Webnetic, a video game developer and publisher that some players have come to associate with shovelware, appears to no longer have an active publishing agreement with the PlayStation Store, and the change may be part of a growing trend. The PlayStation Store originally launched in 2006 alongside the PlayStation 3, and in the years since, it has grown into one of the industry’s largest digital marketplaces. As gamers and publishers turned increasingly to digital games with the PS4 and PS5 generations, the storefront has likewise expanded and now includes offerings from publishers of all sizes.
Though this growth has provided opportunities for smaller developers to reach players, it’s also contributed to a steady increase in low-cost, and many would say low-effort, releases that usually cost only a few bucks. Games of this type, commonly referred to as shovelware, are often released in large quantities, may feature minimal gameplay and reused assets, or include achievement-focused designs that attract trophy hunters. The sheer number of these titles can make it difficult for gamers to find releases they’d actually like to play. While similar concerns affect other digital marketplaces like Steam, the Nintendo eShop, and mobile app stores, Sony has acknowledged...
