Sony has unveiled the PlayStation Plus monthly games for August, confirming that the acclaimed Soulslike Lies of P will headline the lineup alongside the hardcore survival game Day Z and the anime fighter My Hero One’s Justice 2. While the inclusion of a recent, high-quality title like Lies of P is being praised, the overall offering highlights a growing debate around the value and strategy of Sony’s subscription service.
The three games will be available for PlayStation Plus members to claim starting August 5.
The “One Hero” Strategy on Full Display
This month’s selection is a clear case study in what has become Sony’s modern PlayStation Plus strategy: anchoring the entire month’s value on a single, high-profile “hero” game. Lies of P, a grim and stylish take on the Pinocchio fable that earned strong reviews upon its release, is unquestionably the main event. It’s a significant get for the service and a title many subscribers have had on their wishlists.
However, this approach inherently creates a polarized response. For subscribers who haven’t yet played Lies of P, August feels like a “big W.” For those who already own it or have no interest in the challenging Soulslike genre, the value of the month’s offering becomes far more questionable.
The “Filler” Debate and the PS4 Question
The other two titles, Day Z and My Hero One’s Justice 2, are fueling the other side of the debate. Both are last-generation PlayStation 4 titles, with Day Z in particular drawing criticism for being an older online game with a diminished console player base.
This has reignited a recurring complaint among subscribers: the perceived quality gap between the headline act and the supporting games. While these titles may find a new audience on the service, their inclusion is seen by many long-time subscribers as “filler” designed to pad out the lineup rather than provide compelling, current-generation value. With the PlayStation 5 now years into its lifecycle, the continued reliance on older PS4 games for two of the three monthly slots remains a significant point of contention.
A Service Struggling to Please Everyone
Ultimately, the August lineup illustrates the fundamental challenge facing any subscription service with a subscriber base as vast and diverse as PlayStation’s. A lineup that is a “10/10” for one player can be a complete miss for another. While the “one hero” strategy ensures there’s almost always a major talking point, it also guarantees a monthly cycle of division, leaving some players thrilled with the value and others openly questioning why they continue to pay for the service.
As an added bonus for the month, Sony is also releasing a special set of 15th Anniversary Avatars on August 5, available at no extra cost to all PlayStation Plus members. In the meantime, subscribers have until August 4 to add July’s games, Diablo IV, The King of Fighters XV, and Jusant, to their library.
