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PlayStation Store Cleans Up: Sony Removes Scam Games in April 2025


playstation store cleanup

Sony has quietly taken action against low-effort and deceptive games on the PlayStation Store, removing several developers and their entire game catalogs this month.


The move targets shovelware — cheaply made titles often designed to imitate popular games — and aims to improve the quality of content available to PlayStation users.


For years, the PlayStation Store has faced criticism for hosting misleading games that mimic successful PC titles. These knockoffs frequently borrow names, visual styles, or themes from hit indie or multiplayer games on Steam, tricking customers into believing they’re getting official or console versions. 


One recent example involved a misleading flight simulator that led many to falsely believe Microsoft Flight Simulator was launching on PlayStation (as Microsoft is bringing many Xbox games to PS).


According to Game Rant and community site PSNProfiles, three developers have now been completely delisted:


  • Adventure Games

  • Gaming Dev

  • Grizzly Games (not to be confused with GrizzlyGames, creators of Thronefall and Islanders)


All of their games have been removed from the store.


Imitation Games Removed


These developers had built their catalogues around copycat versions of popular titles:


  • Adventure Games published titles like R.E.P.O.: Ghost Haul and Supermarket Simulator 2025, clearly riffing on the PC hit REPO and viral management sims.

  • Gaming Dev released games with names such as Beneath the Earth Backrooms, Lethal Corporation, and Operation Bodycam — blatant nods to Escape the Backrooms, Lethal Company, and Bodycam.

  • Grizzly Games pushed deceptive titles like Bodycam Shooter 2025, SCP Foundation Universe Horror, and VoidCraft Island Chronicles: Sky Survival.


The similarity in naming, branding, and artwork was reportedly designed to mislead users into confusing these games with the originals — a tactic that undermines both consumer trust and the visibility of legitimate developers on the platform.


A Growing Problem


This crackdown follows Sony’s earlier removal of RandomSpin Games in February 2025 for similar offenses. While this is one of Sony’s most comprehensive purges of shovelware to date, critics say the issue remains widespread.


Despite efforts dating back to 2022 to tighten store standards, spam games continue to flood the platform — often made with recycled assets, minimal effort, and increasingly, AI-generated content. 


These titles frequently use deceptive screenshots, plagiarized titles, and misleading descriptions to trick customers into purchases.


Sony’s latest enforcement shows a stronger stance against low-quality and misleading games, but many in the industry believe broader reforms are still needed. Improved content moderation, stricter publishing guidelines, and better discovery tools have been floated as potential solutions.


In the meantime, PlayStation users are advised to stay vigilant. Before purchasing unfamiliar titles, players should check reviews, developer credibility, and gameplay footage to avoid falling for scams.

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