Sony has announced a significant shift in its PlayStation Plus strategy, set to take effect from January 2026. The company will be phasing out PlayStation 4 games from its PlayStation Plus Essentials monthly games and the Games Catalog, focusing exclusively on PlayStation 5 titles. This change was revealed alongside the announcement of February 2025's monthly titles on the PlayStation Blog.

"As we shift to PS5, PS4 games will no longer be a key benefit and will only be occasionally offered for PlayStation Plus Monthly Games and Game Catalog," Sony stated. This move won't impact the monthly titles that players have already claimed. However, Games Catalog titles will remain accessible until they are rotated out of the catalog during the monthly refresh.

Sony emphasized its commitment to enhancing the PlayStation Plus experience, promising to continue optimizing the benefits for subscribers. These benefits include exclusive discounts, online multiplayer access, online game save storage, and more. "As we shift our focus to PS5, we look forward to adding new PS5 titles monthly for you to enjoy," the company added.

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The PlayStation 4, launched in 2013, has been succeeded by the PlayStation 5 in 2020. With over a decade since the PS4's debut and more than four years since the PS5's release, Sony noted that "many of our players are currently playing on PS5 and have shifted toward redeeming and accessing PS5 titles."

It remains uncertain whether Sony will reclassify PS4 games into the Classics Catalog, which currently features ports and remasters of games from the PlayStation, PlayStation 2, and PlayStation 3 eras. Sony is expected to provide more details on this as the transition date approaches.