PS Plus: January 2026 Free Games Will Officially Mark the End of an Era

Table of content Table of content

• PS Plus will change for millions of players in January 2026
• Game Over For Many Players ?

As the year draws to a close, some people are still reflecting on what has passed, while others are already looking ahead to what’s next. PS Plus subscribers, in particular, should brace themselves for a major change to their subscription. Although Sony has yet to share full details, the company is clearly preparing to turn a page, one that may not be welcomed by everyone in the PlayStation community.

PS Plus will change for millions of players in January 2026

Five years after the launch of the PS5, the PS4 continues to survive against the odds. Despite its age, millions of players still rely on Sony’s previous-generation console. However, its gradual phase-out is now unavoidable. Starting in 2026, Sony will take another step toward leaving the PS4 behind, beginning with a significant update to the PS Plus service. While the console will not be abandoned overnight, this change clearly signals the direction Sony is heading.

As anticipated for several months, beginning in January 2026, PS Plus will no longer guarantee PS4 titles among its monthly free games. With the exception of select cross-generation releases, games that run on both PS4 and PS5 using a single version, PS4 players will no longer benefit from free monthly titles. This effectively means that the service will focus almost entirely on PS5 content going forward.

Game Over For Many Players ?

This decision marks the end of an era that was always bound to arrive. First released in 2013, the PS4 has enjoyed an exceptionally long and successful lifespan. More than a decade later, however, the hardware is beginning to show its limits, especially as developers increasingly focus on the more powerful PS5. While this announcement is disappointing for the millions of PS4 users who remain active, PS5 owners have reason to be satisfied. They will finally be guaranteed games developed specifically for their console, without compromises tied to older hardware.

For many players, this shift feels long overdue and aligns with expectations for a true next-generation experience. That said, several important questions remain unanswered, chief among them, pricing. If PS4 players are no longer guaranteed free games, will PS Plus subscription fees change for those who choose not to upgrade their console? At present, Sony has not commented on this issue, leaving subscribers uncertain about what lies ahead.

For now, the first visible effects of this transition are expected to appear with the release of the monthly PS Plus games at the beginning of each month. Until then, subscribers can still claim the December 2025 lineup, which includes five titles, such as LEGO Horizon Adventures and the surprisingly addictive Neon White.

Source: Sony