With 2025’s final shutdown just around the corner, the attention of millions of gamers is focused on one of the most followed monthly rituals in the PlayStation ecosystem: the announcement of free PlayStation Plus games. January 2026 is not just any month. It marks the start of a new year and, according to Sony’s own strategy, it will also be an important transition period for the service, increasingly focused on the current generation.
Over the last few months, PlayStation Plus has experienced one of its best recent moments. October brought notable additions such as Until Dawn, Silent Hill 2 and V Rising at the Extra and Premium levels. In November, Stray topped the Essential lineup, while December closed the year with a particularly generous offering, including LEGO Horizon Adventures, Killing Floor 3, The Outlast Trials, Synduality: Echo of Ada and Neon White, with two games added as special holiday gifts.
When will the January 2026 games be announced?
Although Sony does not follow an official fixed schedule, there is a fairly stable pattern. Typically, games for the following month are announced on the last Wednesday of the current month, and become available on the first Tuesday of the new month.
Following that logic, the announcement of the January 2026 catalog should occur on Wednesday, December 31, 2025, while the Essential plan games would be activated on Tuesday, January 6. Until that day, subscribers can still download the free December titles. However, the festive period could introduce slight variations in the dates, something Sony has done before.
What’s known about PlayStation Plus Essential for January
For now, there are no confirmed leaks about the three sets that will make up the January 2026 Essential plan. The information that is circulating ranges from unsubstantiated rumors to simple predictions based on precedent.
Some portals have pointed to a possible combination of Mortal Kombat 11, Sniper Elite: Resistance and Tactics Ogre Reborn, although these mentions have not been backed up by other sources or solid data. In any case, these are titles that would fit Sony’s usual logic: a game of great popularity, a tactical action game and a proposal with historical or niche weight.
What does seem clear is that Sony will continue to progressively reduce the presence of PS4 games on the service. The company has confirmed that, throughout 2026, the focus will be almost exclusively on PS5, which limits the range of options but reinforces the commitment to more current experiences.
Predictions for the 2026 start-up
Beyond specific rumors, there are a number of titles that, due to context and strategy, are recurrently appearing in the community’s betting pools.
Among them is Fallout 4: Anniversary Edition, driven by the success of the Amazon series and the existence of a revised edition. Resident Evil 4 Remake also sounds, a title released in 2023 that would already be old enough to make the jump to PlayStation Plus.
Other names that are repeated are Death Stranding, whose launch on the service would serve to attract new players after the arrival of its sequel in 2025, or Star Wars Outlaws, a proposal that, without having been a resounding success, could find a second life within the subscription catalog.
In the realm of desire rather than probability appear titles such as Elden Ring or Demon’s Souls Remake, options that would be a coup for Sony, although many analysts place them more in the realm of aspiration than immediate reality.
The role of Extra and Premium levels
It is worth remembering that the announcement of Essential games is only part of the picture. Titles joining the Extra and Premium tiers are revealed mid-month and usually include a mix of blockbusters, indie games and classics.
In December, these levels received names such as Assassin’s Creed Mirage, Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty, Granblue Fantasy: Relink, Planet Coaster 2 or Soulcalibur III, consolidating a strategy of breadth and variety. January 2026 will foreseeably follow that line, although Sony has not yet advanced concrete clues.
Games leaving service in January
It’s not all additions. With the change of month, there are also departures from the catalog, especially in the Extra and Premium plans. Sony has already confirmed that four titles will no longer be available on January 20, 2026:
Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name, Monopoly Plus, Sayonara Wild Hearts and SD Gundam: Battle Alliance. Until that date, subscribers will be able to continue playing them without restrictions, but after that they will need to purchase them individually.
