PlayStation’s Play At Home promotion is over. Sony ran limited-time offers in 2020 and 2021; you cannot newly claim those expired giveaways in 2026. If you redeemed a game while its offer was live, it normally remains attached to that PlayStation Network account and can be downloaded again from your Game Library. Deleting the installed files removes only the local installation, not the redeemed entitlement.
What Play At Home included
The pandemic-era initiative began in April 2020 and returned with several months of offers in 2021. Redemption dates varied slightly by region and time zone.
2020 games
- Uncharted: The Nathan Drake Collection (PS4)
- Journey (PS4)
In Germany and China, Knack 2 replaced Uncharted. The offer ran approximately April 15/16 through May 5/6, 2020. See Sony’s 2020 announcement.
2021 games
- Ratchet & Clank (PS4)
- Abzû
- Enter the Gungeon
- Rez Infinite
- Subnautica
- The Witness
- Moss
- Thumper
- Paper Beast
- Horizon Zero Dawn Complete Edition
The indie and PS VR offers were available roughly March 25/26–April 22/23, 2021. Horizon Zero Dawn Complete Edition followed from about April 19/20–May 14/15. Dates differed by territory; Sony’s lineup announcement and Horizon announcement give the original regional schedules.
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Later in-game rewards were different
The final May–June 2021 phase offered packs, cosmetics and virtual currency for games such as Rocket League, Brawlhalla, Destruction AllStars, MLB The Show 21, NBA 2K21, Rogue Company, World of Tanks/World of Warships, Warframe and Call of Duty: Warzone. These were not standalone game licenses and could require the relevant game or online access. Sony lists those conditions in its final content announcement.
Can you still get a Play At Home game?
| What happened | What you can do now |
|---|---|
| Redeemed on the same PSN account | Usually download it from Game Library, provided the entitlement and title remain available in your region. |
| Downloaded but never claimed | Installation alone does not prove ownership. If the offer expired before you added it to the account, it generally cannot be claimed now. |
| Never claimed | The historical free offer has expired; it is not an open-ended catalog. |
Sony described successfully redeemed 2020 games as “yours to keep.” That applies to the account that actually redeemed the offer, not to every console that once had the files installed. Sign in to the same account and check its owned library. Sony explains the account-based Game Library model in its PlayStation ecosystem guide.
Download a redeemed game
PS5
- Open Game Library from the home screen.
- Choose Your Collection.
- Find the redeemed title.
- Open it and select Download.
- Choose console storage or a compatible M.2 SSD when prompted.
Labels can vary with system software and game edition. If both PS4 and PS5 versions appear, open the title’s options or product page and select the version you want. A redeemed PS4 license may run on PS5 through backward compatibility; it does not automatically guarantee a separate native PS5 upgrade, remaster or paid-upgrade entitlement.
PS4
- Open Library.
- Select Purchased.
- Highlight the game and press X.
- Select Download.
- Choose the configured extended-storage location if applicable.
Sony’s PS4 storage guide covers Library and storage management.
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For a paired PS5, open Game Library > Purchased, select the game and tap Download. The console must be paired with the app and configured to stay connected to the internet in Rest Mode. To remove a game remotely, use Settings > PS5 Storage, select the storage location and choose the games to delete. Sony says the app does not support moving or copying games; see its PlayStation App support page.
Delete the installation without deleting ownership
Deleting game/application data removes the installed game, patches and related local files. It normally does not remove a redeemed digital license. You can redownload the title later from the same account’s library.
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PS5 menu
- Open Settings > Storage > Console Storage > Games and Apps.
- Select the game.
- Choose Delete and confirm.
You can also highlight a home-screen game, press Options and choose Delete when that menu is available.
PS4 menu
- Open Settings > Storage.
- Select System Storage or the relevant USB device.
- Open Applications.
- Highlight the game and press Options.
- Select Delete and confirm.
Do not select saved-data management unless you intend to remove progress. Sony’s current storage and game-support information is available through the PlayStation Games Support index.
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Protect saves before freeing space
Game/application data, saved data and captures are separate categories. Deleting only the application normally leaves saves intact, but back them up before confirming.
- Let the game finish saving and close it normally.
- If you have PlayStation Plus, upload the relevant PS5 or PS4 saves to cloud storage.
- On PS4, you can also copy saves to a USB drive.
- Delete only the game/application.
- When you reinstall, download or synchronize the backed-up save if necessary.
PS5 cloud-save path
- Go to Settings > Saved Data and Game/App Settings.
- Choose Saved Data (PS5) or Saved Data (PS4).
- Select the upload, download or delete option.
- Choose the specific save files.
Cloud storage requires an active PlayStation Plus membership and stores saves, not installed games. PS4 saves may need to be manually downloaded to PS5 storage. Follow Sony’s save and transfer guide and PS5 cloud-storage instructions. Verify that the correct save has uploaded; a cloud backup is not automatic proof that every local file is present.
If the Store shows a price or the game is missing
- Confirm the signed-in email address and PSN account used during the promotion.
- Search Game Library > Purchased or Your Collection, including hidden items.
- Check whether you are viewing a different platform, edition or remaster.
- Consider regional substitutions and availability; the offer may not have existed in your territory.
- Check the product page and restore licenses on the console if the title was previously owned.
- Restart the console and sign in again, then contact PlayStation Support if the entitlement still does not appear.
Restoring licenses refreshes entitlement information; it cannot create a license that was never redeemed. A price usually means the current account does not have the promotional entitlement, or that you are looking at a separate edition.
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| Option | Best for | Important limitation |
|---|---|---|
| Delete and redownload | Large games you will not play soon and reliable broadband. | Later downloads and patches can be substantial. |
| USB extended storage | Archiving many games; playing compatible PS4 games directly. | PS5 games stored on USB generally must be copied to internal or M.2 storage before play. |
| Compatible PS5 M.2 SSD | Playing PS5 and PS4 games directly from expanded high-speed storage. | Check Sony’s current speed, size, heatsink and installation requirements. |
| PlayStation Plus cloud storage | Backing up and transferring saves. | Stores saved data, not installed game files; membership required. |
| Cloud streaming | Supported titles, plans, regions and devices with a strong connection. | Availability varies and it does not restore an expired Play At Home entitlement. |
For PS5 USB storage, Sony publishes current compatibility information, including the referenced 250 GB minimum and 8 TB maximum for the applicable configuration, on its PS5 features and expansion-storage page. Requirements can change, so check that page before buying. PS4 owners can use compatible USB extended storage or consider an internal drive upgrade; see the PS4 storage guide.
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- Designed, tested, and approved for PlayStation consoles so gamers can jump into the PlayStation action fast and seamlessly.
- With enhanced speeds up to 1000MB/s(1) quickly transfer games from external SSD archive to your PlayStation5 internal storage. (Based on internal testing; performance may be lower depending on host device, interface, usage conditions and other factors. 1MB=1,000,000) bytes.
- Expand your space for the size of the newest and greatest PlayStation 5 titles, allowing you to store more games without having to delete old ones.
- Unleash more fun and get the most out of Discord with a 1-month trial of Nitro – get access to all Nitro perks, including HD streaming, 2 Server Boosts, and more(5).
- With an IP65 rating and up to 3-meter drop protection(4). PlayStation adventures are backed by SanDisk purpose-built quality and reliability – plus a 5-year limited warranty(6).
PS VR and platform requirements
Several 2021 games were PS VR titles. Owning the license does not provide the headset, camera, controller or adapter needed to play them. Hardware and camera arrangements differ between PS4 and PS5, so check the original Sony lineup details for the title you redeemed.
Frequently asked questions
Are Play At Home games still free?
Not for new claims. The 2020 and 2021 redemption windows ended. Only games already redeemed on an account can normally be downloaded without a new purchase.
Do I need PlayStation Plus to redownload one?
PlayStation Plus is not the same as the historical game entitlement. It is specifically required for cloud-save storage, while online features can have their own requirements.
Can a game claimed on PS4 be downloaded to PS5?
Often, if the PS5 supports the PS4 title through backward compatibility and you use the same account. That does not promise a separate native PS5 version or upgrade.
Can PS5 games run from an external hard drive?
They can be stored there, but compatible PS5 games generally must be moved back to internal or M.2 storage to play. Compatible PS4 games can usually run directly from USB extended storage.
Are the in-game rewards full games?
No. The final 2021 phase consisted of game-specific items or currency, sometimes requiring the underlying game, and should not be confused with the standalone game giveaways.
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