A single technical glitch can spiral into a major issue on digital platforms, and PlayStation has now learned that lesson the hard way. Shadow Tactics: Blades of the Shogun had been available for free on PS5 since October, but it later turned out that this was never intentional. Sony has now stepped in and revoked access to the game.
The biggest weakness of online platforms is that a single error can trigger a long chain of problems, and Sony is a perfect example of this. The Japanese company accidentally made Shadow Tactics: Blades of the Shogun, the stealth-focused strategy title from the now-defunct Mimimi Games, available for free to PS5 players. What initially seemed like an unexpected bonus was in fact the result of a mistake, and Sony is now removing the game from the accounts of users who claimed it.
The issue dates back to last October, when the excellent real-time tactical strategy game set in 17th-century Japan could be obtained for free due to a glitch in the digital storefront. Although Shadow Tactics: Blades of the Shogun normally costs €39.99, some users discovered that adding the demo beforehand unlocked the full version on their accounts, despite there being no official promotion.
At the time, many players assumed Sony would quickly patch the bug and revoke the licenses, but that never happened. For weeks, those who had taken advantage of the glitch were able to access the game normally and even complete it, leading many to believe that Sony had decided to move on and quietly close the matter without consequences.
With the arrival of the holiday season, however, PlayStation finally took action. In recent days, several users have received emails informing them of a symbolic refund of zero euros, followed by the immediate removal of the game from their digital libraries. As a direct result, Shadow Tactics: Blades of the Shogun has disappeared from the affected PS5 accounts.
Shadow Tactics: Blades of the Shogun Is Now Available for Under €5
This type of incident is not new to the PlayStation Store. A similar situation recently occurred with Shadow of the Tomb Raider, which was mistakenly offered for free in some regions before vanishing overnight. For those who missed out, there is a consolation prize: Shadow Tactics: Blades of the Shogun is currently available for €3.99 as part of the PlayStation Store Winter Sale.
![However, an anonymous GOG employee paints an even darker tone of the internal situation: „We were told it’s a financial decision. GOG’s revenue couldn’t keep up with growth, the fact that we’re dangerously close to being in the red has come up in the past few months, and the market’s move towards higher [developer] revenue shares have, or will, affect the bottom line as well.](https://thegeek.games/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/the-gog-1-302x180.jpg)
