PlayStation Plus Premium will soon offer European players access to Twisted Metal 3 and Twisted Metal 4, two entries that have never been officially released outside the US until now. This marks a notable change for fans of the car combat series who previously missed out on these classic titles.
The Twisted Metal franchise has held a special place for many American gamers since the 90s, but it didn’t quite catch on in Europe on the same scale. Several factors contributed to the outcome, including marketing decisions and regional preferences. However, the unavailability of these particular games was a significant factor. Both Twisted Metal 3 and Twisted Metal 4 were originally exclusive to the US market.
That situation will shift later this week, when PS Plus Premium subscribers across Europe will be able to play these two titles for the first time. They were developed by 989 Studios, a now-defunct Sony subsidiary known for producing several PS1 sports games. The studio’s version of Twisted Metal is often seen as divisive, partly because it lacked involvement from the original creators who had moved on to other projects.
SingleTrac, the team behind the first two Twisted Metal games, was acquired by GT Interactive, which led to key developers leaving and forming Incognito Entertainment. This new team focused on Twisted Metal Black for PS2, leaving Twisted Metal 3 and 4 to 989 Studios. Critics were less enthusiastic about these entries, and some accused Sony of stretching the franchise too thin.
These issues likely contributed to the game’s never releasing in Europe, especially considering Sony’s regional divisions operated quite independently back then. However, now, thanks to PS Plus Premium, European players will be able to experience these installments officially.
