Sony Interactive Entertainment has unveiled the PlayStation Plus monthly games for January 2026. Three standout titles will arrive on the service, delivering diverse gaming experiences across racing, platforming, and sandbox exploration. Members can download Need for Speed Unbound, Disney Epic Mickey: Rebrushed, and Core Keeper beginning Tuesday, January 6, 2026, through Monday, February 2, 2026.
PlayStation Plus monthly games for January 2026
Need for Speed Unbound Returns with Racing Thrills
Need for Speed Unbound headlines the January collection as a PS5 exclusive developed by Criterion Games. The racing title launched in late 2022 and marks the latest instalment in the iconic Need for Speed franchise. The game delivers separate single-player and multiplayer campaigns featuring hours of electric, adrenaline-pumping racing action.
Players start at the bottom of Lakeshore’s racing hierarchy and race toward the top. The narrative follows competitors as they outsmart police forces and tackle weekly qualifiers. The ultimate objective remains reaching The Grand, Lakeshore’s premier street racing challenge. Gamers pack their garages with precision-tuned, custom rides throughout their journey.
The visual presentation distinguishes Need for Speed Unbound from previous franchise entries. Cel-shaded graphics provide a bold aesthetic approach that has garnered mixed responses from the gaming community. The game includes a vibrant global soundtrack that features music across diverse genres and styles.
Disney Epic Mickey: Rebrushed Brings Animation Magic to PlayStation
Disney Epic Mickey: Rebrushed arrives as a 3D platformer available on both PS4 and PS5. The title represents a modern remake of the original 2010 Wii game. Designer Warren Spector, who led development of Deus Ex, heavily contributed to this release’s creation and direction.
Players assume the role of Mickey Mouse and embark on a journey through Wasteland, a realm populated by forgotten Disney characters. The magical paintbrush serves as Mickey’s primary tool throughout the adventure. Players choose between using paint to restore beauty and harmony or deploying thinner to alter environments and uncover secrets.
The gameplay emphasises player agency and choice-based mechanics. Every stroke of the magic brush holds significance within the narrative and world state. Mickey encounters iconic characters during the quest, including Oswald the Lucky Rabbit, Walt Disney’s first major creation before Mickey Mouse emerged.
Collectors pursue virtual Disney pins throughout their playthrough while tackling creative challenges. The platforming levels draw inspiration from animated Disney films and classic shorts. The remake maintains faithful connections to the original while modernising visuals and mechanics for current-generation platforms.
Core Keeper Offers Sandbox Mining Adventures
Core Keeper rounds out January’s PlayStation Plus offering as an award-winning mining sandbox adventure. The indie title supports one to eight players, enabling both solo and cooperative gameplay experiences. Players awaken as explorers in a long-forgotten cavern teeming with untold secrets and mysteries.
The gameplay loop revolves around harvesting relics and resources from the underground environment. Players craft advanced tools using collected materials and construct bases within the cavern system. The world features dynamic evolution, with landscapes and environments changing based on player actions and progression.
Skill development plays a central role in Core Keeper’s progression system. Players level up abilities and challenge legendary Titans throughout their underground journey. The power of the Core remains the ultimate objective that explorers seek to unveil and harness.
Beyond mining and combat, Core Keeper incorporates lifestyle gameplay elements. Players cultivate gardens, fish in mysterious underground waters, and master vast recipe collections. Animal husbandry allows players to raise and care for creatures encountered in the cavern.
December Games Departing PlayStation Plus
PlayStation Plus members have until Monday, January 5, 2026, to claim December’s departing titles. The rotating games include LEGO Horizon Adventures, Killing Floor 3, The Outlast Trials, Synduality Echo of Ada, and Neon White. Once the deadline passes, these titles exit the service library for existing subscriptions.
Players have until Monday, January 5, 2026, to claim December games
Availability Across PlayStation Plus Tiers
The January 2026 titles arrive simultaneously across PlayStation Plus Essential, Extra, and Premium membership tiers. All three games enter the service on Tuesday, January 6, 2026. PS Plus members retain access to the games throughout their subscription period, provided they maintain their membership status.
The January allocation marks a continued focus on PlayStation 5 titles within the service’s rotating catalogue. The diverse genre representation ensures subscribers find experiences matching varied gaming preferences, from competitive racing to narrative-driven platforming and cooperative sandbox adventures.
