Skip to content

Will PS Plus Extra Games Be Free?

Hi friend! If you‘re a PlayStation gamer, you may be wondering: will games on the PS Plus Extra subscription plan really be free?

It‘s an excellent question. As your gaming buddy, let me walk you through how PlayStation Plus Extra works and explain exactly what you get with its "free games."

How Does PlayStation Plus Extra Work?

PlayStation Plus Extra is the middle tier of Sony‘s revamped PS Plus membership. It gives you access to a catalog of hundreds of downloadable PS4 and PS5 games for $17.99 per month.

With Extra, you can browse and download games from the catalog to your console whenever you want. As long as your membership is active, you can play them as much as you like!

It‘s similar to how Netflix or Xbox Game Pass work – the games are available to you as part of your subscription. When you download a game, you don‘t pay anything additional beyond your monthly fee.

But there‘s a catch: the games are only accessible as long as you stay subscribed. If you cancel your membership, you lose access until you resubscribe.

Think of it like checking out a library book. You can keep enjoying that book as long as your library card is active. But if it expires, you have to return it!

Are They Really Free Games?

Now, you may be wondering: if I have to pay a monthly fee, how can the games be free?

It‘s a fair question. Here‘s the deal:

  • You don‘t pay any extra fees per game you play from the catalog
  • But you do have to maintain an active PS Plus Extra membership to access the games
  • The games are included as part of the overall $17.99 monthly subscription cost

So while you can play hundreds of games for no additional cost, the subscription fee is required. It‘s similar to how Netflix offers unlimited movies and shows for one monthly price.

You‘re paying for the service that grants unlimited access to the games catalog. The games themselves are not completely free, but you can play them at no added cost with an Extra subscription.

I like to think of it as "all-you-can-play" games rather than purely free games. It‘s a great value if you play a lot!

An Awesome Lineup of Games

Now, let‘s talk about the selection of games PlayStation Plus Extra offers. What can you actually play for that $17.99 monthly fee?

Well, there are over 400 games available currently, with new ones added each month! Here are some highlights:

  • PlayStation exclusives: God of War, Spider-Man, Ghost of Tsushima, Demon‘s Souls
  • Major 3rd party hits: Red Dead Redemption 2, NBA 2K22, Mortal Kombat 11, Assassin‘s Creed Valhalla
  • Acclaimed indies: Hollow Knight, Celeste, Hotline Miami, OlliOlli World

Let‘s compare some recent additions:

Month AddedNotable New Games
Feb 2023Horizon Forbidden West, Scarlet Nexus, Borderlands 3
Jan 2023Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, Fallout 76, A Plague Tale: Requiem
Dec 2022Divinity Original Sin 2, Ghost of Tsushima Director‘s Cut, Mass Effect Legendary Edition

As you can see, major new games get added regularly! There‘s a fantastic variety of blockbuster franchises, unique indies, PlayStation exclusives, and third-party hits.

No matter what genres you enjoy, from platformers to RPGs to sports and racing games, there‘s something for everyone with a catalog this huge.

Don‘t Forget the Monthly PlayStation Plus Games!

Now, here‘s a cool extra benefit of PlayStation Plus: each month, members get 2-3 free games added to their libraries permanently!

For example, this month PS Plus members got OlliOlli World, Evil Dead: The Game, and Destiny 2: Beyond Light as their monthly games.

These freebies are separate from the Extra catalog. So with an Extra subscription, you‘re getting:

  • Access to the 400+ game catalog
  • 2-3 free monthly games to keep

That means each month, you can gain 5+ new games to play for no additional costs! Pretty awesome value.

How Does PS Plus Extra Compare to Xbox Game Pass?

As a fellow gamer, you may be wondering how PlayStation Plus Extra compares to Xbox‘s popular Game Pass service.

They are very similar – both offer hundreds of games for a monthly subscription fee. However, there are some key differences:

  • New releases: Game Pass gets new Microsoft exclusives day-one, like Starfield. PlayStation studios games come to Extra after release.
  • Third-party: Extra has big third-party day-one releases like A Plague Tale: Requiem.
  • Games library: The catalogs are not identical – each service has unique games.

The great news is both services are fantastic values! Xbox gamers can enjoy Game Pass, while PlayStation owners have an excellent option with Plus Extra too.

Having options and competition is a win-win for us gamers. More services means more access to affordable games!

Should You Upgrade to Extra?

Okay, we‘ve covered a lot so far. Let‘s recap the key benefits of PlayStation Plus Extra:

  • Access an on-demand catalog of 400+ PS4 and PS5 games
  • Downloads are instantly playable – no streaming required
  • New games are added every month
  • Keep 2-3 monthly PS Plus free games too
  • All for $17.99 per month

But is the upgrade right for you? Here are my tips:

Consider Extra if you:

  • Want to play games right away without buying them
  • Like constantly having new games to discover
  • Enjoy replaying classics or trying new genres

Maybe skip Extra if you:

  • Strongly prefer owning games permanently
  • Mostly play online multiplayer games
  • Want brand new releases immediately at launch

For most gamers, I think the huge catalog of titles makes Plus Extra a very rewarding upgrade! There‘s so much variety and entertainment available for an affordable monthly cost.

The Verdict: A Terrific Value

Well, hopefully this breakdown has helped explain exactly what you get with PlayStation Plus Extra!

While the games aren‘t purely free, you do get unlimited, all-you-can-play access to an awesome library of titles. For the cost of buying just 1-2 new games, you can play hundreds!

Plus, with new additions every month, you‘ll always have fresh experiences to enjoy. For $17.99 per month, you get outstanding entertainment and value.

I‘m confident Plus Extra will make you a happy gamer with plenty of amazing games readily available. But of course, evaluate your own gaming needs to decide if it‘s worth upgrading from basic PS Plus.

Thanks for reading! Let me know if you have any other PlayStation questions. Enjoy the games!

nv-author-image

Michael

Michael Reddy is a tech enthusiast, entertainment buff, and avid traveler who loves exploring Linux and sharing unique insights with readers.