PlayStation Plus Essential Games for January - Need for Speed: Unbound, Disney's Epic Mickey: Refurbished, and Core Keeper

It's the second last Wednesday of the month, or rather the year. Sony has given us a look at what we will see for PlayStation Plus at the start of the new year.

The following three games will be available for PlayStation Plus members from January 6 to February 2 of 2026.

Need for Speed Unbound | PS5

Start at the bottom, race to the top in the latest entry in the iconic Need for Speed franchise. With separate single and multiplayer campaigns, this latest edition in the Need for Speed franchise from Criterion Games delivers hours of electric, adrenaline-pumping racing action. Race against time, outsmart the cops, and take on weekly qualifiers to reach The Grand, Lakeshore’s ultimate street racing challenge. Pack your garage with precision-tuned, custom rides and light up the streets with your style, exclusive fits, and a vibrant global soundtrack that bumps in every corner of the world.

Disney's Epic Mickey Refurbished | PS5, PS4

Play as Mickey Mouse and embark on an epic journey through Wasteland, a realm of forgotten Disney characters. Disney Epic Mickey: Rebrushed brings the magic of Disney to life in a vibrant 3D platformer. This beautiful remake sends Mickey into a fantastical world where you use paint and thinner to shape your adventure and the fate of this alternate world. Every stroke of your magic brush matters! Use paint to restore beauty and harmony or thinner to alter your environment and uncover hidden secrets. Encounter iconic characters like Oswald the Lucky Rabbit, Walt Disney’s first creation. Collect virtual Disney pins and tackle creative challenges while exploring classic platforming levels inspired by animated films and shorts.

Core Keeper | PS5, PS4

Awaken as an explorer in a long-forgotten cavern teeming with untold secrets. In this award-winning, 1-8 player mining sandbox adventure, your choices shape an epic journey. Harvest relics and resources, craft advanced tools, build your base, and explore a dynamically evolving world waiting to be unearthed. Level up your skills, defeat legendary Titans, and unveil the power of the Core. Grow your garden, fish in mysterious waters, master a vast array of recipes, raise and care for animals, encounter the Cavelings, and carve out your own unique world in an enchanting underground adventure.

Leaving Soon

Additionally, on January 5, the following games will be delisted from the service. If you still want to play them, you don't have much time left, so best to get to it quickly.

• Killing Floor III
• LEGO Horizon Adventures
• Neon White
• The Outlast Trials
• Synduality: Echo of Ada

What do you think of this month's selection of games? What else would you like to see added to the service in the future? Let us know in the comments below!