It’s obvious that Sony and Microsoft are hard at work preparing for the next generation of consoles. The former has already revealed some information on what fans could expect from the PlayStation 5, while the latter has promised that exciting news will be shared during next month’s E3 showcase. With new hardware nearly upon us, now is a great time to remind fans why they chose to play on each respective platform. Sony’s PS Plus and Microsoft’s Games With Gold offerings could serve as incentives for players to renew their loyalty for each brand. The following are our June 2019 PS Plus Xbox Games With Gold predictions.
June 2019 PS Plus Xbox Games With Gold predictions | The big ones
Mirror’s Edge Catalyst released on June 7, 2016 for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, making next month a perfect time for it to appear on either machine’s subscription service. Just like the original 2008 title, the game has players perform daring parkour moves as they avoid the clutches of an evil totalitarian government. Jumping off ledges, falling through glass ceilings, and gliding across Glass City with zip-lines may make one’s stomach drop initially, but the series’ uniqueness may entice newcomers to give it a shot.
Having Catalyst on PS Plus or Games with Gold this June could remind fans of EA’s devotion to quality software, especially after Anthem‘s mixed reception this past February. It may renew their faith in the company just in time for its EA Play showcase.
Batman: Arkham Knight is also a likely contender, seeing as how it released on June 23, 2015 for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. Its presence on either platform could let audiences know that Rocksteady is hard at work on another project (that may have something to do with the DC universe). Should the studio decide to reveal their next game at this year’s E3, Arkham Knight may serve as the perfect reminder of its pedigree. There’s also plenty of DLC available to owners of the base game.
The past year saw a number of notable fighting games release, including Dragon Ball FighterZ, Super Smash Bros Ultimate, Dead or Alive 6, and Mortal Kombat 11. Publisher Bandai Namco may want to reinvigorate Tekken 7‘s community by including it as part of PS Plus or Games with Gold this June. This martial arts-focused brawler is best played with another player locally or online, after all. Next month also marks the game’s second anniversary, as it originally released for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One on June 2, 2017.
Since the Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy and Star Ocean: Integrity and Faithlessness originally released exclusively for PlayStation 4 on June 30, 2017 and June 28, 2016 respectively, there’s a small chance that each may be included in PS Plus soon. Given the N. Sane Trilogy‘s popularity and the absence of JRPGs on the service in some time, however, it’s more likely that these two titles will never appear on Sony’s catalog.
North American PlayStation fans could always see exclusives like Gravity Rush Remastered, Gravity Rush 2, Killzone: Shadow Fall, Knack, and Knack 2 appear this June. Similarly, Gears of War 4 or Halo 5 could show up on Games with Gold, especially given the excitement that Microsoft is drumming up for its E3 press conference this year.
June 2019 PS Plus Xbox Games With Gold predictions | The indies
Developer Image & Form may opt to feature Steamworld Heist HD as part of PS Plus next month in celebration of the game’s third anniversary on the platform. Released on June 7, 2016 for PlayStation 4 and PlayStation Vita, this sequel to Steamworld Dig has players taking down robot pirates in a series of turn-based shootouts.
At the same time, they’ll have to recruit hilarious allies who reside in the furthest reaches of space. Though Heist focuses a lot on strategy, its lighthearted personality makes it accessible to video game fans of all ages. The title also comes packaged with a PlayStation Vita version. Sony halted PS Plus’ Vita catalog early this year, but getting it on PS4 is an intelligent loophole to also get it on the Vita.
The Fun Pimps’ 7 Days to Die is just as worthy to be a part of PS Plus or Games with Gold this June. This open world survival horror title has players find resources and build defenses before a zombie horde attacks them on the seventh day of the week. Watching the days go by within the confines of a small Arizona county can be maddening, especially as objects degrade and construction materials become more scarce.
The game allows fans to share their anxiety with friends in a single world, just in case they’re too scared to survive on their own. Seeing as how 7 Days to Die will be two years old next month, it makes sense for it to appear on either service soon.
Another great candidate for PS Plus or Games with Gold is Shovel Knight, as the platformer will be celebrating its fifth anniversary next month. Though it originally released for Wii U, 3DS, and PC, there’s no doubt that the title grew in popularity thanks to its presence on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. Developer Yacht Cub Games could offer the game on either service as a means to promote its recent King of Cards and Showdown expansions. Like Steamworld Heist above, both the PlayStation 4 and PlayStation Vita versions of Shovel Knight could appear on PS Plus.
Of course, each platform could offer additional incentives by bundling services together under one subscription program. PlayStation Now could be included with PlayStation Plus going forward, in a similar manner to how Microsoft offers Xbox Game Pass and a membership of Xbox Live Gold with its Xbox Game Pass Ultimate package. Each company could offer more cloud storage with their respective models, as the current limit may not be enough to support next generation game saves. Streaming services like PlayStation Vue, Netflix, Hulu, and more can factored in to sweeten each deal.
While PS Plus and Games with Gold are great as is, there’s room for each to improve as they transition to new hardware. Here’s hoping that Sony and Microsoft are willing to listen to fan feedback.
