Sony has unilaterally terminated its PlayStation publishing agreement with developer Ternox Games, leading to the removal of all 14 titles published by the company from the PlayStation Store. The games are scheduled to be delisted after August 23.
Ternox Games announced the sudden termination, stating that PlayStation Support has refused to provide explanations or engage with their concerns. This action prevents Ternox Games from self-publishing its titles on PlayStation platforms. The developer had previously hoped to release a PlayStation 5 version of its popular game STONKS-9800: Stock Market Simulator in 2027, along with a physical disc edition, plans which are now canceled. The developer expressed an intention to pursue physical editions for PC and Nintendo Switch instead.
While Sony has been actively removing games perceived as "shovelware" from the PlayStation Store, Ternox Games argues that its portfolio, despite containing some lower-budget titles, does not exclusively consist of low-effort content. The developer highlighted STONKS-9800: Stock Market Simulator, which has garnered an "Overwhelmingly Positive" rating on Steam with nearly 3,000 reviews, as evidence of its improved quality and not fitting the shovelware category.
The exact reason for Sony's decision remains unclear, as no official explanation has been provided to Ternox Games. Speculation suggests this could be the result of an automated flagging system that may have incorrectly identified some of Ternox Games' titles, leading to a broader removal of the publisher's entire catalog. Without a direct comment from Sony or a reversal of the decision, the precise cause remains unconfirmed.