Highlights

  • PS Plus player counts dropped significantly in May, with Red Dead Redemption 2 not enough to keep numbers up.
  • Subscribers can enjoy rotating games on PS Plus, but titles can disappear.
  • Despite a drop in player counts for May games, Sony's PS Plus service remains popular with players.

Player counts for both PS Plus Extra and PS Plus Premium dropped significantly during the month of May, potentially indicating that subscribers considered the newest monthly lineup quite weak. Red Dead Redemption 2 proved to be the highlight of May 2024's PS Plus Extra roundup of games, but not even this massive Rockstar title managed to match numbers seen during the month of April.

PS Plus works similarly to Microsoft's Xbox Game Pass, with Sony adding titles on a rotational basis to the service. PS Plus Subscribers can download, play, and enjoy these games at their own pace, with new games being brought to the service on a consistent basis. Players can also add select titles to their library for free monthly. However, video games can vanish from PS Plus as quickly as they appear, meaning subscribers will not want to hesitate to check out a game they're interested in. PS Plus continues to be a popular subscription service for Sony, though recent numbers suggest players were not as willing to play during the month of May.

ps plus extra games leaving june 2024
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According to data from True Trophies, PS Plus Extra and PS Plus Premium games saw 23% fewer players in May compared to April 2024, despite Red Dead Redemption 2 being the second-biggest PS Plus game debut of the year. In total, May 2024's PS Plus games debuted with over 40% fewer active players on both PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5. May 2024 was an already difficult month for subscribers, with the PS Plus service losing a total of 35 different games. The list of removed games includes entries in the Final Fantasy series as well as the iconic Horizon Zero Dawn. Other nixed titles include How to Survive 2, Minit, Jotun, My Friend Pedro, and I Am Dead.

PS Plus Player Counts Drop Significantly

This data was compiled from a sample of over three million active PSN accounts and includes each of the games made available to PS5 and PS4 players during PS Plus Extra and Premium events in May 2024. It's possible player counts will increase as more titles are revealed and added later on, but 40% is still a staggering drop. Subscribers do have quite a lot to look forward to, with June's list of free PS Plus games including SpongeBob SquarePants: The Cosmic Shake, AEW: Fight Forever, and Streets of Rage 4.

Still, PS Plus and its Extra, Essential, and Premium plans continue to be a success for Sony, with more and more companies embracing the monthly subscription model. In addition to a massive library of video games, subscribers are also treated with special items, rewards, and digital collectibles. Recently, PS Plus Premium subscribers have been able to earn incredibly cool items themed to classic PlayStation franchises like Sly Cooper.