Sony has clarified many times that fans shouldn’t expect too many Day One releases on the PlayStation Plus. On the other hand, Microsoft continues to spend mightily on the Game Pass, despite agreeing that it cannibalizes game sales. But, in an unprecedented move, both PS Plus and Game Pass will welcome one game simultaneously on August 29.
According to Sabotage Studio, its highly anticipated retro-style RPG, Sea of Stars, is coming to the PS Plus and Game Pass at launch.
Inspired by classics like Chrono Trigger, Sea of Stars tells an epic narrative centered around two powerful heroes, the Children of the Solstice, who combine their powers of the sun and moon to perform Eclipse Magic. This magic is the only force capable of combating the monstrous creations of the evil alchemist known as The Fleshmancer. As an indie game, Sea of Stars has successfully distinguished itself alongside high-profile RPGs such as Baldur’s Gate 3 and Starfield, scheduled for release in the same busy period.
Sea of Stars’ inclusion in the PlayStation Plus Game Catalog and Xbox Game Pass mean subscribers will have access to the game on its launch day, significantly increasing its potential player base. On PlayStation Plus, the game will be exclusive to the Extra and Premium members. The game’s simultaneous presence on these two competing subscription services could serve as a test case for other games contemplating a similar release strategy. As level designer Philippe Dionne expressed on the PlayStation Blog, the team is thrilled about the opportunity for more players worldwide to experience Sea of Stars and engage in the conversation around the project.
Complementing this significant announcement, Sabotage Studio has also released a Sea of Stars demo on the PS4 and the PS5. The demo offers players a glimpse of the game’s core elements, such as dungeon crawling and combat mechanics, without revealing any major spoilers. Dionne mentioned that the demo is designed to provide a taste of the game’s tone and vibe and to highlight the game’s traversal system, a core aspect of the experience.
Sabotage wants “exploration to be as fully fleshed out as combat,” reinforcing players’ tendencies to experiment and even discover new elements of the game without intrusive tutorials or UI indicators that could hamper immersion.
While this launch strategy may seem like a risky move for a newly released game, Sea of Stars follows in the footsteps of other successful indie titles like Stray, Tchia, and Humanity, which have launched as PS Plus titles. Alongside its PlayStation and Xbox release, Sea of Stars will also be available on Nintendo Switch and PC, albeit at the full $35 price tag. However, the innovative launch strategy provides an excellent opportunity for Sabotage Studio to put their game in front of as many players as possible during this bustling period for games.
While Sony has previously stated its reluctance to launch new first-party games on PlayStation Plus on day one, the success of Sea of Stars could potentially open up new possibilities. If the game performs well on the subscription service, it could persuade Sony and other game developers that making their titles available to subscribers on day one could be a win-win situation for developers and gamers alike.
In the midst of what has been dubbed a golden age for JRPGs, with remasters like Live A Live and Tactics Ogre, Nintendo’s most recent Fire Emblem game, and last year’s retro-styled Chained Echoes, Sea of Stars promises to carve its niche. And while behemoth franchises like Final Fantasy 16 will likely dominate the conversation this year, Sea of Stars is shaping up to be an unmissable experience. Fans of the genre can look forward to a documentary on Sea of Stars premiering on August 15, providing further insight into this intriguing title just before its launch.
Now, all that’s left is for Square Enix to confirm and/or release the remaster of Final Fantasy Tactics.
