The latest lineup of essential PlayStation Plus games has been unveiled, with April 2026 offering a healthy variety of experiences via its three “free” games. The headliner for this round of PS Plus releases is The Lords of the Fallen, a solid successor to the 2014 game of the same name that boasts all the soulslike staples alongside a fun “two worlds” format. Sword Art Online Fractured Daydream, which will be a win for any anime fans with a PS5. Contrary to its name, it features a singleplayer mode alongside its 20-player multiplayer, with 21 of the series’ characters present. However, it’s the final game of the bunch that’s the most interesting, and that’s none other than Tomb Raider 1-3 Remastered.
Tomb Raider 1-3 Remastered has recently come under fire for its Challenge Mode update, which added AI skins to the games while also introducing new bugs involving music and subtitles. Fortunately, another update was released on March 31 that addressed numerous complaints, which was certainly well-timed. With its PS Plus release lining up with the now-polished new content, it’s a solid addition to the Essential tier. However, this journey isn’t why these remasters are so intriguing, as instead, it’s because their very presence breaks a promise from Sony regarding PS4 games on PS Plus.
PS Plus Essential Has Yet to Make Good on Sony’s Planned End of an Era
Last year, Sony announced that PS4 games on PS Plus Essential would no longer be a key benefit of the service come 2026. Naturally, subscribers have been waiting for the other shoe to drop ever since, but as each month passes, gamers are left scratching their heads. Four months into 2026, PS Plus Essential has offered at least one PS4 game every single month, with the following titles all being added to the tier this year:
- Epic Mickey Remastered (January)
- Core Keeper (January)
- Subnautica: Below Zero (February)
- Ultros (February)
- Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown (February)
- Elder Scrolls Online: Gold Road Collection (March)
- Monster Hunter Rise (March)
- Tomb Raider 1-3 Remastered (April)
While Tomb Raider 1-3 Remastered has PS4 and PS5 versions, it’s technically a collection of PS1 games, further breaking Sony’s “PS5 only” promise for PS Plus Essential.
Drag weapons to fill the grid
Drag weapons to fill the grid
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Of the games listed above, February’s Ace Combat 7 stands out since it has no PS5 version to speak of, being a pure PS4 addition whereas the other PS4 games also have a PS5 version that can be downloaded. With every single month of 2026 having something for PS4 users to download, though, it does feel as if Sony has forgotten its plan or has quietly chosen to abandon the idea. Alternatively, maybe Sony is aiming to ween players off PS4 games, as April only has one of them whereas the other months have two or three. Regardless, it does seem like PS4 versions are still a key benefit of the service in everything but name only, at least for the time being.
Why PS Plus Essential Keeping PS4 Games Around Is Ultimately a Good Thing
While there is a world where dropping PS4 games from PS Plus could result in more current-gen only titles taking their place, it’s no secret that the generation got off to a slow start. Partially due to scalpers, partially due to COVID-19, and partially due to the high install base of the PS4, plenty of games have taken a cross-gen approach, with fully current-gen releases only becoming commonplace in the last few years. As a result, restricting Essential games to PS5-only titles instantly limits the pool that Sony could pull from, which could result in less interesting monthly lineups even if the game count remains the same.
But even if Sony made the PS5-only switch for Essential, and successfully kept the game count and quality the same, the aforementioned install base is a reason why removing PS4 games from the service would be a bummer. PS Plus is still needed to play games online on PS4, after all, and the free Essential titles are a benefit that helps make that an easier pill to swallow. With so many hanging onto their PS4s and still playing them instead of jumping to the PS5, many would likely feel the loss of PS4 games on the service. Hopefully, the PS4 and PS5 versions of games continue to be offered together even if PS4-only games like Ace Combat 7 are retired, as everyone benefits from the cross-gen combos. Players should just enjoy Sony’s “mistake” while they can, as it could remember its promise to halt PS4 releases on PS Plus Essential at any point.
