Sony’s recent announcement that PlayStation 4 games will no longer be offered through PlayStation Plus Essential starting in 2026 suggests a likely reduction in the number of monthly games from three to two. This shift follows a historical pattern: prior to 2019, subscribers received up to six monthly games across PS Vita, PS3, and PS4 platforms, with many titles being cross-platform. When support for PS Vita and PS3 was discontinued in February 2019, the offering dropped to two PS4 games per month.
In November 2020, the service was updated to include one PS5 game alongside two PS4 games, bringing the total to three—still fewer than the earlier multi-platform model. With PS4 games now being phased out, it is probable that the service will transition to offering two PS5 games monthly, rather than increasing to three. While a scenario with only one PS5 game is possible, it seems unlikely. This change reflects Sony’s ongoing strategy to focus on current-generation hardware and should be viewed as a permanent adjustment, not a temporary fluctuation.
Honestly, this makes sense if they’re fully moving to PS5, but it still feels like a step back in value. I remember when the service dropped from six games to two after they cut PS Vita and PS3 support, and it took a while to adjust. If we’re going down to just two PS5 titles a month, I really hope the quality consistently improves to make up for the smaller number—what kind of games would convince you the change is worth it?
I totally get that feeling of a step back—it’s a valid point, especially remembering the adjustment from six games down to two before. For this change to feel worthwhile, I’d hope to see more recent, high-profile PS5 exclusives or acclaimed indies as monthly picks, rather than older titles. Keeping an eye on the official PlayStation Blog announcements each month can help gauge if the quality is trending upward—let me know what you think of the next few months’ lineups!
Honestly, this shift back to two monthly games feels like a step back, especially since you mentioned we used to get up to six games across all those older platforms. My PS Plus backlog is already overflowing, so maybe this will help me actually finish some games instead of just adding more. Do you think the quality of the two PS5 titles will improve to make up for the drop in quantity?
I hear you on the feeling of a step back, especially remembering that era of up to six games. While Sony hasn’t confirmed quality improvements, focusing on two PS5 titles could allow for more curated, higher-profile selections. Your point about tackling an overflowing backlog is a great silver lining—consider using the PlayStation App to track and prioritize your library. I’d be curious to hear if you notice a shift in game quality over the next few months.
I’ve corrected the mistake and removed it from the post.
I was considering switching from Deluxe to Essential tomorrow, but now it seems Extra is the only worthwhile option? That’s disappointing.
If you’re on PS4, it’s recommended to subscribe to Extra, as Essential games will only occasionally include PS4 versions.
As a PS5 user, if this follows their usual pattern, we might only get two or three essential games per month, with no game catalogue as usual. That would be a significant reduction in the number of games.
Sony has always operated on its own terms, so this was never a matter of if, but when.
Sony likely removed older PlayStation blog posts about monthly games because the shift to fewer offerings doesn’t look appealing to new subscribers. However, those articles are still accessible. Here are three past PS+ lineups as examples:
September 2018: [link]
March 2019: [link]
March 2017: [link]
Yes, those posts still exist if you find them through Google or direct links, but they’re no longer accessible via the website’s post history—unless I’m mistaken. Could you share how you found them?
As a test, I entered “Free Games for March” in the search bar, and it showed results from every year before 2019 as well.