Plus or minus?
We hope you’re ready for another whole year of judging PS Plus games, because we’re about to kick things off with January 2026’s PS Plus Essential lineup.
This selection was announced over the holidays, so you might have actually missed it while you were busy gorging on all kinds of delicious food and drink. But have no fear, we’re here to provide a quick recap.
As per usual, three PS5 games are up for grabs, two of which are also available on PS4.
The headliner is probably Need for Speed Unbound — the somewhat stylised racer from 2022. A super solid drive-’em-up by almost all accounts.
Then we’ve got something much different with Disney Epic Mickey: Rebrushed, an enhanced remaster of the 2010 Nintendo Wii platformer. Reviews weren’t quite as kind over a decade later, but it’s still a welcome addition to PS Plus, especially since it comes with a slew of gameplay updates.
And finally, there’s Core Keeper. Released in 2024, this is a survival sandbox with an emphasis on mining. You’ve probably heard that kind of description about a million times at this point, but Core Keeper’s got all the makings of an addictive time sink — and you can play it cooperatively with up to seven other players.
So, what do you think of 2026’s first PS Plus Essential offering? As always, vote in our polls, and then give us an honest opinion — good or bad — in the comments section below.
Robert (or Rob if you’re lazy) is an assistant editor of Push Square, and has been a fan of PlayStation since the 90s, when Tekken 2 introduced him to the incredible world of video games. He still takes his fighting games seriously, but RPGs are his true passion. The Witcher, Persona, Dragon Quest, Mass Effect, Final Fantasy, Trails, Tales — he’s played ’em all. A little too much, some might say.
