The new year is here, and it means a brand new slate of video games releasing this year, new events and happenings, and new items from fan-favorite subscription services. It’ll be interesting to see how the new year affects the most popular gaming services, including Xbox Game Pass, Games with Gold, Epic Games Store, and PS Plus.
Right now, it seems that both Xbox Game Pass and Games with Gold have adopted a business as usual approach, while the Epic Games Store kicked off the new year with a bang. PS Plus had a solid opening too, though one month hardly defines the whole year, but it does help set the tone. If the PS Plus free games for January 2022 suggest anything, it’s a potential return to form.
A New PS Plus Pattern for 2022?
The thing to keep in mind is that PS Plus typically rotates through some identifiable patterns. For example, late 2022 saw the trend of the one big AAA game and one small game release schedule, it eventually added more variety and expand—releasing some big games on PS Plus ahead of the PS5 launch. Then, it released new PS5 games on the service and kept up a PS5/Two PS4-ish schedule through now.
Arguably, however, the quality of this pattern has decreased in recent months. PS Plus ended the year with more controversy than strong line-ups, and that’s because—as a whole—the past few months have moved away from one important variable: variety. Not every month is going to be perfect for every PS Plus subscriber, but every month can attempt to have a little something for everyone. January 2022 does just that.
With Deep Rock Galactic, fans on either PS4 or PS5 get to enjoy a four-player co-op shooter with interesting classes, premise, and gameplay. Persona 5 Strikers may not be the best entry into the P5 universe, but it still provides a tactical Musou game and JRPG experience for PS4 fans. Then, of course, Dirt 5 is a racing game for PS4 and PS5.
A four-player co-op shooter, Musou game, and racing game still may not scratch everyone’s back, but it’s enough variety that one of these is likely to appeal to one gamer. The shooter is one of the most popular genres after all, and there’s no doubting the popularity of Persona 5 and its spin-offs. Either way, it remains to be seen if this is a one-off or the start of a new pattern, but here’s hoping for a great new year on PS Plus.
PS Plus subscribers get a handful of free games every month.