Honestly, a lot of us PlayStation Plus members are pretty disappointed with the free games for January 2026 – it’s not the best way to start the new year! It’s always a mixed bag with these monthly games, though. Sometimes we all get really excited about what’s included, but other times, well, let’s just say people aren’t thrilled. It really varies from month to month.
PlayStation Plus subscribers in January 2026 will receive three free games: Need for Speed Unbound, Epic Mickey: Rebrushed, and Core Keeper. Need for Speed Unbound is a visually striking racing game from EA. Epic Mickey: Rebrushed is a remastered version of a beloved, classic 3D platformer originally for the Wii. Core Keeper is a cooperative survival game with a retro look and feel, often compared to Minecraft. While Core Keeper received generally positive feedback, reviews for Epic Mickey: Rebrushed and Need for Speed Unbound were more varied.
PlayStation Plus subscribers have varying opinions on the games offered in January 2026, mainly because Need for Speed Unbound is the featured title. One Reddit user noted that this game was already available on the Extra tier from February to August 2024. This means many players who have higher-tier subscriptions and were interested in Need for Speed Unbound likely already played it, reducing the value of the offering. However, those subscribers will at least be able to keep playing the game as long as they remain subscribed.
Free PS PluS Plus Games for January 2026 List
- Need for Speed Unbound
- Epic Mickey: Rebrushed
- Core Keeper
Many Reddit users are unhappy with the free PlayStation Plus games announced for January 2026. They’re disappointed that Need for Speed Unbound is included, as it was already available as part of the PS Plus Extra subscription, and it’s an older game. Racing games also tend to appeal to a smaller audience than some of the other free games PlayStation Plus has offered in the past.
After getting five free games with PS Plus last December – usually it’s only three – I gotta admit, the January lineup feels a little… light. Honestly, I was expecting more, especially after Sony announced that they’re shifting focus away from PS4 games for PS Plus starting in January 2026. It felt like they were setting us up for something bigger!
Many people were concerned that focusing on PS5 would mean fewer free games each month with PS Plus. However, that doesn’t seem to be the case. Both Epic Mickey: Rebrushed and Core Keeper are also available on PS4, meaning only Need for Speed Unbound is exclusive to PS5 – and it’s generally considered the least appealing game offered. The hope was that by dropping support for PS4, the service could offer more new and exciting games consistently.
Just to clarify, Sony isn’t completely stopping free games for PS4 players. If a free PlayStation Plus game is released on both PS4 and PS5, PS4 players will still get it. The change is that there’s no longer a promise that PS4 players will always receive a free game each month, so it’s good to be aware of that.
The PlayStation Plus games offered for free in January 2026 weren’t very popular with players, but it will be interesting to see what Sony plans for the service throughout the rest of the year.
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2026-01-04 04:04