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On a PS4, sign in with the account that has an active PlayStation Plus membership, open PlayStation Plus from the function screen, choose Monthly Games, highlight a game, and select Add to Library > Download. The game is available at no extra charge while that PlayStation Plus membership remains active. You can also start a download from a web browser or the PlayStation App.
What PlayStation Plus Monthly Games are
Monthly Games are the rotating games Sony makes available to PlayStation Plus members. They are a membership benefit rather than a separate purchase. Sony’s support description is precise: “Monthly games are games available for you to download and play at no extra cost during your PlayStation Plus membership.” The current offer changes over time, so the titles shown in the PS4’s Monthly Games section are the authoritative list for your account and region.
Claiming a title adds the entitlement to your PlayStation account. Downloading it then installs the game on the PS4, subject to available storage. The account that claims the game must be the one with the qualifying membership; signing into a different local user does not transfer the entitlement to that account.
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Which PlayStation Plus plans include Monthly Games?
Sony lists Monthly Games as a benefit of all three current PlayStation Plus tiers. You do not need Extra or Premium solely to claim the monthly offering.
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| Plan | Monthly Games | Game Catalog | What this means on PS4 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Essential | Included | Not included | Claim and download the games shown under Monthly Games. |
| Extra | Included | Included | Use Monthly Games and the separate Game Catalog menu. |
| Premium | Included | Included | Use Monthly Games and the separate Game Catalog menu, plus the other Premium benefits. |
Plan names, benefits and menu labels can change. The table reflects Sony’s PlayStation Plus structure described in the support material reviewed on October 13, 2026; check the membership details displayed for your account before subscribing or changing tiers.
Before you start: account, membership and storage checks
Use the account with the active membership
On the PS4, open Settings > Account Management > Account Information > PlayStation Subscriptions to check the signed-in account’s subscription status. The exact information shown can vary by account configuration, but the essential requirement is unchanged: the account claiming the game must have an active PlayStation Plus subscription.
If several people use the console, check the user profile in the upper-left area of the PS4 home screen before opening PlayStation Plus. Claiming a game while signed into another person’s profile can leave the title attached to the wrong account.
Connect the console to the internet
The PS4 must be online to load the current Monthly Games list, verify the membership and begin a download. If PlayStation Plus does not appear on the function screen, first confirm that the console is connected under Settings > Network > Test Internet Connection.
Check free space before downloading
A game can be successfully added to your library but still fail to install when the internal drive lacks enough free space. Check Settings > Storage before starting a large download. The game’s store page shows its required download size, but updates and temporary installation data can require additional room, so leave a reasonable margin rather than targeting the exact listed size.
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How to claim and download a Monthly Game on PS4
- Sign in to the qualifying account. Select the PS4 user connected to the active PlayStation Plus membership. If necessary, switch users from the home screen and sign in again.
- Open the function screen. From the PS4 home screen, press the up button on the controller to display the function bar.
- Select PlayStation Plus. Scroll right across the function bar and choose PlayStation Plus.
- Open Monthly Games. Scroll down through the PlayStation Plus page and select Monthly Games. This is separate from the Game Catalog option described later.
- Choose a title. Highlight the game you want. Review the title, edition and any platform label shown before confirming; the monthly offer can include different versions or more than one game.
- Add it to your library and download it. Select Add to Library, then choose Download. The PS4 adds the entitlement to the account and starts the installation queue.
- Monitor the download. Open Notifications > Downloads from the function screen to view progress, pause or resume the transfer, or inspect an error message.
- Launch the installed game. When the download and installation finish, the game appears in the content area on the PS4 home screen. Select it to start playing.
Adding a game to the library and downloading it are separate actions in the PS4 interface. If you select only Add to Library, the entitlement is recorded but the installation does not necessarily begin; return to the title and choose Download when you are ready.
Claiming a game without downloading it immediately
You can add a Monthly Game to your library and postpone the download. This is useful when the PS4 is low on space, you are on a slow connection, or you want to secure the current offer before it changes. The entitlement is associated with the account after you select Add to Library; installation can be started later from the library or the game’s PlayStation Store page while the membership remains active.
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Do not confuse postponing a download with owning the game outright. PlayStation Plus Monthly Games are a membership benefit and remain playable under the terms of an active membership. The current offer and membership terms are the ones displayed by Sony for your account and region.
Starting a PS4 download remotely
Sony’s support guidance also allows a remote download to be started through a web browser or the PlayStation App. The exact buttons can vary as Sony updates those interfaces, but the process follows the same account rule: use the same PlayStation account that has the active Plus membership.
From a web browser
- Sign in to the PlayStation Store in a browser with the qualifying account.
- Open the current PlayStation Plus Monthly Games listing and select the desired PS4 game.
- Choose the option to add the title to your library, then select the option to download to your PS4 if it is offered.
- Select the intended PS4 when more than one console is associated with the account.
From the PlayStation App
- Sign in to the PlayStation App with the qualifying account and pair or select the PS4.
- Open the PlayStation Plus or Store area and find the current Monthly Games listing.
- Open the game, add it to the library if required, and choose the download-to-console command.
Remote downloading is an option, not a guarantee that every attempt will start immediately. The PS4 must be online, linked to the same account, and able to receive remote commands. If the command does not appear or remains pending, use the console procedure above and check the PS4’s network and power settings.
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Monthly Games versus the Game Catalog
These are two different PlayStation Plus benefits with different menus and eligibility rules. Monthly Games are listed on Essential, Extra and Premium. The Game Catalog is included with Extra and Premium, not Essential.
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|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly Games | PlayStation Plus > Monthly Games | Essential, Extra and Premium | Rotating monthly selection that you add to the library. |
| Game Catalog | PlayStation Plus > Game Catalog | Extra and Premium | A separate catalog of games available under those plans. |
To download a catalog title on PS4, open PlayStation Plus from the function screen, choose Game Catalog, select a game and follow the download prompt. If you have Essential, a catalog title can be visible in search or promotional areas but still require an upgrade before it can be downloaded through that benefit. Selecting Monthly Games is the correct path for the monthly entitlement.
What to do when Add to Library or Download is missing
The console shows a different account
Sign out of the current PS4 user and switch to the account that owns the membership. A family member’s Plus subscription does not automatically make every account the claimant. Console-sharing settings can affect access to installed content, but they do not change which account must claim a Monthly Game.
The membership is not recognized
Check the subscription status under account management, then sign out and back in. Restart the PS4 if the PlayStation Plus page is stale. If the subscription was purchased on another regional account, use that account and its corresponding Store region; entitlements are tied to the purchasing account and region.
The monthly offer has changed
Monthly Games are refreshed over time. A title that appeared in an earlier listing may no longer show as a new claim after the offer changes. Open the current Monthly Games page and look for the title in your library before attempting to purchase it separately.
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The item is already in the library
If the button says Download rather than Add to Library, the account has already claimed the game. Start the installation from that page or open Library > Purchased and search for the title.
The page shows a purchase price
Verify that you are viewing the correct edition and that the account has an active qualifying membership. Also confirm that the title is in the current Monthly Games section rather than a similarly named Game Catalog, deluxe-edition or add-on listing. Do not complete a purchase until the account and benefit are clear.
Storage troubleshooting when the game will not install
Storage problems affect installation, not the act of claiming the game. If the PS4 reports insufficient space, open Settings > Storage and review the applications, captures and saved data using the most room.
Delete an application you can redownload
- Open Settings > Storage > System Storage > Applications.
- Highlight an application you no longer need immediately and press the Options button.
- Select Delete and confirm.
- Return to Library > Purchased when you want to install that application again.
Deleting an application does not remove its account entitlement. It does remove the local installation, so you will need to download it again later. Check saved-data settings separately before deleting anything associated with a game you are still playing.
Use compatible USB extended storage
Sony supports an external hard disk for PS4 extended storage when it uses USB 3.0 or later and has a capacity from 250 GB through 8 TB. The drive must be connected directly to the PS4 and formatted as extended storage through the console. Sony warns that proper operation is not guaranteed for every external hard-disk model, so compatibility is not universal.
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| Requirement | Sony’s stated range or condition | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Connection standard | USB 3.0 or later | Older USB standards do not meet the documented PS4 extended-storage requirement. |
| Capacity | Minimum 250 GB; maximum 8 TB | Drives outside this range are not within Sony’s stated support limits. |
| Compatibility | Not every external HDD is guaranteed to operate correctly | Meeting the size and USB figures alone does not promise compatibility. |
| Purpose | Optional extended storage | A drive solves a full-storage problem; it is not required to claim a Monthly Game. |
- Connect the compatible drive directly to a PS4 USB port.
- Open Settings > Devices > USB Storage Devices.
- Select the drive and choose Format as Extended Storage.
- After formatting, choose the drive as the installation location when downloading the Monthly Game, or move existing applications from Settings > Storage.
Formatting erases data already on the drive. Copy anything important elsewhere before confirming. If the drive is not detected, reconnect it directly, try another PS4 USB port, verify the capacity and USB specification, and consult Sony’s PS4 extended-storage guidance for the supported setup.
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The download is paused or stuck
Open Notifications > Downloads, select the item and choose Resume. If it pauses again, run Settings > Network > Test Internet Connection. A temporary network interruption can stop a transfer without affecting the library entitlement.
The game downloads but will not start
Wait for installation to finish; a title can appear on the home screen while additional data is still installing. Check Notifications > Downloads for a remaining installation task, then restart the PS4 after completion. If the title is locked, return to the account that claimed it and verify that the PlayStation Plus membership is active.
The console cannot reach PlayStation Plus
Test the network, restart the console and try the PlayStation Plus page again. If other online services work but the membership page does not, use the PlayStation Store or PlayStation App to check the account and claim the title, then return to the PS4 to download it.
A remote command does not arrive
Confirm that the browser or app and the PS4 use the same account, that the selected console is the intended one, and that the PS4 is online. If remote downloading is unavailable for the current console state, claim the game remotely and start the download directly from the PS4.
Best practices for each monthly refresh
- Open the Monthly Games section after the new monthly selection appears rather than relying on an old Store bookmark.
- Select Add to Library before the current offer changes if you want the entitlement associated with your account.
- Download immediately when you have sufficient space, or claim first and install later.
- Check the signed-in account whenever multiple family members use the PS4.
- Keep enough free space for the game and its installation process; do not treat the advertised download size as a guarantee of the exact free-space requirement.
- Use the Game Catalog menu only when you are looking for the separate Extra or Premium benefit.
Limits and timing to understand
Monthly Games are not a fixed permanent lineup. Sony adds new games each calendar month, and the specific titles available to claim can change by date and region. Because the offer is time-sensitive, the listing on the console is more reliable than an old article or screenshot.
The no-extra-cost access described by Sony applies during the active PlayStation Plus membership. If the membership status changes, the account’s ability to play a Monthly Game can change with it under the then-current PlayStation Plus terms. Keep the account that claimed the game in mind when checking access later.
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Quick Recap
Quick decision guide
| Your situation | Action |
|---|---|
| You have Essential, Extra or Premium and see a current monthly title | Open PlayStation Plus > Monthly Games, then choose Add to Library > Download. |
| You want to secure the title but cannot install it yet | Choose Add to Library and download later from the library. |
| You are away from the console | Use the PlayStation Store in a browser or the PlayStation App to claim and request a remote download. |
| You have Extra or Premium and are browsing catalog titles | Open PlayStation Plus > Game Catalog; this is not the Monthly Games list. |
| The game is claimed but storage is full | Delete a redownloadable application or configure a directly connected USB 3.0-or-later drive from 250 GB to 8 TB as extended storage. |
| The game shows a lock or purchase price | Check the account, membership status, edition and current Monthly Games listing before buying anything. |
Checklist
- The PS4 is connected to the internet.
- You are signed in to the PlayStation account with the active PlayStation Plus membership.
- You opened PlayStation Plus > Monthly Games, not only the Game Catalog.
- You selected Add to Library and then Download.
- The PS4 has enough free storage, or a compatible extended-storage drive is configured.
- You checked Notifications > Downloads for progress and errors.
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
