Claiming a PlayStation Plus monthly game adds it to your library, but it is not the same as buying it: you need an active PlayStation Plus membership to play it. Free-to-play games are a separate category, and most do not require PlayStation Plus.
What does claiming a monthly PlayStation Plus game mean?
PlayStation describes monthly games as titles you can add to your game library and download and play while you have an active membership. In other words, claiming records the monthly game in your library under that membership condition; it does not make the title an unrestricted purchase. PlayStation’s games FAQ answers the question “Are PlayStation Plus games mine to keep?” by stating that monthly games can be added to the library to download and play “as long as you have an active membership plan.”
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What happens when PlayStation Plus ends?
If you cancel but still have prepaid time remaining, PlayStation Plus benefits continue until the end of that paid period. Once the subscription ends, you lose access to monthly games and other Plus benefits. That means you cannot play a claimed monthly game while your membership is inactive; PlayStation’s guidance describes loss of access, not deletion of the game’s library record. PlayStation’s cancellation guidance explains the timing.
The support guidance does not specify that every game’s library display, save data, or entitlement state behaves identically. The reliable distinction is that play access to monthly games requires an active membership.
#1 Best Overall
- Redeem for anything on PlayStationStore: games, add-ons, PlayStationPlus and more.
- Everything you want to play. Choose from the largest library of PlayStation content.
- Use gift card funds to contribute towards PlayStationPlus memberships.
Which kind of “free game” did you get?
| Game type | PlayStation’s stated access rule | What it means for you |
|---|---|---|
| PlayStation Plus monthly game | Playable while membership is active; unavailable after the subscription ends. PlayStation Support and cancellation guidance. | Adding it to your library is not an outright purchase. |
| Free-to-play Store game | Most free-to-play games do not require PlayStation Plus. PlayStation Plus FAQ. | Do not assume it becomes unplayable when Plus ends; the monthly-game rule does not apply generally to free-to-play downloads. |
| Extra or Premium Game Catalog / Classics Catalog title | Access depends on your membership plan, and some titles have service end dates. PlayStation Plus games catalog. | Catalog access and removal dates are separate from monthly games you claim. |
How to add a monthly game to your library
PlayStation adds new monthly games each calendar month. Its support instructions distinguish adding a title to the library from downloading it. If you have already added a monthly game during its offer period, the instructions do not say that the download itself must be completed before that period ends. See PlayStation’s current instructions.
On PS5
- Open PlayStation Plus.
- Go to Benefits, then Monthly Games.
- Select the game and choose Download.
On PS4
- Open PlayStation Plus and choose Monthly Games.
- Select the game and choose Add to Library.
- Choose Download when you want to install it.
Using a browser or the PlayStation App
Select a monthly game through the browser or PlayStation App to add it to your library or start a remote download. Check the game’s page and account region for the current availability and options.
Quick Recap
Best Value
- Redeem for anything on PlayStationStore: games, add-ons, PlayStationPlus and more.
- Everything you want to play. Choose from the largest library of PlayStation content.
- Use gift card funds to contribute towards PlayStationPlus memberships.
Rank #4
- Redeem for anything on PlayStationStore: games, add-ons, PlayStationPlus and more.
- Everything you want to play. Choose from the largest library of PlayStation content.
- Use gift card funds to contribute towards PlayStationPlus memberships.
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- Redeem for anything on PlayStationStore: games, add-ons, PlayStationPlus and more.
- Everything you want to play. Choose from the largest library of PlayStation content.
- Use gift card funds to contribute towards PlayStationPlus memberships.
Rank #2
- Redeem for anything on PlayStationStore: games, add-ons, PlayStationPlus and more.
- Everything you want to play. Choose from the largest library of PlayStation content.
- Use gift card funds to contribute towards PlayStationPlus memberships.
What to check before assuming you will keep access
- Confirm whether the title is a Plus monthly game, a free-to-play download, or a rotating catalog title.
- For a monthly game, check that it was added to your library while it was offered and that your Plus membership is active when you want to play.
- For an Extra or Premium catalog game, check your plan and whether a service end date is shown.
- For a free-to-play game, check its own Store page for any game-specific requirements; PlayStation says most, not all, do not require Plus.
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.
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