Sony is ringing in the new year with a fresh batch of free games for PlayStation Plus subscribers, officially announcing the January 2026 lineup on December 31, 2025. As the gaming community eagerly anticipates what’s next, this month’s offering features a trio of titles: Need For Speed Unbound, Disney Epic Mickey: Rebrushed, and Core Keeper. The games will be available for download starting Tuesday, January 6, 2026, and can be claimed until February 2. For those who haven’t yet grabbed December’s titles, there’s still a narrow window—until January 5—to add them to their libraries.
This month’s selection marks a notable shift in Sony’s strategy for PlayStation Plus. According to National World, January 2026 is the first month without any PS4-exclusive titles, with Sony pivoting to focus primarily on PS5 games. A PlayStation spokesperson explained, “As many of our players are currently playing on PS5 and have shifted toward redeeming and accessing PS5 titles from the monthly games and game catalogue benefit, PlayStation Plus is also evolving with this trend and will focus on offering PS5 titles through the monthly games and game catalogue benefit starting January 2026.” Still, two of the three games—Disney Epic Mickey: Rebrushed and Core Keeper—remain cross-generation, available on both PS4 and PS5, which may offer some comfort to those not yet ready to upgrade their hardware.
Leading the pack this month is Need For Speed Unbound, the latest installment in the long-running racing franchise. Released in 2022, this game brings a bold new look to the series with its cel-shaded, cartoon-inspired art style. GameSpot highlights that the game is set in Lakeshore City—a fictional locale heavily inspired by Chicago—where players can dive into both single-player and multiplayer campaigns. The experience is all about high-octane street racing, dodging the ever-watchful police, and building a reputation in the city’s underground scene. As your “Heat” index rises, so does the intensity of the police pursuit, keeping players on their toes. Customization is a key feature, allowing racers to tweak their rides and compete in weekly qualifiers leading up to “The Grand,” Lakeshore’s ultimate racing showdown. According to IGN, this entry “hasn’t strayed very far from the fundamentals of 2019’s Heat, but its bold new animated style impresses.”
Next up is Disney Epic Mickey: Rebrushed, a 2024 remake of the beloved 2010 Wii-exclusive platformer. Developed by Purple Lamp, this 3D platformer invites players to step into the shoes of Mickey Mouse as he’s transported to the Wasteland—a realm filled with forgotten Disney characters and concepts. The game’s narrative centers around Mickey’s encounter with his long-lost brother, Oswald the Lucky Rabbit, Walt Disney’s first major cartoon creation. As GameSpot notes, “For the first time, Mickey has to come face-to-face with his brother, Oswald, and reconcile with him if he wants any chance of escaping the Wasteland.” The gameplay is a colorful blend of platforming, puzzle-solving, and creative world manipulation, as players use paints and thinners to shape their environment. The remaster brings noticeably improved visuals and gameplay, making it feel fresh for a new generation. IGN’s preview remarked, “What impressed me the most about Disney Epic Mickey: Rebrushed is how much it looks and, perhaps most importantly, feels like a 2024 game.”
Rounding out the lineup is Core Keeper, a lesser-known but intriguing survival sandbox game developed by Pugstorm. Available on both PS4 and PS5, Core Keeper supports up to eight players in cooperative play, making it ideal for those who enjoy couch co-op or online adventures. The gameplay loop will feel familiar to fans of Stardew Valley, Terraria, and Minecraft: players mine caverns, gather resources, craft tools, and build bases, all while uncovering the mysteries beneath the surface. The game also features boss battles against legendary titans, farming, fishing, and even cooking. According to IGN, a major “Void & Voltage” update is set to arrive on January 28, 2026, introducing a new biome called Breaker’s Reach, a formidable boss named S.A.H.A.B.A.R., and advanced automation features, promising even more content for dedicated players.
While the January 2026 lineup offers variety, not everyone is thrilled. As noted by PlayStation Lifestyle, some PS Plus members have expressed disappointment, particularly those still gaming on PS4. “Despite Sony pledging a focus on PS5 games starting January 2026, two of the three games on offer are cross-gen titles, and not particularly games that many would be looking forward to. Epic Mickey: Rebrushed is a remake of a 2010 game and Core Keeper is a somewhat niche game that first launched in early access in 2022. Not a strong start to the year, frankly,” the outlet observed. The sentiment echoes across gaming forums and social media, where some users lament the lack of blockbuster exclusives or more contemporary titles.
For PS4 players, the shift in focus could mean less value from the Essential tier of PS Plus in 2026. As PlayStation Lifestyle points out, “PS4 players who do not upgrade to PS5 will get less value from PS Plus Essential in 2026. If you use PS Plus for multiplayer, opt for an Extra membership, as there will be more PS4 games in the catalog than monthly lineups.” This strategic pivot by Sony aligns with the broader industry trend of moving toward current-generation hardware, but it’s certainly a bittersweet transition for those not yet ready—or able—to make the leap.
It’s also worth noting the contrast to December 2025, when Sony surprised subscribers with five free games, including Lego Horizon Adventures, Killing Floor 3, The Outlast Trials, Synduality Echo of Ada, and Neon White. That bumper holiday selection set a high bar, and some gamers are inevitably drawing comparisons to this month’s more modest offering.
Still, there’s plenty to explore in January’s lineup. Whether you’re in the mood for the adrenaline rush of street racing, the nostalgia and creativity of a Disney platformer, or the cooperative adventure of a sprawling underground world, PlayStation Plus is kicking off 2026 with a little something for everyone. As always, the games remain in your library as long as you maintain an active PS Plus membership, so even if you’re not ready to play now, it’s worth claiming them while you can.
With Sony’s evolving approach and the promise of new content—like Core Keeper’s upcoming update—subscribers have every reason to keep an eye on what’s next. The start of 2026 may not be a blockbuster, but it’s a clear sign that PlayStation Plus is charting a new course, one that will likely define the service for years to come.
