PS Plus monthly games enter 2026 on a hot streak, but can it go 3 for 3?

Not only that, the monthly free games were headlined by the popular indie producer Straybut the Extra and Premium offerings also included popular titles like Red Dead Redemption and Tomb Raider: Anniversary. Then they brought the free PS Plus games for December Killing Floor 3 and Outlast Trials—two very active co-op horror games — as well as charming LEGO Horizon Adventures complete the Essential level. WITH Assassin's Creed Mirage and Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty comes to Extra, the service has been firing on all cylinders of late.

Gamers will naturally be looking forward to the PS Plus lineup for January 2026 and wondering if this momentum can continue. Fortunately, it doesn't have to be a mystery. While players won't know the Essential games for a few more days and the Extra games for a few weeks, it's possible to predict whether the month will be good or bad based on what's happened in the past. And given what's happened over the past few years, it's safe to assume that PS Plus will indeed start the year with a bang.

How did January traditionally go for PlayStation Plus?

Looking at free games, the PlayStation Plus January 2025 lineup came up Suicide Squad: Kill Justice League, Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit Redoneand The Stanley Parable: Ultra Deluxe. While two remasters and a divisive co-op looter shooter might not be everyone's cup of tea, it's worth noting that Kill The Justice League received all post-launch content just prior to this addition, including a playable Deathstroke. Plus, this somewhat lackluster January for Essential games is far from the norm. For example, PS Plus games offered for January 2024 Plague Tale: Requiem, Bad Westand No one is going to save the worldwhile 2023 brought Fallout 76, Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Orderand Axiom Verge 2.

In general, January tends to be a good month for PlayStation Plus subscribers, with Sony likely trying to make the service as attractive as possible to those who resubscribed with their holiday money. It is also worth noting that the quality offering is not limited to the Essential level. For example, although Kill the Justice League The extra games that were created for the divisive headliner this January had some huge additions like God of War Ragnarok and Like a Dragon: Gaiden. The big extra additions of 2024 were Tiny Tiny's Wonderlands and Resident Evil 2 remakewhile January 2023 added Devil May Cry 5 and Back 4 Blood to this layer. With all of this in mind, it's safe to assume that January 2026 could be the next hit for PlayStation Plus.

Potential additions to PlayStation Plus for January 2026

When thinking about how PlayStation Plus could kick off 2026 in a memorable way, there are a few ways Sony could go. First, it could mine the list of game award winners and nominees for potential additions, highlighting successful games that may have been overlooked for dominance Expedition 33. There are a lot of interesting options for the Essential headliner, such as The Alterswhile some of the best indie nominees could also join the lineup. Alternatively, Sony may want to build hype for their big 2026 games like Housemarque Saros and Insomniac Marvel's Wolverine. Insomnia Spider-Man 2 is now several years old, so it would be justified to add it to the service, and although Housemarque Return is an extra game, it would also make a great core title. After all, PS Plus has doubled down on games before.

Regardless of how PlayStation plans to approach January 2026, history shows that fans can expect good things from the month. While no one should count their chickens before they hatch, as there's always the chance that Sony will disappoint with its selection of PS Plus Essential, Extra and Premium offerings, it's a safe bet that PS Plus will indeed go 3 for 3 and maintain its impressive run.