Hours before Sony’s official announcement on December 31, 2025, the gaming community already knows at least one of January 2026’s PlayStation Plus Essential games. Need for Speed Unbound, Criterion Games’ 2022 street racing title, has been leaked as part of next month’s lineup by the notoriously accurate billbil-kun. This leak comes at a significant moment in PlayStation Plus history, as January 2026 marks the official transition to PS5-only monthly games.
The Leak and Its Source
Billbil-kun, posting via Dealabs, has an impeccable track record when it comes to PlayStation Plus and Xbox Game Pass predictions. For years, this leaker has accurately revealed monthly lineups ahead of official announcements, making their information highly reliable. According to the leak, Need for Speed Unbound will be available for PS Plus members at all tiers starting January 6, 2026.
Sony is expected to make its official announcement later on December 31, 2025, confirming the full three-game lineup. While Need for Speed Unbound is the only confirmed title so far, speculation within the gaming community has been running wild about what the other two games might be. Popular predictions include titles like Hades, Hogwarts Legacy, Atomic Heart, and even Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, though these remain pure speculation.
Why This January Is Different
January 2026 represents a watershed moment for PlayStation Plus Essential. After years of offering a mix of PS4 and PS5 titles, Sony announced in early 2025 that it would stop regularly including PS4 games starting this month. The company’s rationale is straightforward: the majority of their player base has shifted to PS5, and redemption data shows subscribers are overwhelmingly claiming PS5 titles over PS4 ones.
This policy change means the January 2026 lineup will consist exclusively of PlayStation 5 games. PS4 owners who subscribed to PS Plus Essential purely for the monthly freebies will find significantly less value in the service going forward. While PS4 games will still appear in the Game Catalog for Extra and Premium tiers, they won’t be part of the Essential monthly offerings except on rare occasions.
About Need for Speed Unbound
Need for Speed Unbound launched on December 2, 2022, exclusively for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X and S, and PC. Developed by Criterion Games, the studio behind beloved entries like Hot Pursuit and Burnout Paradise, Unbound marked Criterion’s return to leading Need for Speed development after nearly a decade away from the franchise.
The game features a distinctive visual style that blends photorealistic cars with cel-shaded, graffiti-inspired effects during gameplay. When you drift, hit nitrous, or pull off dramatic maneuvers, your car erupts with stylized animations and street art aesthetics. This bold artistic choice proved divisive among fans, with some praising the fresh approach while others felt it clashed with the realistic vehicle models.
Gameplay and Features
Set in Lakeshore City, a fictional location inspired by Chicago, Need for Speed Unbound centers on an immersive narrative about two friends torn apart by betrayal and a stolen car. Players must climb the street racing scene over four intense weeks, earning cash to enter weekly qualifiers and ultimately compete in The Grand, Lakeshore’s ultimate street racing challenge.
The game emphasizes tactical decision-making through its heat system. As you race and evade police, your heat level rises, making cops more aggressive. Players must decide whether to push their luck for bigger rewards or play it safe. New escape mechanics give you options: outrun the police through superior driving, battle them head-on, or find hiding spots throughout the city.
Criterion boasts that Unbound features the deepest driving system and best handling the studio has ever created, backed by sophisticated physics that rival driving simulators while maintaining arcade accessibility through optional driver assists. The customization system lets you personalize both your ride and your character with hundreds of cosmetic options, including collaborations with real fashion brands.
Post-Launch Support and Current Status
Since launch, Need for Speed Unbound has received consistent content updates and refinements. Notably, Criterion added a Cops vs Racers mode inspired by the beloved Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit, allowing players to experience pursuits from both sides of the law. This mode was folded into the game in August 2025 and became a fan favorite addition.
However, the game’s live service journey came to an end in late 2025. Criterion announced it would no longer be updating Need for Speed Unbound with new content, explaining that the team was being redirected to support development of the next Battlefield game. While disappointing for fans hoping for continued support, Criterion assured players that community feedback has been captured and will inform future Need for Speed titles.
Community Reception and Reviews
Need for Speed Unbound received generally positive reviews from critics, who praised the tight handling, challenging AI opponents, and impressive technical performance delivering 4K visuals at 60fps. The game’s physics system, which runs at high frame rates independently of the graphics, provides precise control that rewards skilled driving.
The art style remained the most contentious element. Some reviewers and players appreciated how the graffiti effects brought personality and energy to races, making your driving feel expressive and alive. Others found the visual flourishes distracting or felt they didn’t mesh well with the otherwise realistic presentation. The game’s soundtrack, curated by A$AP Rocky and AWGE, also divided opinion based on musical preferences.
Sales performance was modest compared to some previous Need for Speed entries, which may explain why EA eventually pulled Criterion away to work on other projects. Nevertheless, the game maintains a dedicated community who appreciate its challenging racing mechanics and deep customization systems.
What This Means for PS Plus Subscribers
For PlayStation 5 owners subscribed to PS Plus Essential, Need for Speed Unbound represents solid value. The game launched at full price just over three years ago and has received substantial post-launch content. If you missed it initially or held off due to the visual style, PS Plus gives you a risk-free opportunity to try it out.
The timing also makes sense from Sony’s perspective. With live service support concluded, EA and Criterion aren’t losing potential sales from active development. For Sony, offering a recent, technically impressive racing exclusive helps justify the PS5-only policy shift while providing a game that shows off the console’s capabilities.
FAQs
When will PS Plus Essential January 2026 games be officially announced?
Sony is expected to make the official announcement on December 31, 2025. The leaked information from billbil-kun typically comes just hours before Sony’s confirmation, maintaining the leaker’s pattern from previous months.
When can I download Need for Speed Unbound on PS Plus?
Need for Speed Unbound and the other January 2026 PS Plus Essential games will be available to claim and download starting Tuesday, January 6, 2026. They will remain available until the February lineup arrives in early February.
Who is billbil-kun and why are they reliable?
Billbil-kun is a leaker who posts primarily through Dealabs and has accurately predicted PlayStation Plus and Xbox Game Pass lineups for years. Their consistent track record of revealing games hours before official announcements has made them one of the most trusted sources for subscription service leaks.
What are the other two games in January 2026’s PS Plus lineup?
As of December 31, 2025, only Need for Speed Unbound has been leaked. The other two games remain unknown until Sony’s official announcement later today. Community speculation includes titles like Hades, Resident Evil Village, and various other PS5 games, but these are not confirmed.
Is Need for Speed Unbound worth playing?
Need for Speed Unbound received positive reviews praising its tight handling, challenging races, and technical performance. The controversial cel-shaded art style divides opinion, but the core racing mechanics are considered some of Criterion’s best work. It’s particularly worth trying through PS Plus since there’s no additional cost.
Why is Sony dropping PS4 games from PS Plus Essential?
Sony announced in early 2025 that player data showed the majority of subscribers have shifted to PS5 and are primarily redeeming PS5 titles. To reflect this trend and focus resources on current-generation content, they decided to stop regularly offering PS4 games starting January 2026.
Will PS4 games ever appear on PS Plus Essential again?
Sony stated that PS4 games will only be occasionally offered going forward. While they won’t be a regular feature of the monthly lineup, Sony left the door open for rare PS4 inclusions if there’s a compelling reason to feature a particular title.
Does Need for Speed Unbound still have online multiplayer?
Yes, while Criterion ended live service content updates in late 2025, the multiplayer functionality remains active. Players can still compete in online races, participate in the Cops vs Racers mode, and engage with all existing multiplayer features.
Can I still claim December 2025’s PS Plus games?
December 2025’s lineup, which unusually included five games instead of the typical three, will remain available to claim until Monday, January 5, 2026. Make sure to add them to your library before the January games go live on January 6.
Looking Ahead
The inclusion of Need for Speed Unbound sets an interesting precedent for PlayStation Plus Essential’s PS5-only era. Rather than loading the first month with older PS4 titles that happen to have PS5 versions, Sony is starting strong with a game built specifically for current-generation hardware. This suggests the company is serious about providing meaningful value despite the policy change that leaves PS4 owners behind.
As we await Sony’s official announcement revealing the complete January 2026 lineup, the gaming community will be watching closely to see how the company balances its PS5 focus with subscriber expectations. The shift away from PS4 games was always going to be controversial, and the quality of these early PS5-exclusive lineups will largely determine whether subscribers accept the change or push back against reduced backwards compatibility in the monthly offerings. For now, PlayStation 5 owners can look forward to hitting the streets of Lakeshore City starting January 6.