With two of its biggest upcoming games now in release purgatory, Sony is issuing refunds to those who purchased The Last of Us Part II and Iron Man VR via the PlayStation Store. The information appeared on the Support.PlayStation website as a banner announcement, plainly stating that all digital preorders will automatically receive a refund and for consumers to check their email for further details. Sony is adverse as any publisher to giving out refunds, but extreme circumstances involving the COVID-19 pandemic forced its hand on two of the more important releases in its 2020 lineup. Both games are no longer listed on PSN.
The delay of both games came last week in announcements from Sony and Naughty Dog, with shipping logistics and the “launch experience that customers deserve” being cited as the main reasons for indefinite delays. Sony Interactive Entertainment’s release said “SIE has made the difficult decision to delay the launch of The Last of Us Part II and Marvel’s Iron Man VR until further notice. Logistically, the global crisis is preventing us from providing the launch experience our players deserve.”
Meanwhile, Naughty Dog added their missive to fans, “The good news is, we’re nearly done with the development of The Last of Us Part II. However, even with us finishing the game, we were faced with the reality that due to logistics beyond our control, we couldn’t launch The Last of Us Part II to our satisfaction. We want to make sure everyone gets to play The Last of Us Part II around the same time, ensuring that we’re doing everything possible to preserve the best experience for everyone. This meant delaying the game until such a time where we can solve these logistic issues.”
Despite all this, Naughty Dog is still being coy about a potential digital-only May release, adding that Sony has yet to make a final decision on the matter. Though with the PSN listing now gone, the writing seems to be on the wall. Regardless, fan reaction as to why a digital release can’t still happen even if logistical problems are present continue to roll in and it may do Sony some good to address that issue, lest fans feel like they’re being forgotten during an already isolating time.
So, Sony fans: Were these games on your preorder list? How are you feeling about Iron Man VR and The Last of Us II since the delays? We’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments.
