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Sony has started to aggressively clean up the PlayStation Store of so-called shovelware, meaning low-quality games created in bulk and often copying popular titles. In its latest move, the company removed entire catalogs of several publishers, showing that the problem has finally been taken more seriously than before.
Sony removes entire catalogs of publishers to limit the influx of cheap and repetitive games in the PlayStation Store
Hundreds of games from publishers like GoGame Console Publisher and VRCForge Studios have disappeared from the platform. This is yet another such action in 2026, suggesting that Sony is conducting regular "clean-ups" in its store. The problem is that shovelware often masquerades as popular productions, offering very similar names, graphics, and mechanics but lacking quality.
Such productions are often created solely to easily acquire trophies or profit from popular trends. As a result, they clutter the store and make it difficult to find valuable titles. This is a problem that affects not only PlayStation but the entire digital distribution industry.
The problem still exists because Sony acts reactively instead of blocking such games at the publication stage
Despite removing games, shovelware still often returns under different names or from new publishers. Sony's current actions are more of a response to reports rather than a real quality filter. Without tightening the publishing rules and more thorough verification, the problem could repeat indefinitely.
An interesting element is the fact that Sony's actions are part of a broader industry initiative involving Microsoft and Nintendo. This could mean bigger changes in the future, but for now, the effects are limited.
Sony is taking a step in the right direction, but this is just the beginning of the fight against shovelware. Without better publication control, the problem will keep coming back, despite further "cleanups" in the store.
source: digitaltrends.com
