The games leaving PlayStation Plus in January 2026 and how to take advantage of them before they leave

The start of the year will bring important changes to Sony's subscription service. PlayStation Plus has already confirmed the first games that will be leaving the catalog in January 2026This is a common practice on these types of platforms, but it's always a good idea to keep an eye on it to avoid last-minute surprises.

While PS5 and PS4 users continue to enjoy the December updates to the Extra and Premium plansAs well as the five monthly Essential titles, the "Last Chance to Play" section already marks a date in red: January 20, 2026, the day on which four games will say goodbye to service in Spain and the rest of European territories.

The four games leaving PlayStation Plus in January

The PlayStation Plus catalog rotation will end in January with a relatively short list of releases: only four confirmed titlesAll of them are part of the Extra and Premium plans and will be removed from the service on January 20, 2026 at 11:00 a.m. (Spanish Peninsular Time)as reflected in the PS5 and PS4 interface itself.

This is the list of games which will no longer be available in the catalog that day:

• Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name
• Monopoly Plus
• Sayonara Wild Hearts
• SD Gundam Battle Alliance

Although it may seem like a modest list compared to other months, Sony usually updates the "Last Chance to Play" section fairly often.Therefore, it's possible that more titles will be added as the date approaches. For now, however, only these four games have been confirmed.

All They will remain accessible within the PS Plus Extra and Premium catalog until January 20thFrom that moment on, they will no longer be included in the subscription and it will be necessary to buy them separately on the PlayStation Store to continue enjoying them, unless the player already has them in digital or physical format.

Like a Dragon Gaiden, the most notable loss from the catalog

Among the scheduled departures, Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name is, without a doubt, the most prominent titleThis spin-off, developed by Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio and published by SEGA, once again places veteran Kazuma Kiryu at the center of the scene, acting as narrative bridge between Yakuza 6: The Song of Life and the most recent installments of the saga, like Yakuza: Like a Dragon and Infinite Wealth.

Far from the franchise's usual mammoth campaigns, Gaiden offers a more contained adventure in terms of duration.Various estimates place the time needed to complete the main story and much of the secondary content at around 20 hours, making it a manageable option for those who want to catch up before leaving the service.

Specialized critics have particularly valued its focus on character development and its role as an intermediate chapter within the Like a Dragon universeSome Spanish reviews describe it as a "chapter 0.5" that fits the pieces between Kiryu's classic era and the new direction of the saga alongside Ichiban Kasuga.

For subscribers who closely follow the series, January practically marks the last chance to experience this story through PS PlusOnce it is removed from the catalog, the only way to get it back will be through direct purchase.

A cult indie game, mechs, and a digitized tabletop classic

Beyond the Yakuza spin-off, The list of departures includes very different proposals., ranging from rhythm action to mech role-playing and board games.

On one hand, he leaves Sayonara Wild HeartsThe acclaimed musical arcade game from Simogo and Annapurna Interactive. The title carved out a place among the most talked-about indie games of 2019. thanks to its combination of pop aesthetics, short levels, and a carefully crafted soundtrackIt's a short game that can be completed in an afternoon, ideal for those looking for something different without investing dozens of hours.

It also has a release date SD Gundam Battle Alliance, the action RPG developed by Studio Artdink and published by Bandai Namco. The game proposes battles with some of the most iconic mechs from the Gundam franchisewith progression, upgrades, and cooperative elements. It received mixed reviews: fans of the series celebrated the variety of available units, while other users noted some repetition in its gameplay.

The list is completed with Monopoly Plus, a digital adaptation of the famous board game that It brings the traditional rules to an interactive environment on PS4 and PS5It's one of those games designed for casual gaming sessions with friends, both locally and online, and is often a popular choice for more relaxed multiplayer sessions.

All four games share the same deadline: They will remain part of the PlayStation Plus Extra and Premium catalog until January 20, 2026, at which point they will be removed from the subscription.From then on, only those who have purchased them will continue to have unrestricted access.

How much time is left to play them and what should be prioritized?

With a month ahead, the key is to get organized. The affected titles will remain available to play and, in many cases, will have active discounts as long as they remain on PS Plus.It is, therefore, a good time to decide which ones are worth dedicating hours to before they disappear.

If the goal is to see the credits, The most logical strategy is to start with the shortest experiences.Sayonara Wild Hearts can be completed in a relatively short session, making it perfect for a free afternoon. Like a Dragon Gaiden requires more dedication, but its moderate length makes it manageable in a few weeks with consistent progress.

In the case of SD Gundam Battle Alliance and Monopoly PlusThe approach is different: both are designed for longer periods of play. The first encourages investing hours in upgrading units and repeating missions, while the second works better as an occasional option for games with friends or family, whether at Christmas or the start of the new year.

It is worth remembering that, Even if they leave the catalog, you don't lose your progress or access if you buy the game separately.Furthermore, as is often the case, there is a possibility that some of these titles will return to the service in the future, although Sony has not announced anything in that regard.

December on PS Plus: many new releases as the 2026 changes are being prepared

The news of the departures comes in parallel to one of the busiest months of the year for PlayStation PlusIn December 2025, the service has strengthened its appeal with new games in both the Essential monthly selection and the Extra and Premium catalogs.

In the Essential plan, Subscribers can claim up to five titles at no extra cost until January 6thLEGO Horizon Adventures, Killing Floor 3, The Outlast Trials, SYNDUALITY: Echo of Ada, and Neon White. Once redeemed, they will remain associated with the account as long as the account is maintained. active subscription.

Meanwhile, the Extra and Premium plans have received since December 16, 2025 (11:00 a.m., Spanish Peninsular Time) a batch of ten additions to the catalog, accessible on both PS5 and PS4 in most cases:

• Assassin's Creed Mirage | PS5, PS4
• Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty | PS5, PS4
• Skate Story | PS5
• Granblue Fantasy: Relink | PS5, PS4
• Planet Coaster 2 | PS5
• Cat Quest III | PS5, PS4
• LEGO Horizon Adventures | PS5
• Paw Patrol: Grand Prix | PS5, PS4
• Paw Patrol World | PS5, PS4
• Soulcalibur III | PS5, PS4 (included for Premium users)

This block of new features combines Recent releases and commercially successful titles, along with family-friendly offerings and a few classics.This partially compensates for the departure of games like Like a Dragon Gaiden and Sayonara Wild Hearts. In practice, December has become one of the months with the greatest variety of genres on the service.

Added to all this is the general context of the service: Sony has announced that, starting in 2026, the focus of PlayStation Plus will shift almost entirely to PS5.even issues such as Play in the cloud with PS Portal They enter the equation. The company has indicated that PS4 titles will gradually lose their importance as a "key benefit" within the subscription, appearing more sporadically in the monthly catalogs.

With the Four games already slated to leave PlayStation Plus Extra and Premium on January 20, 2026 and a particularly extensive December catalog, subscribers in Spain and Europe who share account They have a busy few weeks ahead to decide how to spend their time. Between more focused campaigns like Like a Dragon Gaiden, short gems like Sayonara Wild Hearts, and games designed for co-op like Monopoly Plus, the start of 2026 is marked by a rotation of titles and a service that continues to refine its offerings while accelerating the final transition to PS5.