PlayStation Plus changes in January 2026, and PS4 users are the most affected

Sony confirmed a key change in PlayStation Plus that will fully impact PS4 users. Starting in January 2026, the service will no longer guarantee monthly games for the console released in 2013.

The decision marks a new step in the closure of the PS4 life cycle and consolidates the service's focus on PlayStation 5.

What changes in PlayStation Plus starting in January 2026

According to Sony, the Essential tier will definitively prioritize PS5 titles. Monthly games for PS4 will become occasional and will no longer be guaranteed.

This means that PS4 users will keep paying the same subscription, but with fewer concrete benefits in terms of new games.

How the change affects PS4 players

Those who keep using PS4 will be able to retain and play the titles they have already redeemed, as long as they keep their subscription active. However, they will stop adding new games on a regular basis.

In practice, the main benefit for these users will be online multiplayer and discounts on PlayStation Store.

Extra and Premium also align with PS5

The Extra and Premium plans will keep offering extensive catalogs, with more than 400 games in Extra and nearly 700 in Premium. Even so, PS4 additions will become increasingly less frequent.

New features and updates will be clearly geared toward titles optimized for PS5.

A transition that follows the historical pattern

Sony explains this shift as part of a natural process. PS5 has already surpassed PS4 in sales, which accelerates the change of focus.

The strategy mirrors what happened in previous generations, when support was gradually withdrawn.

Free trials and focus on new releases

In parallel, the PlayStation Plus Deluxe tier keeps adding free trials for a limited time. Among them, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 stands out as one of the year's most acclaimed titles.