Sony has announced a significant shift in its PlayStation Plus strategy, focusing exclusively on PlayStation 5 games starting in January 2026. This change will affect the PlayStation Plus Essentials monthly games and the Games Catalog, with PS4 titles no longer being a key feature. However, this update will not impact the monthly titles that players have already claimed, and Games Catalog titles will remain available until they are cycled out of the service.
In a recent PlayStation Blog post detailing February 2025's monthly titles, Sony outlined this transition. "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," the company stated. Sony aims to enhance the PlayStation Plus experience by optimizing benefits such as exclusive discounts, online multiplayer access, and online game save storage. "As we shift our focus to PS5, we look forward to adding new PS5 titles monthly for you to enjoy," they added.
This move aligns with the growing trend of players migrating to the PlayStation 5, which was released in 2020. Sony noted that "many of our players are currently playing on PS5 and have shifted toward redeeming and accessing PS5 titles." The PS4, launched in 2013, has been a beloved console for over a decade, but the focus is now clearly on the newer generation.
It remains to be seen whether Sony will relegate PS4 games to the Classics Catalog, which currently features ports and remasters of games from the PlayStation, PlayStation 2, and PlayStation 3 eras. More details on this potential shift are expected closer to the implementation date.
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