PlayStation Plus December 2025 Lineup Revealed: A Massive Month With A Catch
It looks like Sony is closing out the year with a bang. The PlayStation Plus Essential lineup for December 2025 has officially dropped, and it is arguably one of the strongest selections we have seen in quite some time. Usually, December can be a bit of a toss-up when it comes to subscription services, but this month brings five distinct titles to the table. However, while PS5 owners are popping champagne, those still holding onto their PS4 consoles might find this particular drop bittersweet.
Before we get into the gloom and doom regarding the changes coming to the service in 2026, let’s look at what you can actually play right now.
A Stacked Month for PlayStation Plus Members
This month isn’t just offering the standard three games; subscribers are getting five heavy hitters. If you have a PlayStation Plus Essential, Extra, or Premium subscription, you can add these to your library starting December 2.
Lego Horizon Adventures (PS5)
Sony is clearly pushing its first-party IPs, even in brick form. Lego Horizon Adventures takes the somewhat serious post-apocalyptic world of Aloy and gives it the slapstick treatment. It is a fantastic couch co-op game that manages to retell the story of Zero Dawn without the emotional trauma. If you want to smash robot dinosaurs into plastic studs, this is the way to do it.
Killing Floor 3 (PS5)
If Lego is too wholesome for you, Killing Floor 3 is the exact opposite. This wave-based shooter is all about gore, guns, and surviving against biologically engineered monstrosities called Zeds. It brings the chaos of the previous entries into the new generation with significantly better lighting—which makes the blood look terrifyingly realistic. It’s a perfect Friday night game for you and a few friends with strong stomachs.
The Outlast Trials (PS5, PS4)
Continuing the trend of “games that raise your blood pressure,” The Outlast Trials is also free this month. Unlike previous Outlast games where you suffered alone, this one lets you suffer with friends. You are essentially a guinea pig in a Cold War experiment, running through mazes while avoiding psychotic enemies. It is stressful, loud, and weirdly fun if you enjoy being terrified.
Synduality: Echo of Ada (PS5)
For the mecha fans, Synduality: Echo of Ada offers a flashy sci-fi extraction shooter experience. You pilot a mech (called a Cradlecoffins) and work alongside an AI partner to gather resources while fighting off xenomorphic creatures. It is a visually busy game with a steep learning curve, but it scratches that specific itch for loot-based extraction gameplay.
Neon White (PS5, PS4)
Arguably the sleeper hit of the bunch, Neon White is a speedrunning FPS that uses a card-based weapon system. You play as an assassin from Hell trying to earn a spot in Heaven by killing demons faster than everyone else. The soundtrack is incredible, the dialogue is intentionally cringe-worthy anime trope goodness, and the gameplay loop is addictive.
The Bad News for PS4 Owners
Here is the reality check. This bumper crop of games feels like a “going away party” for the last generation. Sony has signaled that starting in January 2026, the PlayStation Plus Essential tier is shifting focus.
If you are strictly on PS4, the Essential tier is about to lose a lot of value. Reports indicate that Sony will prioritize PS5 titles moving forward, meaning PS4 users might go months without receiving a free game. The Essential tier will essentially become a gatekeeper fee just to access online multiplayer and cloud saves.
If you haven’t upgraded to a PS5 yet, you are now at a crossroads. You can keep paying for PlayStation Plus Essential just to play Call of Duty online, or you can look into the Extra tier, which still has a backlog of PS4 titles. But as far as “new” free monthly games go, the PS4 era is officially winding down.
Enjoy the December loot while you can—it might be the last time the offering is this generous for a while.
