Sony has announced a significant shift in its PlayStation Plus Essentials and Games Catalog offerings, with a focus on PlayStation 5 titles starting in January 2026. This change was disclosed alongside the reveal of February 2025's monthly games on the PlayStation Blog.
"As we shift to PS5, PS4 games will no longer be a key benefit and will only be occasionally offered for PlayStation Plus Monthly Games and Game Catalog," Sony stated. This move won't impact the monthly titles that players have already claimed. However, for the Games Catalog, PS4 titles "will still be available to play until [they] leave the catalog" as part of the monthly refresh cycle.
Sony emphasized its commitment to enhancing the PlayStation Plus experience, promising to "continue to evolve the experience of PlayStation Plus and optimize the benefits you receive, including exclusive discounts, online multiplayer access, online game save storage, and more." The company is eager to "shift our focus to PS5" and aims to add new PS5 titles monthly for subscribers to enjoy.
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The PlayStation 4, which debuted in 2013, has been succeeded by the PlayStation 5 since 2020. Sony noted that "many of our players are currently playing on PS5 and have shifted toward redeeming and accessing PS5 titles."
It remains uncertain whether Sony will reclassify PS4 games to the Classics Catalog, which currently features ports and remasters from PlayStation, PlayStation 2, and PlayStation 3. Further details on this are expected to be announced closer to the implementation date.
