PlayStation Plus January 2026: Racing, Mickey Mouse, and Mining Adventures Await

PlayStation Plus January Lineup Revealed: NFS Unbound, Epic Mickey, and Core Keeper

The new year kicks off with an exciting PlayStation Plus lineup that brings street racing thrills, Disney nostalgia, and underground exploration to subscribers. Here's everything you need to know about the three games landing on January 6, 2026.

Need for Speed Unbound Takes the Pole Position (PS5)

The headline act for January is Criterion Games' stylish street racer that burst onto the scene in late 2022. Set in the sprawling metropolis of Lakeshore City—a fictional urban playground inspired by Chicago—players dive into an adrenaline-fueled world where customization meets competition.

What Makes It Special: The game stands out with its distinctive cel-shaded visual style, a bold artistic choice that gives it a comic book aesthetic unlike any previous Need for Speed title. Players can fine-tune their dream garage, compete in weekly racing qualifiers, and engage in the time-honored tradition of outrunning the cops. The ultimate goal? Reaching The Grand, the championship that separates street racers from legends.

A$AP Rocky makes an appearance in the narrative, adding star power to the single-player campaign. With separate progression systems for solo and multiplayer modes, there's plenty to keep speed demons occupied.

The Verdict: With a Metascore of 77, critics appreciated the fresh visual approach and solid racing mechanics, making it a worthy addition for racing enthusiasts who missed it during its original release.

Disney Epic Mickey: Rebrushed Paints a Magical Return (PS5, PS4)

Mickey Mouse ventures into forgotten territory in this gorgeously remastered version of the 2010 Wii classic. This isn't your typical Disney platformer—it's a journey through the Wasteland, a realm where forgotten Disney characters reside, including Walt Disney's original creation, Oswald the Lucky Rabbit.

New Features and Improvements: The remake doesn't just polish the graphics; it adds substantial new content. Players now have access to modern movement abilities including dashing, sprinting, and ground-pounding—features absent from the original Wii version (and thankfully, no motion controls required).

The core mechanic remains Mickey's magical paintbrush, which allows players to restore or alter environments creatively. The paint-and-thinner system gives players meaningful choices about how to navigate challenges, making each playthrough potentially unique.

Why It Matters: For longtime Disney fans, this is pure fan service wrapped in quality platforming gameplay. It's a chance to explore Disney's creative history while enjoying updated mechanics that feel contemporary.

Core Keeper Digs Deep Into Co-Op Fun (PS5, PS4)

Rounding out the trio is Core Keeper, a cozy underground mining and exploration adventure that supports 1-8 players in cooperative gameplay. Perfect timing for cold January nights when you want to hunker down with friends.

The Experience: Core Keeper blends sandbox creativity with survival elements, all wrapped in a charming pixel-art aesthetic. Players explore procedurally generated underground caverns, mine resources, craft equipment, build bases, and battle subterranean creatures. Think of it as a mix between Terraria and Stardew Valley, but entirely underground.

The co-op focus makes it ideal for friend groups looking for a shared adventure that's more relaxing than competitive. Whether you're playing solo or with a full squad of eight, there's something meditative about the mining, crafting, and base-building loop.

Important Dates to Remember

Claim Your Games: All three titles become available on January 6, 2026, and remain claimable until February 2, 2026.

Last Chance Alert: December 2025's generous five-game lineup—including LEGO Horizon Adventures, Killing Floor 3, The Outlast Trials, Synduality: Echo of Ada, and Neon White—expires on January 5. Make sure to add these to your library before they disappear.

The PS4 Question Gets Answered

Sony previously announced that PlayStation Plus would phase out PS4 games starting in January 2026, focusing exclusively on PS5 titles for the Essential tier. However, this lineup tells a different story. Both Disney Epic Mickey: Rebrushed and Core Keeper are available for PS4, suggesting Sony may have softened its stance or will phase out older-generation games more gradually than initially stated.

PS4 owners can breathe a sigh of relief—at least for this month, they're not being left behind entirely.

The Bottom Line

January 2026's PlayStation Plus Essential lineup offers impressive variety. Whether you're craving high-octane street racing, nostalgic Disney platforming, or collaborative underground adventures, there's something here for different gaming moods. After December's bumper crop of five games, returning to the standard three-game format with this quality selection feels like a strong start to the new year.

The diversity in genres ensures most subscribers will find at least one title worth downloading, and having two games available for PS4 means a larger portion of the PlayStation community can participate. It's a solid beginning to what could be an exciting year for PlayStation Plus members.