PlayStation Plus AAA free game to be delisted with January 2027 deadline set

PlayStation Plus is losing a major AAA free game in January 2027, with the servers shutting down for NBA 2K25 and the game being delisted forever.

These days, it’s not unusual for games to be delisted, especially annual sports titles where players quickly move on to the latest version, as we’ve seen with FIFA and EA Sports FC over the years.

2K’s NBA 2K series is no exception, and we’ve seen the same with WWE 2K24. That said, it’s always disappointing when a game’s servers close, and it gets delisted just two or three years after release. As brought to our attention by Reddit user kabirsingh84, NBA 2K25 is the next 2K game facing the chopping block.

NBA 2K25 was added to PlayStation Plus Essential on June 3, 2025, available for all subscribers to claim during that month.

When is NBA 2K25 being delisted and when will its servers shut down?

NBA 2K25 will no longer be available to purchase as of October 30, 2026. The game will then be discontinued as of December 31, 2026. As of January 1, 2027, the NBA 2K25 online multiplayer matches and online-connected modes will be deactivated.

This not only relates to NBA 2K25 on PlayStation, but also on PC, Xbox and Nintendo Switch.

What NBA 2K25 modes will be inaccessible?

Along with the more traditional multiplayer modes, MyCAREER (which includes The City online hub) and MyTEAM will be inaccessible. You’ll also no longer be able to earn Virtual Currency (VC) in-game, and community sharing features will be deactivated.

You will, however, still be able to download NBA 2K25 if you own it and play its offline modes. That being said, there’s probably a good chance that you’ve also moved on to the latest version of the game at this point.

READ MORE: PlayStation Plus gamers horrified over impending shutdown date

Screenshot of NBA 2K25, 2K

Why are NBA 2K25’s online modes being shut down?

Other than players moving on to the newest version of the game, with the drop in active players in NBA 2K25, it’s simply a case of wasted financial costs and human working hours to keep the servers running, deploying patches and adding new content. It’s the nature of online gaming, and that won’t be changing anytime soon, unfortunately.

Is NBA 2K27 safe from shutting down?

No, it isn't. However, NBA 2K27 was only released in August 2026, so you’ve probably got another couple of years to play all of its online-connected modes as much as you can. History will repeat itself with every game in the series, eventually.

When is NBA 2K28 coming out?

No release date has been announced yet for NBA 2K28, but there’s a good chance that it will be released between late August and early September 2027. Keep a look out for the game's official social media channels for when that big announcement is made.