Sony Interactive Entertainment is phasing out guaranteed PlayStation 4 games from PlayStation Plus monthly lineups starting January 2026, redirecting the service toward PlayStation 5 titles across Essential, Extra, and Premium tiers. This shift, the largest since the three-tier model debuted in June 2022, reflects surging PS5 adoption as the console era transitions.
Why the Shift Happened
Player habits drove the decision. PS5 monthly active users overtook PS4 users in March 2025, with two-thirds of the 124 million PlayStation Network users now on PS5 hardware. This marked a reversal from the even 50-50 split in April 2024, prompting Sony to realign benefits for the dominant platform.
What Subscribers Will Notice
Monthly free games and Game Catalog additions will drop PS4 guarantees. Cross-generation titles playable on both consoles may appear sporadically, but PS5 exclusives take priority. Sony noted the service will focus on PS5 titles to match user trends.
January 2026 Lineup in Action
The debut lineup after the change features Need for Speed Unbound as a PS5 exclusive, alongside Disney Epic Mickey: Rebrushed and Core Keeper, both cross-generation. This mix—one exclusive with broader options—shows Sony balancing priorities while easing PS4 users toward newer content.
Effects Across 51.6 Million Users
The service holds 51.6 million subscribers. Essential tier users, at $79.99 yearly with 24.2 million members, lose the most, as monthly games often included PS4 options. The 38% on Extra ($134.99) or Premium ($159.99) tiers see gradual catalog shifts to PS5, though Premium keeps classics from PlayStation, PS2, and PSP.
Options for PS4 Holdouts
Claimed PS4 games stay in libraries during active subscriptions. Essential maintains online multiplayer for PS4. Existing catalog titles linger until rotation. Cross-gen games could still surface occasionally. Major publishers support PS4 via sports and live-service titles, softening upgrade pressure for casual players.
PS4 Phase-Out Broadens
Changes align with Sony’s 2026 PS4 wind-down, cutting legacy network features like Activity Feed and media storage from spring onward. New PS4 game submissions end January 2026. PS5 spending per console rose 26% to $846 from PS4’s $669, fueling acceleration. PlayStation Plus earns $3.8 billion yearly, 33% of network revenue.
Global and Competitive Angles
Adoption varies: smooth in the US, Europe, and Japan post-2022 supply fixes, but PS4 persists in Brazil, India, and African markets due to PS5 costs ($399 digital, $499 disc). PlayStation Plus leads with 51.6 million subscribers compared to Xbox Game Pass (35-37 million) or Nintendo Switch Online (34 million), emphasizing catalog depth over Game Pass’s day-one releases.
Strong Metrics Amid Transition
Churn hit a five-year low of 7.8%, with Premium growing 9% to 23.7 million users. The PS4-PS5 overlap lasted five years, longer than PS3-PS4’s transition, due to supply issues and slower upgrade incentives.
Sony positions PS5 as the core ecosystem through 2026, ahead of a potential PlayStation 6 in 2027-2028. Subscribers on older hardware weigh value trade-offs as support fades, while the service’s stability underscores confidence in its PS5-focused path.
Sources:
“PlayStation Plus Will Stop Guaranteeing PS4 Games Starting January 2026.” G2A News, 30 Dec 2025.
“PlayStation Plus January 2026 Game Line-Up Confirmed, Includes Need for Speed Unbound.” IGN, 31 Dec 2025.
“PlayStation 5 Monthly Active Users Finally Surpasses the PS4.” KitGuru, 15 Jun 2025.
“Sony to Mostly Drop PS4 Games from PS Plus Starting January 2026.” Push Square, 28 Jan 2025.
“PlayStation Statistics 2025: Console Sales, PSN Users, etc.” SQ Magazine, 1 Oct 2025.