A new year can be seen as a reset for the gaming industry, not just in terms of video game releases but video game subscription services. Both Xbox Game Pass and PS Plus had great years in 2023, complemented by back-to-back top-tier AAA releases, and there's little doubt both will want to continue that momentum in 2024. Both services already seem to be at it. While 2023 had a slow start for Xbox Game Pass, it was prepared to come out of the gate swinging by releasing three great titles for January 2024. Befitting its own pattern, Sony has also already let loose the PS Plus free games for January 2024, while the Extra and Premium games are expected to be announced on January 10.
PS Plus subscribers can currently claim A Plague Tale: Requiem, Evil West, and Nobody Saves the World, kicking off the new year with style. However, given that the PS Plus Extra tends to be the "big guns" of the month, it seems fans can expect an already great month to be better. If PS Plus keeps this momentum in 2024, that's exactly what fans can expect too: an already-great service getting better.
PS Plus: A Comprehensive List Of Every Monthly Game It's Added
Since relaunching the subscription service in June 2022, Sony has added a host of games per month to PlayStation Plus Essential, Extra, and Premium.
PS Plus Essential Games for 2024
PS Plus Essential used to just be the free games given away every month, and over the years, that has ranged from 2-4 games across a variety of platforms. However, fans should not really expect any changes this year. When Sony moved to the new three-tier system, its vision became clear: three games of typically solid quality. There certainly have been bad months for PS Plus releases, but by and large, the Essential Tier does its job: gives quality games to base subscribers.
Furthermore, it's worth noting that March tends to be the best month for PS Plus every year. PS Plus' Big March pattern has seen major games like Final Fantasy 7 Remake and Bloodborne appear on the service over several years, but it's not certain how the pattern, if at all, lives on now. Some March months have been weaker than others, including the PS Plus free games for March 2023, but it's impossible to say if that's out the window now or not.
If there is one thing fans should keep in mind moving forward, it's that PS Plus Essential operates as the base tier. There is reasonable concern, and should be, that Sony would decide one day to devalue this tier in favor of pushing subscribers to PS Plus Extra or PS Plus Premium. Giving away less, or perhaps lackluster, games on this service would be one way to do that. The fact that PS Plus Extra already tends to dominate the month could support this concern. Hopefully, it doesn't happen; if it does, it may not even be in 2024. Ultimately, fans should not expect major changes but continue to keep monthly expectations in check.
PS Plus Extra Games for 2024
Unlike PS Plus' Essential Tier, it would be reasonable to expect some changes to PS Plus Extra in 2024. Since the tier was released, Sony has given away anywhere from 12-nearly 20 games every month. The best part is that it's not just a massive dump of random or various games, but a curated selection of solid AAA and indie releases. The problem, though, is how sustainable this truly is. Diluting a pool of 12-20 games by adding in games of lower quality would only hurt the service, so the better move would be to pull it back to perhaps 10 or so games consistently every month. This may not even happen in 2024, but whereas PS Plus Essential feels settled in its ways, PS Plus Extra feels like the kid with something to prove. In 2023, it seems PS Plus Extra more than proved itself, so it's uncertain what the future, near or far, may hold for it.
PS Plus Premium Games for 2024
Three key factors separate PS Plus Premium from PS Plus Extra: Cloud Streaming, Game Trials, and Classic Games Catalog. PS Plus Premium added some solid classics like Legend of Dragoon in 2023, but by and large, it feels like the Tier that does still have something to prove. Cloud Streaming is a relatively niche appeal, while Game Trials are nice but not reason enough to upgrade from Extra to Premium. Classic Games, meanwhile, have to appeal to nostalgia, and it stands to reason that the limited number of games added to the classic catalog may not be enough of a draw. If anything, more classic games or something that makes PS Plus Premium more appealing seems like a safe bet, but whether that happens in 2024 or not remains to be seen.
PS Plus subscribers get a handful of games every month.
