Very few people will disagree that PS Plus is simply genius. There’s just almost nothing better than enjoying some of PlayStation’s biggest titles, like Horizon Forbidden West, without having to spend money on each one separately. Moreover, subscription services offer an impressive catalog of games, including some major first-party releases as well, but just because a game is developed by a PlayStation studio doesn’t always mean that it will be available through the service forever. Unfortunately, even some of Sony’s most recognizable titles are not immune to being excluded.
One example of this is Horizon Forbidden West, which is scheduled to return to the PS Plus Game Catalog on October 20, 2026. However, what is even more interesting is that Sony has explicitly labeled the return as a re-release, which is just another reminder that the game was previously removed from the service. Sure, most people are probably happy that they are going to be able to play such a major action RPG once again, especially those who have not had a chance to experience it yet, but this comeback raises the question of why a game that is so important to PlayStation was even removed in the first place.
Horizon Forbidden West Is Exactly the Kind of Game PS Plus Needs
If you’re a fan of beautiful open worlds that are filled with machines, different tribes, and plenty of mystery, then Horizon Forbidden West is definitely the action RPG for you. The game is a continuation of Aloy’s story, and there are plenty of activities beyond the main campaign, which is perfect for those who like exploring. Many people seem to agree that Horizon Forbidden West is one of the best games created by Guerrilla. For those who don’t know, Guerrilla is part of PlayStation Studios, which means that Sony isn’t just offering another game from a third-party publisher but one of its own biggest releases.
So it would actually make a lot of sense for the title to be included in the catalog, and, in fact, it could even be one of the reasons why some players even decide to subscribe in the first place. Moreover, losing access to such a massive RPG can be especially frustrating. For example, people generally expect subscription services to lack some niche titles that most people haven’t heard of, but not having a game like Horizon Forbidden West is often deemed unforgivable.
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According to Sony’s official terms, subscribers lose access to titles that leave the Game Catalog, and once this happens, you need to purchase the game separately. In other words, if you have already spent countless hours playing Horizon Forbidden West, you could find yourself unable to continue without spending additional money, which is a significant drawback. And although the game’s return is great news for some people, especially those who have reached a certain point and don’t want to spend more money, there is no guarantee that the game will not be removed again, which brings a great sense of uncertainty.
Horizon Forbidden West Isn’t the First Game in the Series to Leave PS Plus
As you might have already figured, Horizon Forbidden West is not the only game in the franchise that has been removed from PS Plus. Titles like Horizon Zero Dawn left the Game Catalog in May 2024. This is certainly strange considering how closely associated the Horizon series is with PlayStation. However, in April 2026, Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered was added to the catalog, and even though it’s quite different from what had been previously removed, it at least showed players that Sony was willing to bring the franchise back. The fact that games come and go from the subscription service gives hope to many players who are hoping to experience the currently unavailable titles, but at the same time, it makes the availability of some of the biggest games less predictable.
An important thing to consider is that even though this isn’t the case with Horizon Forbidden West, sometimes players get a remastered version of a game that doesn’t provide the same experience they previously had access to. In the case of Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered, Sony introduced some great improvements, but PS5 subscribers who prefer the original version may not get the same experience they were hoping for. Some people don’t mind that, since it’s just a more modern-looking version of the same title, but those who appreciate the original’s visual charm might certainly be left disappointed.
PS Plus May Benefit From More Stability When It Comes to First-Party Games
To be fair, maybe expecting every single game in PS Plus to be available forever is a little bit unrealistic, and Sony has also made it clear that the Game Catalog will change over time. Moreover, since new titles are being introduced quite regularly to keep the service interesting, having that rotation means that subscribers can discover different games without having to purchase them. However, it is still true that not every title should be treated in exactly the same way, especially when it comes to major first-party releases.
In fact, keeping some of PlayStation’s most recognizable titles available for longer could also give subscribers a better idea of what they can expect without worrying about losing access to something that they like. In other words, PlayStation can still keep its rotating library while simultaneously offering more stability when it comes to big releases. Overall, it is certainly great that Horizon Forbidden West will be available again on PS Plus, but it would probably be even better if we didn’t have to wonder if or when it might disappear again.
- Released
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February 18, 2022
- ESRB
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T for Teen: Blood, Language, Use of Alcohol, Violence
