Honestly, trying to keep track of the PlayStation Plus Premium games list feels like a full-time job. Sony drops these updates like clockwork, but if you blink, you’ve missed a classic PS1 port or a massive third-party heavy hitter.
The January 2026 update just hit. It’s... weird. Good, but weird. We’re getting things like Resident Evil Village and Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth on January 20th. That’s huge. But for the "Premium" crowd specifically? The "Classics" side of the house is feeling a bit thin lately.
The January 2026 Catalog Shake-up
Let’s get into the weeds of what just arrived. Sony basically backed up a truck of survival horror and massive RPGs into the service this month. If you're paying for Premium, you get everything in the Extra tier plus the exclusive perks, so this list covers your new reality.
Starting January 20, 2026, these are the heavy hitters joining the fray:
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- Resident Evil Village (PS4, PS5)
- Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth (PS4, PS5)
- Darkest Dungeon II (PS4, PS5)
- Expeditions: A MudRunner Game (PS4, PS5)
- A Quiet Place: The Road Ahead (PS5)
- The Exit 8 (PS4, PS5)
- Art of Rally (PS4, PS5)
- A Little to the Left (PS4, PS5)
It's a lot. Infinite Wealth alone is a 100-hour time sink. If you haven't played it, basically imagine Hawaii, turn-based combat, and some of the most heart-wrenching (and ridiculous) side quests in gaming. You can literally play a Pokemon-style mini-game called Sujimon. It’s peak Yakuza.
Then you've got Resident Evil Village. It's almost five years old now, which makes me feel ancient, but it’s still a masterclass in atmosphere. Capcom is clearly trying to grease the wheels for the rumored Resident Evil: Requiem launch next month. Smart move.
What about the actual "Premium" stuff?
Here is where people usually get annoyed. Premium is supposed to be about the Classics Catalog. This month? We're getting exactly one.
Ridge Racer. The 1993 PS1 original. It has the modern bells and whistles—up-rendering, rewind, and quick save—but man, only one classic? After they added Sly Cooper and some Ratchet & Clank titles last year, fans (myself included) were hoping the floodgates would stay open. Sony seems to be in a "one-at-a-time" mood right now.
Why the Premium Tier is a Mixed Bag in 2026
The PlayStation Plus Premium games list isn't just a static dump of titles. It's a rotating door. You’ve got three distinct "piles" of value here:
- The Modern Catalog: Hundreds of PS4 and PS5 games (the same as the Extra tier).
- The Classics: PS1, PS2, and PSP games you can download, plus PS3 games you have to stream.
- Game Trials: High-end demos of stuff like Baldur’s Gate 3 or Marvel’s Spider-Man 2.
The trial for Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth has been a staple for months, but now that the full game is in the catalog, that trial is basically redundant. It's sort of funny how that works.
The Cloud Streaming Factor
People forget that Premium is the only way to stream games to your PC or your PS5 without downloading them. Sony recently expanded this to the PlayStation Portal, which was a massive update. If you have the bandwidth, you can play God of War Ragnarök via the cloud while your roommate is hogging the TV.
There are currently over 2,800 games compatible with cloud streaming if you count the various regions. That’s the real "Premium" value, even if the monthly classic additions feel slow.
The Hidden Gems You're Probably Ignoring
Everyone talks about the big names. Grand Theft Auto V (which returned to the service in late 2025) and The Last of Us Part I get all the headlines. But if you're browsing the current list, you're sleeping on some of the best stuff.
Have you played The Exit 8? It just got added. It’s a Japanese "walking simulator" about being stuck in an infinite underground passage. You have to spot tiny "anomalies" to find your way out. It’s short, creepy, and perfect for a Saturday night when you don't want to commit to a 40-hour epic.
Then there's Art of Rally. Don't let the "cute" top-down graphics fool you. It’s a punishingly realistic driving sim that feels like a love letter to the 80s rally era. It's the kind of game that explains why you're paying for a subscription—you’d probably never buy it individually, but once it’s "free" in your library, it becomes your new obsession.
The "Essential" Buffer
Don't forget the Monthly Games. These are yours to keep as long as you're subbed. For January 2026, we have:
- Need for Speed Unbound
- Disney Epic Mickey: Rebrushed
- Core Keeper
Core Keeper is a sleeper hit. It’s basically Stardew Valley meets Terraria in a dark cave. It’s fantastic in co-op. If you have Premium, you should be grabbing these three titles before they rotate out on February 2nd.
How to Actually Manage This List
The biggest mistake people make with the PlayStation Plus Premium games list is trying to play everything. You can't. You'll burn out.
I’ve found that the best way to handle the subscription is to use the "Collection" tab on the console rather than the mobile app. The app is fine for remote downloads, but the console UI actually lets you sort by "Leaving Soon."
Sony usually gives about 30 days' notice before games leave. We saw Battlefield V and a handful of others exit recently. If you see a game you’ve been meaning to play on that "Last Chance to Play" list, drop everything and start it. Once they’re gone, they’re gone—usually back to full price on the store.
What’s Missing?
Let's be real for a second. The Premium list is still missing some "holy grail" titles. We have Killzone: Liberation (the PSP one), but where is the rest of the Killzone series? Where is Resistance?
The community has been vocal about wanting the full PS3-era library to be downloadable rather than just streamable. While 2026 has seen some improvements in streaming stability, it’s still not the same as having the game running natively on your hardware.
Next Steps for You:
If you’re currently looking at your dashboard and feeling overwhelmed, here is the move:
- Claim the Essential games (Need for Speed, Epic Mickey, Core Keeper) immediately so they’re locked into your library forever.
- Clear 60GB of space for Resident Evil Village or Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth on January 20th.
- Check the "Classics" section for Ridge Racer if you want a nostalgia hit that only takes 2 minutes to download.
- Use the Cloud Streaming feature on your PS5 to "demo" the larger games before committing to a massive download. It saves your SSD life and your time.