Think PS Plus Essential’s Monthly Games Are Getting Worse? The Data Shows You’re Wrong

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For years, PlayStation Plus (including the basic PS Plus Essential tier) has offered subscribers a selection of free games each month, though this perk doesn’t always get the recognition it deserves.

Some people feel the movies and shows offered each month aren’t as good as they used to be. However, a recent analysis by a YouTuber shows that this isn’t actually the case – the quality hasn’t declined based on the available data.

OliveOcelot analyzed the PlayStation Plus Essential monthly games from the past four years to see if the quality of the games has been getting worse.

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In short, the answer is no.

When looking at average Metascores each month, game quality doesn’t seem to be declining.

According to Metascore data, September 2025 currently looks like the strongest month for new game releases in the past four years. The standout titles include Psychonauts 2, Stardew Valley, and Viewfinder.

Honestly, looking back, August 2025 was a pretty rough month for game releases. Statistically, it was the slowest of the last four years – the big titles that came out then were DayZ, My Hero One’s Justice 2, and Lies of P, and none of them really hit the mark for me.

As a PlayStation Plus member, I’ve been seriously impressed lately! If you look at the games offered from September through November, they’ve all averaged over 80 on review sites – that’s a really consistent run of quality. Honestly, it feels like PlayStation Plus Essential is having its best year ever!

Honestly, after playing a bunch of these PS Plus Essential games, I’ve realized it’s not really about the quality getting better or worse. It’s more about how we see the games each month – it’s all about perception, you know?

A great example is Lies of P, which has been a real highlight this year. However, it’s unfortunately listed alongside DayZ, a game with a lower Metascore, which brings the average down.

While some players might be surprised to see Stray offered with PS Plus Essential after it was previously available on PS Plus Extra in 2022, it’s still a well-regarded game that many haven’t had a chance to experience.

This really shows that everyone has different ideas about what makes a good lineup of free PlayStation Plus Essential games.

Whether or not someone finds a subscription service worthwhile really depends on the games they already have and what they enjoy playing. While some people might think the quality of the games is decreasing, it’s more likely that the games just aren’t appealing to them personally anymore.

If you’re a returning player or aren’t paying close attention to updates, you might think the games are declining in quality over time. However, that doesn’t necessarily mean they actually are.

Here at Push Square, we regularly check what our readers think of the monthly PS Plus Essential games. We run polls and get thousands of votes, giving us a good idea of how PlayStation fans are feeling about the lineup each month.

Okay, so everyone seems to hate November’s game lineup. October was way better – most people actually thought it was a solid bunch of games. But here’s the really weird part: September, which by the numbers was the best month for releases in ages, everyone voted it was terrible! It doesn’t make any sense!

PS Plus Essential has been a hot topic recently. Are you finding the game selection is declining in quality? We’d love to hear your opinion – share your thoughts in the comments below!

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2025-11-03 22:07