Leak: PS Plus January 2026 Kicks Off With 'Need for Speed Unbound'
It looks like Sony wants us to start the new year by driving recklessly and ignoring the speed limit.
We have reached that time of the month where we pretend to be surprised, but thanks to the internet's most reliable leaker, the bag is already out of the cat. According to a new report from billbil-kun over at Dealabs, the headline title for the PlayStation Plus Essential lineup in January 2026 is going to be Need for Speed Unbound.
The Anime Racer
If you missed this one when it launched back in 2022, you actually missed a pretty decent arcade racer. Criterion Games took a weird swing with the art style on this one, mixing realistic cars with cel-shaded characters and graffiti effects that pop off the wheels when you drift.
I know some people hated the "fellow kids" dialogue, but the driving mechanics are tight, and the police chases are genuinely stressful. It is a solid pickup for a subscription service, especially if you have been itching for a racing game that doesn't take itself as seriously as Gran Turismo.
The End of an Era for PS4
There is a darker side to this news for anyone still clinging to their 2013 hardware. The report mentions that January 2026 marks the beginning of the end for systematic PS4 game additions.
Sony had previously indicated that starting this year, PS4 titles would only be offered "occasionally" rather than being a guaranteed part of the monthly drop. Need for Speed Unbound is a PS5 title in this specific drop (though it exists on PC/Xbox Series). It seems the training wheels are finally coming off, and if you haven't upgraded to a current-gen console yet, your monthly freebies are about to get a lot scarcer.
When Can You Grab It?
According to the leak, Need for Speed Unbound will be available to claim starting Tuesday, January 6, 2026.
We still don't know what the other two games in the lineup are, as billbil-kun only revealed the headliner. Usually, the other two slots are reserved for a smaller indie title and something weird that you will install and never play. I will keep you posted once the full list drops, but for now, get your engines ready.