There are two different ways a game can be described as free on the PlayStation Store. A PlayStation Plus Monthly Game is included with an active PlayStation Plus membership and remains playable only while that entitlement is active. A free-to-play game has no game purchase price and normally does not require PlayStation Plus for online multiplayer, although it may sell optional in-game items. The steps, ownership conditions and plan requirements are different, so identify the category before you start.
To claim the current Monthly Game on PS5, open Games home > PlayStation Plus > Benefits > Monthly Games, choose a title and select Download. On PS4, open PlayStation Plus > Monthly Games, highlight the game, select Add to Library, then choose Download. You can also start a download from a web browser or the PlayStation App.
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What “free” means on the PlayStation Store
The word free describes two separate Store arrangements. Treating them as the same is the main reason people expect a claimed game to remain available after a subscription ends or wonder why a game that costs nothing still displays optional purchases.
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Monthly Games are part of the PlayStation Plus benefit package. PlayStation describes them as games you can download and play at no extra game charge during your PlayStation Plus membership. The entitlement is tied to the membership, not a permanently free purchase. If the membership is inactive, the game can remain associated with your account, but access to the Monthly Game is suspended until the qualifying membership is active again.
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New Monthly Games are added every calendar month. Each month therefore creates a new set of titles to check and claim. Claiming a title adds it to your account’s PlayStation Plus game entitlement; downloading immediately is optional, provided you claim it while it is offered and keep the required membership active.
Free-to-play Store games
A free-to-play title is a separate Store product. Its base download does not carry a normal game purchase price, and certain free-to-play games are exceptions to the usual PlayStation Plus requirement for online multiplayer. The exception is not a blanket rule for every online game: check the individual Store page and the current PlayStation terms for the title you want.
Free-to-play products can include optional in-app purchases. PlayStation’s legal terms warn that a downloaded product, including a free-to-use product, may offer purchases of additional products using the PSN wallet. “Free” therefore describes the initial game download, not every item, pass, cosmetic, expansion or currency that may be offered inside the game.
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Check these conditions before claiming anything
- Identify the category. Monthly Games require an active qualifying PlayStation Plus membership. A free-to-play listing is a separate product and may have its own multiplayer and purchase rules.
- Use the correct console path. PS5 and PS4 expose Monthly Games in different menu locations, and PS4 includes an additional Add to Library step.
- Check the plan level. Essential includes Monthly Games. Extra adds the Game Catalog, while Premium or Deluxe adds the Classics Catalog and game trials. The top-tier name depends on region.
- Decide whether you need a download or streaming. Catalog streaming requires the appropriate plan and is subject to service and regional availability.
- Use the account that holds the entitlement. Claiming a game with one PlayStation Network account does not create a separate entitlement on another account.
- Allow for the monthly changeover. Because new Monthly Games are added every calendar month, a title visible in one month may not be offered when you check later.
How to claim and download a Monthly Game on PS5
The PS5 procedure combines claiming and downloading in one flow.
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- From the PS5 home screen, open Games home.
- Select PlayStation Plus.
- Open Benefits, then choose Monthly Games.
- Browse the titles currently listed for the month and highlight the game you want.
- Select Download. The console starts the download and associates the Monthly Game with your active PlayStation Plus entitlement.
If you only want to secure the entitlement and do not want to use storage yet, look for the option that adds the title to your library without starting the download. The exact button presentation can vary with the current console software, but the important distinction is that the title must be claimed while it is offered; downloading can happen later.
After the download completes, start the game from the PS5 game library or the game tile on the home screen. The game remains usable while the PlayStation Plus membership that supplied the Monthly Game entitlement is active.
How to claim and download a Monthly Game on PS4
PS4 uses a two-stage flow: first add the game to your library, then download it.
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- Open the PlayStation Plus area from the PS4 home screen.
- Select Monthly Games.
- Highlight the title you want to claim.
- Select Add to Library. This records the Monthly Game entitlement on the account.
- Choose Download to install it on the PS4.
Do not skip Add to Library when the PS4 presents it. Selecting only a download control, where available, is not a substitute for claiming the Monthly Game during its monthly offer period. If you are short on storage, add the game to the library first and return to download it later while the membership remains active.
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Start a PlayStation download remotely
PlayStation supports starting a download from either a web browser or the PlayStation App. This is useful when the console is not beside you, because you can queue the game before you sit down to play.
Using a web browser
- Open the PlayStation Store in a web browser and sign in to the PlayStation Network account that has the PlayStation Plus entitlement or that is downloading a free-to-play title.
- Find the game’s Store page. For a Monthly Game, use the current PlayStation Plus Monthly Games area; for a free-to-play game, use its regular Store listing.
- Claim the Monthly Game if the page offers a claim or library action. A free-to-play game can be selected for download directly from its product page.
- Choose the option to download to your linked PS5 or PS4, then select the destination console if the account has more than one.
The browser method starts the remote command; it does not change the entitlement rules. A Monthly Game still requires an active qualifying membership, and a free-to-play game still follows its own Store and in-game purchase terms.
Using the PlayStation App
- Open the PlayStation App and sign in to the same PlayStation Network account used on the console.
- Open the Store or PlayStation Plus area and locate the title.
- Claim the Monthly Game when required, or open the product page for the free-to-play game.
- Select the control to download to your PS5 or PS4 and choose the console when prompted.
If the remote command does not begin, check that the selected console is the one linked to the account and that it can receive remote requests. You can still claim the title from the console itself; remote downloading is a convenience, not a different kind of entitlement.
Which PlayStation Plus plan includes which games?
Plan names describe access levels, not different versions of the same Monthly Game. The basic plan includes Monthly Games; higher plans add catalog access and, at the top tier, classics and trials.
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| Plan | Monthly Games | Game Catalog | Classics Catalog | Game trials |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Essential | Included | Not included as a plan benefit | Not included as a plan benefit | Not included as a plan benefit |
| Extra | Included | Included | Not included as a plan benefit | Not included as a plan benefit |
| Premium or Deluxe | Included | Included | Included | Included |
The highest tier is called Premium in some regions and Deluxe in others. The benefits above are the plan structure PlayStation lists; local availability, catalog selection and streaming support can differ by region.
Download a game from the PlayStation Plus Game Catalog
The Game Catalog is not the same list as Monthly Games. Catalog access starts with Extra and is also included with Premium or Deluxe. A catalog title is available while it remains in the catalog and while the account has the required plan; it is not converted into a permanent purchase merely because it was downloaded.
- On PS5 or PS4, open the PlayStation Plus area.
- Open the Game Catalog.
- Select an eligible game.
- Choose Download.
If the title is presented as a streaming option rather than a download, use streaming only when the account has the appropriate plan and the service is available in the relevant region. Streaming availability is a service condition, so a catalog title that appears for one account or location may not offer the same option everywhere.
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| Question | Download | Streaming |
|---|---|---|
| Where does the game run? | On the PS5 or PS4 after installation. | Through PlayStation’s streaming service rather than a local installation. |
| Which entitlement matters? | Monthly Game entitlement, Game Catalog access or the title’s normal Store entitlement. | The appropriate PlayStation Plus plan and a region where streaming is offered. |
| What happens to local storage? | The installed game uses console storage. | The game is not installed in the same way, but service availability and connection quality matter. |
| Can every catalog title stream? | Not applicable. | Not necessarily; streaming is subject to plan and regional availability. |
Choose download when you want a local installation and have enough storage. Choose streaming only when the title and region support it and the appropriate plan is active. Neither choice turns a Monthly Game into a permanent, subscription-free purchase.
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What happens when a Monthly Game leaves the monthly offer?
The monthly offer is a time-limited opportunity to claim that month’s titles. A game that is no longer shown in the current Monthly Games section may no longer be claimable as a new Monthly Game. That is why it is sensible to claim titles you may want later even if you do not intend to download them immediately.
Claiming and downloading are separate decisions. Claiming records the entitlement; downloading installs the files. If storage, bandwidth or time is limited, claim first, then install when convenient. The membership condition still applies when you try to play.
Troubleshooting common claim and download problems
The Monthly Games section is missing
- Confirm that you are in the PlayStation Plus area rather than the general Store search.
- On PS5, follow Games home > PlayStation Plus > Benefits > Monthly Games.
- On PS4, follow PlayStation Plus > Monthly Games.
- Check that the account has an active PlayStation Plus membership. Monthly Games are a membership benefit, not ordinary free Store purchases.
- Remember that the list changes every calendar month; a previous month’s title may not appear as a current offer.
The PS4 download button is unavailable
On PS4, highlight the game and select Add to Library before choosing Download. The library step is part of the PS4 Monthly Games flow. If the game was already claimed, check the account’s library for the title and start the download there.
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- For a Monthly Game, verify that the PlayStation Plus membership supplying the entitlement is still active.
- Check that you are signed in with the account that claimed the game.
- If the title came from the Game Catalog, confirm that the account still has Extra, Premium or Deluxe and that the title remains in the catalog.
- If it is a free-to-play game, review the title’s own Store requirements and current terms; its multiplayer exception does not guarantee that every feature is free.
The remote download did not begin
- Confirm that the browser or PlayStation App is signed in to the same PlayStation Network account used on the console.
- Make sure the intended PS5 or PS4 is selected when the remote download command is sent.
- Use the console’s own Store or PlayStation Plus path if the remote command fails; the console workflow is the authoritative fallback.
- Check the title category. A Monthly Game must first be claimed during its offer period, while a free-to-play title is downloaded from its regular product page.
You expected a free game without PlayStation Plus
That expectation is correct only for the free-to-play category, and even there the multiplayer rule is title-specific. Monthly Games are included with an active PlayStation Plus membership. A game displayed in the Monthly Games area is not a permanently free purchase detached from that membership.
Quick Recap
Choosing the quickest route
| Your goal | Use this route | Entitlement to verify |
|---|---|---|
| Claim this month’s included game on PS5 | Games home > PlayStation Plus > Benefits > Monthly Games > select the title > Download | Active PlayStation Plus membership |
| Claim this month’s included game on PS4 | PlayStation Plus > Monthly Games > select the title > Add to Library > Download | Active PlayStation Plus membership |
| Install a no-cost base game | Open the game’s normal PlayStation Store page and choose its download option | Title-specific free-to-play terms; optional in-app purchases may apply |
| Browse a larger subscription catalog | PlayStation Plus > Game Catalog > select a title > Download | Extra, Premium or Deluxe, plus continued catalog availability |
| Start installation away from the console | Use the PlayStation Store in a browser or the PlayStation App | Same account and console-selection requirements as an on-console download |
| Play without installing a catalog title | Choose streaming when the title offers it | Appropriate plan and regional streaming availability |
Practical checklist
- Decide whether the listing is a Monthly Game, a free-to-play product or a Game Catalog title.
- Check the PlayStation Plus plan needed for that category.
- On PS5, use the Benefits path; on PS4, remember the Add to Library step.
- Claim the Monthly Game before the monthly offer changes, even if you will download later.
- Use the browser or PlayStation App when you want to queue the installation remotely.
- If a game stops launching, verify the account, membership and catalog status before reinstalling it.
- Read the game’s Store page for title-specific multiplayer rules and optional in-app purchases.
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
