Space And Gears Of War Knockoff
The Nintendo eShop is criticized for being oversaturated with low-quality games and clones, exemplified by the upcoming release 'Dead Gears: Space of War.' Despite Nintendo's efforts to curb shovelware, the marketplace remains infested with asset flips and misleading promotions, impacting the visibility of legitimate titles. This issue is not unique to the Switch, though other platforms like PlayStation and Steam have shown more initiative in policing their digital storefronts.
Sony is aggressively wiping out leech games to keep the PlayStation catalog tidy
Sony has begun aggressively removing low-quality "shovelware" titles from the PlayStation Store, including the entire catalogs of publishers like GoGame Console Publisher, VRCForge Studios, and Welding Byte. This initiative, part of a broader commitment to safer gaming with Xbox and Nintendo, aims to improve the storefront experience, though the problem of low-effort games reappearing under new names persists.
Sony removes a selection of 'spam' games from its storefront as it continues its battle against shovelware
Sony has removed numerous 'shovelware' games from the PlayStation Store, including titles like Water Blast Shooter - Wet Gun and Jesus Simulator. This action is part of Sony's ongoing effort to combat low-quality and potentially AI-generated games, following criticism regarding the storefront's quality control.
Fake Uncharted and Jesus Simulator removed from PS5 store in shovelware purge
Sony has begun a purge of the PlayStation Store to remove shovelware and AI-generated games, with titles like 'Jesus Simulator' and a game previously featuring 'Uncharted' assets being removed. Despite these efforts, the article questions the effectiveness of Sony's content moderation and the continued presence of low-quality titles on the platform.
Sony's battle against shovelware publishers persists as it purges another load of crap games from the PlayStation Store
Sony has continued its efforts to remove low-quality games from the PlayStation Store, delisting entire catalogues from publishers like GoGame Console Publisher, VRCForge Studios, and Welding Byte. This action targets games that mimic successful titles or are considered low-effort asset flips or AI-generated content, following a similar large-scale removal in January.
Gran Turismo Copycat Forced to Change Its Name for Release on PS5, PS4
A game initially named Gran Carismo, which closely resembled Sony's Gran Turismo series, has been forced to change its title to Grand Car Racing on PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4. The game, also available on PC and Nintendo Switch under its original name, faced legal pressure from Sony to alter its title due to concerns about misleading consumers and the proliferation of shovelware on digital storefronts.
