PlayStation Plus Is Officially Changing Forever On December 31
Sorry to end the year on a bit of a downer, but here's something of a PSA for you: PlayStation Plus as we currently know it is coming to an end after a years-long run, and it all goes down on December 31. During the PlayStation 5 era, PlayStation gamers have consistently said the PS4 remains too much of a focus. Obviously, not everyone has had reason to complain about games like God of War Ragnarök coming to PS4, especially those who have yet to upgrade to PS5. Alas, the PlayStation 4 gamers who have been able to put off upgrading for the last five years are finally going to have to make some changes.
PlayStation Plus Is Making Some Huge Changes
We absolutely hate to see it
Starting January 2026, PlayStation Plus Essential is officially going to phase out PS4 games, focusing on PS5 titles moving forward. This means that December 31, when the January lineup is announced for the first time, will usher in the beginning of a brand-new era for the service. PlayStation explained:
“As many of our players are currently playing on PS5 and have shifted toward redeeming and accessing PS5 titles from the Monthly Games and Game Catalog benefit, PlayStation Plus is also evolving with this trend and will focus on offering PS5 titles through the Monthly Games and Game Catalog benefit starting January 2026."
This is a pretty massive change, obviously, and gamers are hoping to get a pretty hefty free games drop for January to make it all worth it. There's no official word on what the January 2026 free PlayStation Plus games will be, however. We'll have to wait until December 31 to find out for sure.
The End Of An Era For PlayStation Plus
It's not completely over for PS4 gamers
While this is undeniably a substantial shift for PlayStation Plus, it's not completely over for PS4 gamers. Last-gen titles will continue to be added to PlayStation Plus Extra, although it's worth noting this is a more expensive tier than Essential. More crucially, PS4 gamers can still claim PS5 games offered via PlayStation Plus Essential even if they don't have the latest console yet.
It's possible (and actually quite easy) for PlayStation 4 gamers to simply add free PlayStation 5 PS Plus games to their library through the PlayStation App, or through your account on the PlayStation Store website via any mobile device or computer. After that, the games remain available to you, in your library, for as long as you remain a PlayStation Plus subscriber.
