PS Plus Games of the Month enter 2026 on a hot streak, but can it go 3 for 3?

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

Of course, gamers will be looking forward to the January 2026 PS Plus series and wondering if the momentum can continue. Fortunately, this need not 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 before. And given what's been going on over the past few years, it's safe to assume that PS Plus will really start the year with a bang.

How has January been for PlayStation Plus traditionally?

Looking at the free games, the PlayStation Plus January 2025 lineup showed Suicide Squad: Kill Justice League, Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit Remasteredand 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 had received all post-launch content just prior to this add-on, including a playable Deathstroke. Also, this somewhat lacking January for Essential games is far from the norm. For example, the PS Plus games are offered for January 2024 A Plague Tale: Requiem, Wicked Westand No one saves the worldwhile 2023 brought Fallout 76, Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Orderand Axiom Verge 2.

Generally speaking, 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 re-subscribe with their holiday cash. It's also worth noting that the quality offerings aren't limited to the Essential tier. For example, in spite of Kill the Justice League created a divisive headliner in January, the Extra games had some huge additions that God of War Ragnarok and Like a Dragon: Gaiden. 2024's big Extra addition was Little Tina's wonderland and Resident Evil 2 Remakewhile January 2023 was added Devil May Cry 5 and Back 4 Blood to this level. With all of this in mind, it's safe to assume that January 2026 could be an even tougher one for PlayStation Plus.

Potential PlayStation Plus additions for January 2026

When thinking about how PlayStation Plus could kick off 2026 in a memorable way, there are a few paths Sony could take. First, it could break down the list of Game Awards winners and nominees for potential additions, highlighting successful games that may have been overlooked due to the dominance of Expedition 33. There are many interesting options for an Essential headliner, such as The Alterswhile some of the top indie nominees could also join the lineup. Alternatively, Sony might want to build hype for its big 2026 games, like Housemarque's Saros and Insomniacs Marvel's Wolverine. Insomniacs Spider-Man 2 is a few years old now, so it would be justified to add it to the service, and even if Housemarques Return is an extra game, it would also make a nice Essential title. After all, PS Plus has double-dipped 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 a chance 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 continue its impressive run.