Ratchet & Clank PS4 game blasts onto the PlayStation Store for free. Yes, really

Ratchet & Clank

Ratchet and Clank’s classic 2016 PS4 adventure will be available for free from 1 March on the PlayStation Store.

The game is part of Sony’s Play At Home initiative, offering free games during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The initiative began last April, with Uncharted: The Nathan Drake Collection and Journey both available for free download. 

This year, Sony has a more extensive plan of free games and entertainment, of which Ratchet & Clank is the first.

The game revisits the origin story of these PlayStation mascots, featuring platforming challenges and goofy gadgets in its cartoon world. The news comes ahead of a release date for the next game in the series, Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart, due on PlayStation 5 on 11 June.

Also available as part of Play At Home is Funimation, or Wakanim as it’s known in Europe. A joint venture between Sony Pictures Entertainment and Aniplex, Funimation is an anime-focused subscription service. Extended access will be given to new subscribers from 25 March for a limited time, with more details coming soon.

The news was announced in a PlayStation Blog from Sony Interactive Entertainment president and CEO Jim Ryan. 

“The past 12 months haven’t been easy,” he said. “And I think we’re all hopeful that we may be starting to see some flickers of light at the end of this long COVID-19 tunnel thanks to the tireless work of the medical community and people around the world.

“I think we’ve got a great mix of games and entertainment offers lined up, and I hope this news made your day just a little bit brighter. We consider ourselves privileged to bring you this entertainment, and we are very grateful to be a part of your lives.”

This initiative presents a great opportunity to play through Ratchet & Clank before the duo’s PlayStation 5 outing, set to be a real showcase for the new console. It featured in our most anticipated games of the year list.