PS Plus October 2026: 3 great free games revealed

By:Dustin Judge
A PlayStation 5 console and controller under purple lighting, the system for the PS Plus October 2026 free games.

Sony revealed the PS Plus October 2026 lineup for PlayStation Plus Essential subscribers on Sept. 30: “F1 25,” “Hunt: Showdown 1896” and “Earth Defense Force: World Brothers 2.” All three can be claimed starting Tuesday, Oct. 6, GameSpot reported.

PS Plus October 2026 release date and platforms

  • Available: Oct. 6, 2026
  • Claim deadline: Nov. 2
  • Tier: PlayStation Plus Essential (also included with Extra and Premium)
  • Platforms: “F1 25” and “Hunt: Showdown 1896” are PS5 only; “Earth Defense Force: World Brothers 2” is on PS5 and PS4

That leaves little for PS4 owners this month. PlayStation LifeStyle noted that only the “Earth Defense Force” entry runs on last-generation hardware.

What’s in the 3 free PS Plus October 2026 games

“F1 25” is Codemasters’ and EA Sports’ official game of the 2025 Formula One season, with every team and driver from that year. It offers a career mode, the My Team 2.0 mode and the F1 World hub, which mixes solo events with online racing.

EA skipped an “F1 26” release and instead sold a paid 2026 season expansion for “F1 25,” Video Games Chronicle reported. That pack, released in June, adds the 2026 cars, teams and drivers. It is not part of the free PlayStation Plus download.

“Hunt: Showdown 1896” is a first-person extraction shooter set in the late-1800s American frontier. Players track monsters across its maps while fighting rival hunters for bounties, either solo or in teams of two or three.

“Earth Defense Force: World Brothers 2” is a co-op shooter in which blocky, voxel-style invaders threaten Earth. According to its PlayStation Store page, it has more than 100 collectible characters and over 600 weapons and accessories, with online co-op for up to four players.

Halloween extras for subscribers

Alongside the PS Plus October 2026 games, Sony is also handing out horror-themed in-game bundles through October. PlayStation LifeStyle listed a “Call of Duty: Warzone” bundle on Oct. 1, a “Hunt: Showdown 1896” starter pack on Oct. 6 and an “Overwatch 2” Reinhardt skin with tier skips on Oct. 7.

What PlayStation Plus Essential costs

Essential is the cheapest PlayStation Plus tier. It includes online multiplayer, the monthly games, cloud saves and store discounts. Sony raised prices in May. In the U.S., new subscribers now pay $10.99 a month or $27.99 for three months, while the 12-month plan stayed at $79.99, Android Authority reported.

Claim the September games before Oct. 6

September’s lineup leaves the service when the PS Plus October 2026 games arrive. Subscribers have until Monday, Oct. 5, to add “Chained Echoes,” “MLB The Show 26,” “Sniper Elite: Resistance” and “Wobbly Life,” according to Gematsu.

For more on Sony’s subscription service, see our look at the June PlayStation Plus lineup and the latest gaming news.

Dustin Judge is the Founder and CEO of Total Apex Media, bringing more than 20 years of writing and editorial experience to the company's growing network of digital publications. He specializes in sports, sports betting, fantasy sports, and digital publishing, with a focus on producing accurate, timely, and engaging content for readers. Dustin oversees editorial strategy, content development, and publishing operations across Total Apex Media while remaining actively involved in sports, betting, and fantasy sports coverage.

Loading...