PlayStation Plus' latest lineup is now available for all members to add to their collections. September's Essential tier selections include Psychonauts 2, Stardew Valley, and Viewfinder. These three will be available for subscribers to download into their libraries until October 6. PlayStation Plus has had a much busier summer season this year than usual due to Sony commemorating the service being around for 15 years, with it offering all sorts of bonuses and promotional giveaways since June.
And while this may be slowing down as 2025 begins to come a close, one thing that doesn't appear to be going away is the ongoing shift in terms of Sony and its service's acquisition of games from developers previously associated with its main competitor. This is particularly evidenced by Psychonauts 2's inclusion on PS Plus, due to developer Double Fine Production's close ties with Microsoft's Xbox Game Studios, and it could be another indication that the currently shifting landscape of subscription services will continue on the current trajectory.
Psychonauts 2 On PlayStation Plus for September 2025 Suggests the Recently Changing Dynamics of Console Subscription Services Are Here to Stay
Psychonauts 2 Developer Double Fine Production's Partnership With Microsoft Goes Way Back
Double Fine has a storied history stretching back 25 years. Founder and creative director, Tim Schafer, has become one of gaming's most recognized auteurs, and his contributions to the medium are well-known and widely respected. Starting his career at LucasArts, Schafer later formed Double Fine in 2000. The studio then shipped its debut title, Psychonauts, in 2005 to good critical acclaim but comparatively lower sales.
When Double Fine ran into issues with some of its previous publishing partners, it worked out a deal with Microsoft to step in and assist. Double Fine was later acquired outright by Xbox Game Studios in 2019, making it technically a first-party developer, but retained a more independent status and greater creative freedom in the process. Nevertheless, Double Fine has had an association with the Xbox brand since. But now that Psychonauts 2 is on PS Plus, this seems to further imply that the prior walls in place between the involved parties are disappearing.
Why Psychonauts 2 Hitting PS Plus May Be Yet Another Sign of the Ongoing Paradigm Shift in Console Subscription Services
PS+ has added some incredibly popular games in the back half of this year, among them Diablo 4 and Lies of P. Most recently, Stardew Valley landed on PS Plus, and has received the lion's share of attention given it's the darling indie farming sim that has enjoyed a long and fruitful presence spanning almost 10 years and counting thanks to its massive community. Stardew Valley will even be getting a new update soon, which is certainly both unexpected and exciting.
But along with this major grab, Psychonauts 2 is also regarded as a beloved cult classic. And although the title did originally release concurrently on PS and Xbox in 2021, it was a day-one Game Pass inclusion and Double Fine remains a Microsoft studio. The fact that Psychonauts 2 just came to PS+ contributes to the ongoing discussion around the situation of games like Gears of War: Reloaded releasing on PlayStation. Adding to that conversation is Obsidian Entertainment's upcoming sci-fi RPG The Outer Worlds 2 dropping day one also on PS5, as well as rumors of Bethesda's similar Starfield (both studios owned by Microsoft) coming to the platform.
On the flipside, Helldivers 2, Arrowhead Game Studio's hit multiplayer futuristic military shooter published by Sony that was previously exclusive to PS and PC , released on Xbox in August.
The relationship between Sony/PS Plus and Xbox/Game Pass has been undergoing rapid changes recently, especially in light of how the previous generations saw each buying up and/or hoarding exclusives for lengthy periods. But Psychonauts 2 making its way to PlayStation Plus appears to cement a changing of the guard and new strategy for PS Plus, and suggests that this dissolution of the previous divide likely won’t be slowing down in the foreseeable future.
