PlayStation Plus is Going to Change Forever in January 2026
PlayStation Plus subscribers should note that January 2026 will mark the end of an era for the service. Sony’s PlayStation Plus has gone through some radical changes since it was first introduced. Originally, PlayStation Plus was a way to get monthly free games and exclusive discounts, but later it became a requirement to play PS4 and PS5 games online.
A few years ago, PlayStation Plus went through another major change. Sony effectively combined it with its PlayStation Now game streaming service to create three separate tiers of PS Plus: Essential, Extra, and Premium. The Essential tier of PS Plus is the service as it has been for years, giving subscribers access to monthly free games and online multiplayer, along with various other benefits. The Extra tier gives subscribers instant access to a large library of PS4 and PS5 games, and finally, the Premium tier includes all of that plus a library of retro games to check out.
PS Plus Is Losing One of Its Most Emotionally-Charged Games and 3 Other Titles in January 2026
PlayStation Plus subscribers have to say goodbye to one of the service’s most emotionally-charged games and three other titles in January.
The next big PlayStation Plus change is right around the corner. Starting in January 2026, Sony will no longer focus on the PS4 when it comes to PS Plus offerings. What this means is that if you want to get the most out of your subscription, you will need to upgrade to a PS5 if you haven’t already. Sony will no longer guarantee any PS4 games for PS Plus subscribers starting with the January 2026 lineup, though there may still be cross-gen games that are available on both platforms.
We don’t know exactly what this means for the PS Plus free games lineup. However, when consoles were phased out in the past, it meant fewer free games. It’s entirely possible that’s what’s going to happen with the latest shake-up, and instead of three free games every month, subscribers may only get two. This would be disappointing, but in line with how these types of changes have been handled in the past. We will know for sure how exactly the free PS Plus games for January 2026 will be handled when Sony unveils them, which will most likely happen on Wednesday, December 31.
This Won’t Be the Last Time PlayStation Plus Goes Through a Major Change
Sony is currently developing its next-generation console, the PlayStation 6. The PS6 has yet to be officially revealed, but the console will most likely launch in 2027 or 2028, based on court documents and various other evidence. Whenever the PS6 hits the market, it will likely result in another change to PlayStation Plus.
If the PS6 launch is anything like the PS5 launch, chances are that PS Plus will be updated to include PS6 games. As some may recall, Bugsnax was the first free PS5 game available through PS Plus, and so one has to imagine that a day one game could be in the works for the PS6 as well.
The PS5 also launched with the PlayStation Plus Collection, a lineup of some of the best PS4 games that subscribers could keep forever as long as they claimed them before the program was phased out. It’s entirely possible Sony will introduce an exclusive PS Plus perk of some kind for the PS6, even if it’s not another collection of games.
It will be years before the PS6 hits the scene and shakes up PS Plus. In the more immediate future, PlayStation Plus subscribers have to prepare to say goodbye to PS4 support starting in January 2026, and we’ll have a much clearer idea of what exactly that means in a matter of days.