January 2026 will be when Sony stops focusing on offering PS4 games as a key benefit of PlayStation Plus. PlayStation Plus has undergone significant changes over the years. Originally, PS Plus was strictly a way for subscribers to get monthly free games and discounts, but the PS4 era saw online multiplayer tied to it.
The PS5 era has seen the most significant changes to PlayStation Plus to date. Since the launch of the PS5, Sony has introduced and removed the PS Plus Collection and has split the service into three distinct tiers. PS Plus Essential is PS Plus as it’s been since the days of the PS4, giving subscribers access to monthly free games, online multiplayer, and exclusive discounts. PS Plus Extra includes all that plus an ever-evolving selection of PS4 and PS5 games. And finally, PS Plus Premium is the ultimate tier of the service, featuring everything from the previous two tiers plus retro games from older PlayStation consoles.
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PS Plus Users Have Three New Games to Download for June 2025
PlayStation Plus subscribers once again have three new games to download for June 2025, as Sony adds a batch of new titles to the service.
The next major change to PlayStation Plus will happen in January 2026. While it will be business as usual until then, January 2026 will be when Sony stops offering PS4 games as a “key benefit” of PS Plus. This means subscribers won’t see new PS4 games added to the PS Plus Essential monthly games or the PS Plus Extra catalog at nearly the same rate that they do now. This is disappointing news for PS5 gamers that may have enjoyed getting access to these older games, but it’s especially disappointing for PS4 gamers that have yet to upgrade to the PlayStation 5. Based on PS5 sales numbers, millions of PS4 gamers will be missing out starting in January.
When Are PS4 Games Going to Start Being Phased Out on PS Plus?
What hasn’t been clarified yet is if this will impact the number of free games PS Plus subscribers get every month. When Sony phased out giving away free PS3 games on PS Plus, it meant that subscribers simply had fewer games to claim every month. Since the launch of the PS5, PS Plus subscribers have consistently had at least three free games to claim, but there have been times when even more games were up for grabs.
For example, the free PS Plus games for June 2025 include a fourth, bonus freebie. The main free games are the Alone in the Dark remake, Bomb Rush Cyberfunk, and NBA 2K25, but PS Plus subscribers also have Destiny 2: The Final Shape to claim. Paired with Destiny 2: Legacy Collection on PS Plus Extra, and subscribers can easily spend dozens of hours in Bungie’s FPS shooter before they run out of things to do.