Driveclub PlayStation Plus Edition May Never Be Released

One of the promises from Sony was that there would be a PlayStation Plus version of Driveclub for the dedicated members of the PlayStation community. However it doesn't appear as if a PlayStation Plus version of Driveclub is on the table at this point.

Game Informer spotted an interview on Metro where they interviewed Sony's Europe president, Jim Ryan. They asked him a couple of questions about Driveclub's PS Plus rendition, where he stated that it was “still being looked at” and that he couldn't “say anything at this stage,”.

Game Informer took it a step further and decided to reach out to Sony Computer Entertainment of America to ask for clarification on the matter, but at the time of publishing the article they have yet to receive a response.

It seems like a free version of Driveclub for PlayStation Plus subscribers would be too little, too late. The game's reputation has already sailed and offering a free version of a game that's still a work-in-progress and requires a lot of fixing to stand up to the expectations set forth by the promo campaigns and the Sony execs.

Game Informer argues that a free version of the game could help bolster appeal and drive more DLC purchases for the game, but that's a bit of a stretch. The likelihood is that anyone who managed to get their hands on the free version of Driveclub would play it, say “meh” and then go back to playing a better game once they get bored.

The one thing that really helped sell Driveclub is the game's graphics. It's a visually stunning masterpiece and often heralded as being one of the best looking games this generation along with The Order 1886 and Ryse: Son of Rome.

But it takes more than graphics to win over the general audience and DLC certainly isn't the remedy. Driveclub will also face a lot of stiff competition this spring from Slightly Mad Studios and Bandai Namco Games' Project CARS.

The crowd-funded racer has often been compared to Driveclub and most people give the slight graphical edge to Sony's exclusive racer, but as far as content, depth and playability go, Project CARS appears to have the upper hand.

Sony is in a fairly prickly situation given that the game doesn't really have much going for it other than that Sony could release more DLC and fix up the offerings on the content side of things. It won't ever really make up for the poor launch, which many rivaled to the likes of Ubisoft's Assassin's Creed Unity and the multiplayer aspects of Halo: The Master Chief Collection, but maybe with additional content, more modes and the eventual free version for PlayStation Plus members will help alter the public's perception of the game... in the long run.

In the meantime, I imagine fans will just have to settle for what they have in Driveclub, for better or for worse.

You can pick up the racing title right now for the PlayStation 4. For more information on the game feel free to pay a visit to the official website.