PlayStation Plus monthly games are subscription benefits, not permanent purchases. Add a featured game to your library while it is available, then play it while your account has an active PlayStation Plus membership and the game remains available to the service. Downloading it does not remove those conditions.
How do you claim a PlayStation Plus monthly game?
Sony adds a new monthly selection each calendar month. You must add the title during the availability period shown for that selection; the support guidance does not set one universal deadline for every game. You can start the claim from a console or remotely through a web browser or the PlayStation App.
On PS5
- From the Games home screen, open the PlayStation Plus area.
- Open Benefits, then choose Monthly Games.
- Select the game and choose Download.
On PS4
- Open PlayStation Plus.
- Select Monthly Games and highlight a title.
- Choose Add to Library, then Download.
PlayStation describes monthly games as games members can download and play at no extra cost during their membership. See PlayStation Support’s instructions for accessing monthly games for the current console guidance.
Do you keep access after adding or downloading a game?
No. Adding a monthly game to your library or installing its files does not make it a permanent purchase. You need an active PlayStation Plus membership to play it, and the game must remain available in the service. Sony states in its US PlayStation Plus Usage Terms that continued access to Plus features and benefits requires an active subscription.
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That means the library listing and the right to play are not the same thing: the listing may remain visible, but the subscription entitlement is unavailable while membership is inactive. The terms describe the access requirement; they do not promise a particular technical library-restoration flow for every account after a member resubscribes.
Which PlayStation Plus tiers include monthly games?
Essential, Extra, and Premium all include monthly games. Extra and Premium also include access to catalog benefits that are separate from the monthly selection.
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| Access type | What determines access? | What can end access? |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly games | The title was added during its offer period, and the account has an active PlayStation Plus membership. All three tiers include monthly games. | Membership is no longer active, or the game is no longer available in the service. |
| Game Catalog | An eligible Extra or Premium membership and a title that remains in the catalog. | The title leaves the catalog, or the membership no longer includes the required benefit. |
| Classics Catalog | Premium membership and a title that remains in the catalog. | The title leaves the catalog, or the membership no longer includes the required benefit. |
Tier features and game availability can change. These tier details reflect the US PlayStation offering; consult PlayStation’s games and FAQ page for current details.
Do PlayStation Plus games expire?
There are two different reasons access may end. For a monthly game, access requires active membership. For a Game Catalog or Classics Catalog title, Sony may announce an end date and remove the game from the service. Keeping an active membership does not prevent access to a catalog title from ending when it leaves.
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Add-ons you bought for a catalog game can also become inaccessible if your membership expires or the base game leaves the service. Sony says you can use those purchased add-ons again after resubscribing or buying the base game.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What should you check if a game is unavailable?
- For a monthly game: Check that you added it to your library during its offer period and that your PlayStation Plus membership is active.
- For a catalog game: Check that your tier includes the relevant catalog and that the title has not passed its announced removal date.
- For regional or platform differences: Check the local PlayStation site and the game’s availability details. Sony notes that availability can vary by region, device, platform, tier, and account settings.
These rules are based on PlayStation’s US English support, product, and terms pages checked October 7, 2026. Offer dates and catalog lineups are subject to change.
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