Why PS Plus games will be “delayed” for January 2025

For the most part PS Plus Subscribers can rely on a consistent reveal and release schedule for the free games they receive each month, regardless of whether they pay for Essential, Extra or Premium tiers. However, there are some cases where these schedules are pushed back, potentially forcing subscribers to wait a little longer than usual before next month’s PS Plus games are announced and then released. In general, this problem occurs more often with PS Plus Essential than with PS Plus Extra and Premium, simply because the Essential games launch at the beginning of the month. The January 2025 PS Plus lineup is the latest victim of these schedule mishaps, but for a completely understandable reason.

As it turns out, PS Plus Essential subscribers will have to wait about a week longer than usual to receive their free games for the month of January 2025. While this is unfortunate, it ultimately depends on the reveal and release pattern for PS Plus Essential games on the day of the week that January 1, 2025 falls on.

Related

PS Plus December 2024 offers a second chance to one of the most controversial games of 2023

PlayStation Plus subscribers can relive one of the most polarizing titles of 2023 starting December 17th, giving it a much-needed second chance at life.

PS Plus games for January 2025 will be released later than usual

PS Plus Essential games have long followed a specific reveal and release pattern

While the dates for PS Plus announcements and releases obviously change every month, the service has still followed a certain pattern here and remains committed to following it, whether it’s practical or not. Not only does this benefit subscribers as it is easier for them to predict the announcement and release of the games, but it also allows Sony to plan marketing campaigns more effectively and improve the company’s internal operational efficiency in various departments such as marketing, development, etc. to increase customer support.

Specifically regarding the PS Plus Essential reveal and release schedule, upcoming additions are typically announced on the last Wednesday of each month and made available on the following Tuesday after the start of the next month. Unfortunately, since PS Plus Essential’s announcement and release schedule more or less spans two different months, this often leads to unavoidable problems, such as games hitting the service later than usual – as happened with PS Plus in January 2025 the case is Essential Title.

The midweek launch in January 2025 throws the PS Plus Essential release schedule into disarray

The biggest problem with the announcement and release of the January 2025 PS Plus Essential games is that January 1, 2025 falls on a Wednesday. That means if the PS Plus Essential games had been announced the previous Wednesday, December 25th, 2024, then the following Tuesday when the games would normally have been added to the service would not have been until December 31st, 2024 This forces PS Plus Essential to postpone its announcement until January 1, 2025, the first Wednesday of the month, and then schedule the games for the service’s release the following Tuesday.

In short, PS Plus subscribers at the Essential tier and above should expect the next batch of free games to be announced on January 1, 2025 and then added to the service on January 7, 2025. Unfortunately, with the January 2025 PS Plus games being added to the service later than usual, it’s still a sign of PlayStation’s commitment to consistency, regardless of the annual calendar and demands on the service’s schedules.

PS Plus Subscribers receive a handful of free games every month.