PlayStation Store Cracks Down on Scam Games

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Summary

  • Sony has delisted three developers with scam games from the PlayStation Store to combat fraudulent practices.
  • These developers published games that mimicked popular Steam titles, like REPO, Lethal Company, etc., in order to deceive PlayStation users.
  • Shovelware and scam games have long cluttered the PlayStation Store and reduced visibility for genuine titles, but Sony seems to be taking notice of the problem now.

This month, there’s been a relatively subdued but significant reorganization in the PlayStation Store. A number of game developers and their entire game collections have mysteriously vanished from the platform. Although Sony hasn’t issued an official statement yet, it appears that the recent removal of games from the PlayStation Store is aimed at eliminating low-quality, or “shovelware”, games as well as those that deceive players intentionally.

Over the years, the PlayStation Store has been inundated with shoddy, low-quality games and scams, many of which are unashamed copies of popular PC titles. These games are hastily produced using affordable resources or AI-generated content, then advertised as console versions of successful indie or multiplayer games from Steam. This leads to a congested storefront that significantly diminishes the exposure for genuine games and misleads customers who might not be cautious about such questionable ventures.

Earlier this month, Sony expanded the wishlist capacity on the PlayStation Store, but now, three developers – Adventure Games, Gaming Dev, and Grizzly Games – have been removed from the storefront by Sony. PSNProfiles has noticed that every game associated with these developers has disappeared from the PlayStation Store. This isn’t an unexpected move by Sony, as these developers had been publishing games that imitated or mimicked popular titles like REPO, Escape the Backrooms, Lethal Company, Bodycam, The Exit 8, among others, in order to trick PlayStation users into buying them.

Scam Games and Developers Removed from PlayStation Store in April 2025

Adventure Games

  • R.E.P.O.: Ghost Haul
  • Supermarket Simulator 2025

Gaming Dev

  • Beneath the Earth Backrooms
  • BioStorm
  • Clown Art
  • Exit 9 Metro
  • Lethal Corporation
  • Operation Bodycam
  • Pilot Flight Simulation
  • Supermarket Simulator 24

Grizzly Games

  • Bodycam Shooter 2025
  • Drug Trader Simulator – Urban Dealer
  • SCP Foundation Universe Horror
  • Sunforge Solar Survival
  • The Lost Dino Survival Expedition
  • Vampires and Knights: Eclipse Survival and Magic Craft
  • VoidCraft Island Chronicles: Sky Survival
  • Zombie Blocks: Pixel Shooter Gun

Among the fraudulent games recently taken down from the PlayStation Store are titles such as “Supermarket Simulator 2025” by Adventure Games, “Operation Bodycam” and “Exit 9 Metro” from Gaming Dev, as well as “SCP Foundation Universe Horror” and “VoidCraft Island Chronicles” by Grizzly Games. It’s important to note that the latter two are not associated with GrizzlyGames, who are known for developing games like “Thronefall” and “Islanders”.

It’s good to see that Sony is taking action against these developers, and it’s worth noting that this recent crackdown is reminiscent of an earlier one in February 2025 when RandomSpin Games were removed from the PlayStation Store for similar reasons. The exact measures Sony has taken to ensure such incidents don’t happen again aren’t clear, but this seems to be their most forceful move since then. Regrettably, there are still numerous questionable games on the PlayStation Store, and new ones keep popping up at a pace that seems challenging for Sony to manage. Here’s hoping that in the coming months, they implement stricter quality control and more active moderation to support genuine games better.

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2025-04-20 21:35