Sony announces its plans for the PlayStation's 30th anniversary

On December 3, 1994, Sony launched the first PlayStation in Japan, changing the video game industry forever. American gamers didn't get their hands on the PS until September 9, 1995, but Sony isn't making us wait another year to start celebrating the PlayStation's 30th anniversary. And the first plans for this year-long party have been revealed.

From October to the end of January, Sony Music will release classic PlayStation game music on Spotify and digital music storefronts. Confirmed titles include God of War, God of War II, God of War: Chains of Sparta, Twisted Metal, Starhawk and Unit 13. ​

There will also be a free trial version of Gran Turismo 7 called My First GT. Sony hasn't set a date for the trial yet, but it will be released over the holiday season for PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 users, featuring some of the most popular cars, tracks, and more from Gran Turismo 7.

Sports game fans should note that there will be a free online multiplayer weekend on September 21 and 22, featuring several esports tournaments for games like Madden NFL 24, MLB The Show 24, NBA 2K25, NBA 2K24, and even fighting games like Tekken 8, Guilty Gear Strive, and EA UFC 5. You don't need a paid PlayStation Plus membership to enter to win a PS 30th anniversary avatar and other prizes, but you will need a copy of the aforementioned titles.

This is just the beginning, as more plans for PlayStation's 30th anniversary will be announced at a later date. Some fans believe Sony used the initial announcement to reveal the design of the PlayStation 5 Pro, which is rumored to be officially unveiled soon.

Also released this week is Astro Bot, which is receiving rave reviews and contains numerous references to games from PlayStation history.