Sony has announced that it will be giving away free copies of Uncharted: The Nathan Drake Collection and Journey from April 15 through May 5 in a bid to compel gamers to stay home and practice social distancing during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
This is part of the company’s “Play At Home” initiative, which, as the company explains, serves two purposes: “providing free games to help keep the PlayStation community entertained at home; and finally, establishing a fund to help smaller independent game studios who may be experiencing financial difficulties continue building great experiences for all gamers.”
Uncharted: The Nathan Drake Collection is a remastered compilation of Naughty Dog’s first three Uncharted titles (Uncharted, Uncharted 2: Among Thieves, Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception). Journey, on the other hand, is a 2012 adventure game that flaunts a stunning art style (it’s also on PC and iOS).
In terms of creative funding, Sony is helping indies out by providing $10 million in financial support. “Independent developers are vital to the heart and soul of the gaming community and we understand the hardships and financial struggles that many smaller gaming studios are facing,” the company wrote.