The first PS Plus Essential January 2026 monthly free game has leaked, and members are already debating its inclusion in the lineup. Sony’s apparently starting the year with Criterion Games’ Need for Speed Unbound, which released in 2022 for current-gen platforms.
First PS Plus Essential January 2026 free game is currently super cheap on PS Store
The leak comes from none other than reliable Dealabs insider billbil-kun, who has a pretty stellar track record. So rest assured, NFS Unbound will be announced as part of the full lineup by Sony later today.
As for why players are divided over it, well, for starters, you can’t please everyone. NFS Unbound is a pretty decent game with a Metacritic average of 77/100. But what’s irked some players is the game’s prior inclusion in the Extra/Premium catalog as well as its current price on the PS Store.
NFS Unbound was in the catalog for quite some time. However, we’d like to remind fans that Essential games aren’t targeted towards Extra or Premium members. These are just bonus freebies for members of the lowest PS Plus tier that are made available to everyone.
NFS Unbound’s Ultimate Edition, which includes add-ons and DLC, is currently 85% off on the PS Store. The complete collection is just $12.74, but only until January 8. Two days after its inclusion in PS Plus Essential, NFS Unbound will be pulled from sale.
The post First PS Plus Free Game Leak for January 2026 Divides Players appeared first on PlayStation LifeStyle.
This is an interesting topic! It’s always exciting to see what new games will be available for PS Plus members. The differing opinions just show how diverse the gaming community is. Looking forward to more updates!
Absolutely, it really gets the community buzzing! It’s fascinating how different preferences can create such varied reactions to a single game leak. It’ll be interesting to see how this game holds up against past offerings in terms of player engagement.