PS5 'eslop' issue is finally being addressed by Sony
Some shovelware titles on the PlayStation Store have been slowly disappearing
👏 It looks like Sony is tackling the growing issue of eslop games on the PlayStation Store
😫 It’s an issue that affects Microsoft and Nintendo’s storefronts too
😤 Shovelware titles are a regular presence on the PlayStation Network store
👎 They’re poorly made and designed to take advantage of unsuspecting customers
The PS5 is home to some fantastic titles, but sadly, the PlayStation Store has become overrun with low-quality, shovelware games in recent years that many are calling ‘eslop’.
A quick visit to the PlayStation Store’s recently added page highlights the issue. There are countless cheap and poorly developed games waiting to be purchased. Examples include BODYCAM SHOOTER 25, which currently has a score of 1.19 out of 5 after 353 ratings. Or how about Drug Trader Simulator - Urban Dealer? It’s sitting on a score of 1.98 stars after 229 ratings.
Unsurprisingly, these poorly rated games are both published by Grizzly Games Limited, but there are countless other titles out there, many of which have been artificially boosted by seemingly fake reviews, like The Jumping Melon Rush.
The games usually try to to mimic recent big releases in the hopes people will mistakenly purchase the rip off instead of the real thing. Expect to see reused assets, generative AI, and the quality you’d expect from the very worst mobile games.
This isn’t a problem that solely affects the PlayStation Store, of course. Nintendo and Microsoft’s digital storefronts face a similar problem, with the Nintendo Switch eShop often littered with questionable, cash-grabbing titles.
Thankfully, it seems like Sony is cracking down on opportunistic developers and publishers, as dozens of games have been removed from the store. Eurogamer highlighted that TrueTrophies and PSNProfiles noted the removal of many predatory titles, but there are still countless more.
A recent investigation by IGN highlighted the growing problem with eslop, which may have prompted Sony to act. However, it’s an issue that has been allowed to fester for too long, and determining which games are legitimate will take time and money.
Adam Vjestica is The Shortcut’s Senior Editor. Formerly TechRadar’s Gaming Hardware Editor, Adam has also worked at Nintendo of Europe as a Content Marketing Editor, where he helped launch the Nintendo Switch. Follow him on X @ItsMrProducts.
To be fair this is something Apple and probably android need to deal with on their stores. Apples App Store approach to me is and has for quite some time, been incredibly distasteful. Very hard to find anything of quality in the miasma of micro transaction and gacha ridden games. Not to mention the fake game ratings that permeate the App Store.