2 major PS5 games releasing in January 2026 are free to play

PlayStation 5 players looking for new free-to-play games in January should mark their calendars for 2XKO and Highguard. PlayStation 5 is home to all kinds of free-to-play games, including heavy hitters like Fortnite and Marvel Rivals. Those who sign up for PlayStation Plus get even more “freebies” thanks to the free games given away as part of the Essential tier.

PS5 players already know what the free PS Plus games for January 2026 have in store, and they might be looking forward to what the month brings in terms of new game releases. Historically, January is usually one of the slowest months when it comes to new video game releases, and this year is no exception to the rule. However, there are still some high-profile new games releasing for the PS5 in January, and when that happens, two of the more notable ones are being released for free.

Family

Free PS Plus games for January 2026 officially revealed, and PS4 players can breathe a sigh of relief

Sony is pulling back the curtain on the free PS Plus games for January 2026, which surprisingly includes some PS4 games.

New free PS5 games released in January 2026

2XKO – January 20
Highguard – January 26

On January 20, PS5 players can look forward to the release of 2XKO from Riot Games, while January 26th will be released Highguardthe debut project for Wildlight Entertainment, a new studio made up of ex-Respawn developers. Both games are released as free-to-play titles, meaning they can be played at no additional cost, but they will sell things like microtransactions and other premium content. Exactly what the premium content will entail will have to wait until the games are fully released on their respective release dates.

For those unfamiliar with the games, 2XKO is a fighting game set in League of Legends Runeterra universe. It has a cartoon art style and includes some characters that were in the critically acclaimed League of Legends show Secretlike Jinx and We. 2XKO is currently available in early access on PC and has received a positive reception. In fact, 2XKO was even nominated for Best Fighting Game of the Year at The Game Awards 2025 despite not being fully released yet. The full release is coming on January 20th, and while details on exactly what that will mean for the game have yet to be revealed, we do know that it will mark its release on consoles, including the PS5.

System

PC-1

Released: 2025
Engine: Unreal Engine 5
Multiplayer: Online Multiplayer

Highguard is coming to PS5 this month

Less than a week after 2XKO coming to PS5, Highguard will launch for the platform on January 26. Described as a PvP raid shooter, Highguard looks like a wild mix of different hero shooting games. Characters have unique special abilities ala Monitoringwith players able to ride into battle on horseback no different Paladins. Highguard has players fighting over an item that in turn gives them access to the enemy's base, which is an interesting dynamic for a hero shooter.

Highguard will be released about a month after it was first announced. The game was revealed as the final announcement of The Game Awards 2025, although it was unfortunately met with widespread negative reaction. Still, HighguardThe game looked stable and you can try it for free. There is no harm in checking out Highguard when it launches for PS5 on January 26, and fans of the genre should definitely consider checking it out.

2XKO and Highguard are the two major free PS5 games releasing in January 2026, but there are other notable new releases as well. Nice Metroidvania game Mio: Memories in Orbit will be released on January 20 alongside 2XKOwhile rock climbing games Cairn coming on January 29th. Finally, anime Soulslike Code Vein 2 is scheduled for release on January 30. All of these games ensure that January is busier than usual for the PS5, and gamers should have plenty of options in the coming weeks.