Free PS Plus Driveclub Not Cancelled, Sony Assures

Sony has issued a notice reassuring fans that the free PlayStation Plus version of Driveclub has not been cancelled, following an interview with a company executive that had casts doubts over the project.

In a statement sent to GameSpot, Sony explained that it is trying to create a network that can handle the estimated stresses of releasing an online-centric triple-A game for free. The corporation could not, however, provide a timeline for completion of its work.

“Although currently we do not have an update regarding the timing for the launch of the PS Plus Edition, we are continually working on improving the server capacity to enable us to launch the PS Plus Edition as quickly as possible,” the statement read.

Sony’s statement comes amid doubts over the prospects of the PS Plus edition--which was first promised in June 2013--after a PlayStation executive appeared to hold off making any promises.

Jim Ryan, the chief executive of PlayStation Europe, was asked in a recent interview whether the release of the free version would arrive soon.

"That’s still being looked at," he replied.

When asked whether the free version would ever ship, Ryan replied: "I can’t say anything at this stage."

At E3 2013, months ahead of the release of the PlayStation 4, Sony made a pledge that PlayStation Plus subscribers would be given a free abridged version of Driveclub as a reward for their membership.

But the matter was complicated on several occasions, first in October 2013 when the racing sim was delayed just weeks ahead of its launch. It was delayed again in early 2014, and when finally released in October that year, it launched with major server issues that knocked its network infrastructure offline.

During the disaster launch, a decision was made at Sony to postpone the free version, likely in order to prevent the online problems worsening.

Months of waiting followed while fans hoped that the free version would still ship. Then, in early February this year, a representative for the game's developer, Evolution Studios, told a fan that the build "still needs a lot of work".