The tiered system of PS Plus Essential (free), Extra, and Premium began to roll out on May 24, 2022, hitting North and South America on June 13. Since its full rollout, the PS Plus service has seen renewed fervor in the quality of the game it adds, but also the quantity. However, it appears that the "new car smell" of the service—that is, how the service has operated because it has been considered new—has begun to settle.
That's not to say PS Plus Extra and Premium are losing any real value, no. PS Plus Extra and Premium subscribers get a ton of perks and games every month, and those are going to keep coming. However, it's pretty clear that the earliest months of PS Plus Extra and Premium were a pretty unsustainable model, losing very few games and adding 20+ a month. During this time, it added most, if not all the games, of franchises like Assassin's Creed and Like a Dragon. But the new games of January 2023, as well as those leaving in February 2023, show how the service is likely to soon settle into a more identifiable pattern. For example, the PS Plus free games of every month are two PS4 titles and one PS5 title, and while it's not going to be three games, something like ten a month is possible.
The PS Plus Extra and Premium Games for January 2023 Are Settling In
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Since the service's launch, it has consistently added a huge swath of games. There was one month that was a little less, not long after it launched, but most months have featured somewhere between 17-23 games being added to PS Plus Extra and Premium. At this rate, that's something close to 200 games every year, and given the service launched with something like 400 for PS Plus Extra and 300 for PS Plus Premium, that's clearly unsustainable. It's a goliath in terms of the games available, but at this point, it might become a bit of a paradox of choice. It's known that too many options can actually lead to indecisiveness, and at this point, many fans may be looking to what's added instead of what's already there.
The PS Plus Extra and Premium Games for January 2023 included nine new Extra titles and three new Premium titles. Around 10-12 games a month sounds much more sustainable while continuing to give fans their money's worth. It is uncertain what sort of pattern PS Plus Extra and Premium ultimately settle into, but it's a reasonable expectation for the coming months. After all, not only did the PS Plus games of January 2023 add marginally less than usual, but a lot of games are leaving too.
New PS Plus Extra and Premium Games of January 2023
- Back 4 Blood
- Devil May Cry 5: Special Edition
- Dragon Ball FighterZ
- Erica
- Jett: The Far Shore
- Just Cause 4: Reloaded
- Life is Strange
- Life is Strange: Before the Storm
- Omno
- Hot Shots Golf 2 (PS1)
- Star Wars Demolition (PS1)
- Syphon Filter 3 (PS1)
PS Plus Extra, Premium Games Leaving in February 2023
The biggest indicator that PS Plus may be settling into a new normal soon is perhaps the number of games leaving than the number of games arriving. Xbox Game Pass users know to expect a handful of departures in the middle of the month, as well as the end, but there are no real concrete expectations as to when/how many games leave PS Plus every month. PS Plus Extra lost 10 games in January 2023, almost as much as was added, and there are currently 12 games slated to leave in February (seen below)—the exact same number that left in January. This means that PS Plus' catalog hasn't really grown over the past two months or so, but has instead maintained its current status, which is arguably healthier than trying to keep growing exponentially.
- Agatha Christie – The ABC Murders
- The Book of Unwritten Tales 2
- Grand Theft Auto: Vice City – The Definitive Edition
- Metro Exodus
- Pure Farming 2018
- Rad Rogers
- Saints Row: The Third
- Sine Mora EX
- Skydrift Infinity
- Sparkle Unleashed
- The Turing Test
- Whispering Willows
It was nice to see PS Plus Extra and Premium launch packed with so much content, with such big support in the months that followed. However, it was clear then that it was a byproduct of just launching PS Plus' tiered system and not something fans could expect forever. As PS Plus Extra and Premium approach their one-year anniversary, they could pull off another trick or two, but January and February are likely indicative of the pace set for the year. They'll likely continue to settle in over the next few months, but everyone can still expect the same level of quality that PS Plus has always been known.
PS Plus subscribers get a handful of games every month.
