PlayStation Plus subscribers received access to a diverse trio of monthly titles in January 2023, featuring Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, Fallout 76, and Axiom Verge 2. Available across PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 consoles, this selection provided a mix of cinematic action-adventure, online multiplayer survival, and indie metroidvania gameplay for all active subscription tiers.
Overview of the PlayStation Plus Service Structure in 2023
The PlayStation Plus service underwent a major restructuring in mid-2022, splitting into three distinct subscription tiers: Essential, Extra, and Premium (or Deluxe depending on the region). Despite these structural changes, the core tradition of monthly games remained intact for all tiers. Subscribers to the baseline PlayStation Plus Essential plan—as well as those on the higher Extra and Premium tiers—gained access to a fresh batch of titles on the first Tuesday of every month.
January 2023 marked the beginning of a new year for the revamped service, establishing the pattern for monthly drops that would continue throughout the hardware lifecycle. Understanding how these games were distributed requires looking at the technical requirements, license management, and redemption windows that governed the platform at the time.
Verified January 2023 Monthly Game Lineup
The official lineup for January 2023 included three distinct titles spanning multiple genres and generations of hardware compatibility. Each game offered native versions or backward-compatible performance boosts for the PlayStation 5, alongside standard PlayStation 4 editions.
| Game Title | Original Release | Primary Genre | Platform Support |
|---|---|---|---|
| Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order | 2019 | Action-Adventure | PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5 |
| Fallout 76 | 2018 | Online Action RPG | PlayStation 4 (PlayStation 5 via Backward Compatibility) |
| Axiom Verge 2 | 2021 | Metroidvania / Indie | PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5 |
Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order
Developed by Respawn Entertainment and published by Electronic Arts, Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order stands as one of the most prominent single-player action-adventure titles set within the modern Star Wars universe. Players assume the role of Cal Kestis, a surviving Padawan hiding in the aftermath of Order 66, who must rebuild his connection to the Force and complete his Jedi training while evading the relentless pursuit of the Empire's Inquisitors.
The inclusion of the game on PlayStation Plus in January 2023 served as a strategic tie-in leading up to the release of its sequel, Star Wars Jedi: Survivor. The PlayStation 5 version of the game featured significant technical improvements over the original PlayStation 4 release, including targeted 60 frames-per-second performance modes, faster loading times, and higher-resolution textures. Players who redeemed the title kept it in their digital library for as long as their PlayStation Plus subscription remained active.
Fallout 76
Bethesda Game Studios' Fallout 76 brought an online multiplayer survival experience to the January 2023 PlayStation Plus lineup. Set in the hills of post-nuclear Appalachia, the title departs from traditional single-player entries in the franchise by placing players in a shared online world where they can build settlements, complete cooperative quests, and engage in public events.
By January 2023, Fallout 76 had received numerous post-launch expansions, including the Wastelanders update that introduced human NPCs, dialogue trees, and a reworked faction system. While playable on PlayStation 5 via backward compatibility, the game operated within its original PlayStation 4 performance envelope. Its inclusion on PlayStation Plus provided a substantial player-base influx, revitalizing public servers and cooperative event matchmaking.
Axiom Verge 2
As the sole indie representative in the January 2023 monthly offerings, Axiom Verge 2 offered a sequel to the acclaimed 2015 metroidvania platformer. Developed primarily by Thomas Happ, the game transports players to an alternative Earth-like planet filled with industrial ruins, mysterious technology, and reality-bending traversal mechanics.
The title introduced a dual-world exploration mechanic, allowing players to shift between the physical realm and a corrupted breach dimension. This added complex puzzle-solving and combat dynamics to the classic exploration-heavy formula. Both the PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 versions were bundled into a single cross-buy license, ensuring that players across both hardware generations could experience the title.
Redemption Rules and Subscription Requirements
To access and retain the January 2023 PlayStation Plus games, users had to meet specific account and subscription criteria enforced by Sony Interactive Entertainment.
- Active Subscription Status: Users needed an active subscription to PlayStation Plus Essential, Extra, or Premium at the time of redemption.
- Redemption Window: The games became available for addition to user libraries on Tuesday, January 3, 2023, and remained claimable until Monday, February 6, 2023.
- Library Retention: Once claimed during the active window, the titles remained accessible indefinitely, provided the user's subscription was renewed or active when attempting to play them.
- Tier Parity: Unlike the PlayStation Plus Game Catalog (which was restricted to Extra and Premium tiers), the monthly games were available to all subscribers, including the base Essential tier.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I play PlayStation Plus games if my subscription lapses?
No. When a PlayStation Plus subscription expires, access to all monthly games and catalog titles is temporarily locked. However, your save data and licenses are preserved. If you renew your subscription at a later date, access to all previously claimed games is restored immediately.
Do PlayStation Plus monthly games include PS5 native versions?
It depends on the specific title. If a game has a native PlayStation 5 version released alongside or after the PlayStation 4 version, Sony frequently includes both versions or a cross-buy entitlement in the monthly package, as was the case with Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order.
Can I redeem PlayStation Plus games from a web browser or mobile app?
Yes. Users can log into the PlayStation Store via a web browser or the official PlayStation App on iOS and Android to claim monthly games remotely, even if their console is turned off or miles away, provided the account is properly linked.
What happens if I already own a game included in the monthly lineup?
Sony does not offer financial compensation, store credit, or alternative game substitutions if a subscriber already owns a digital or physical copy of a monthly PlayStation Plus game. However, redeeming the license ensures you can play without needing the physical disc inserted into your console.
Final Recommendations for Subscribers
Managing a digital game library effectively requires attention to expiration dates and storage limits. Because the redemption window for monthly games closes strictly on the first Monday of the following month, users should build the habit of claiming titles via the mobile app or console dashboard even if they do not plan to download and install them immediately. This ensures long-term ownership of the license without consuming solid-state drive (SSD) storage space prematurely.
