Sony is removing thousands of ‘shovelware’ games from PlayStation Store

Sony appears to be cracking down on shovelware on the PlayStation Store, with new publishing guidelines introduced earlier this year that aim to limit low‑effort releases. One publisher has already confirmed that its future games will no longer be allowable on the PS Store as a result of these changes.

Digital storefront moderation has been a recurring issue across the industry, with platforms like the PlayStation Store and Nintendo Switch eShop seeing a rise in cheaply produced releases designed to generate quick sales or offer easy Platinum trophies. As spotted by Push Square, Afil Games has now published a statement outlining how Sony’s new rules have affected its business model, and confirming that its catalogue will be removed from the PSN Store in the near future.

In its statement, Afil Games explains that “PlayStation has been implementing stricter guidelines for publishing games on its platform” and that Sony “has decided not to continue its partnership with Afil Games for future releases.” The publisher adds that it will continue to develop games for Xbox One, Xbox Series, the Microsoft Store and Nintendo Switch, with several new projects already in development.

The Brazil‑based company is known for releasing dozens of inexpensive casual titles that primarily attract trophy hunters looking to rapidly increase their Platinum trophy count. Similar practices are common across Xbox and Steam, where achievement‑driven players seek out low‑effort games to boost their profiles.

KitGuru Says: The question now is where the line should be drawn between shovelware and legitimate casual games. Would a publisher like KairoSoft for instance also fall afoul of the new PS Store rules?

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