PlayStation Plus announces May free game line-up

Sony has announced the free games for May for PlayStation Plus Essential subscribers, and we’ve got one or two bangers.

Regardless of the tier you subscribe to, there is plenty of value in the PlayStation Plus subscription service.

Granted, PlayStation Plus Extra and Premium have a lot more games to choose from as well as other perks, but PS Plus Essential does have an exclusive benefit that the other tiers do not.

Unlike the PlayStation Plus Extra and Premium tiers, which rotate the library with outgoings and incomings, once a PS Plus Essential game is added to your library, it will always be playable with an active subscription (and assuming Sony doesn't delete it).

Check out the Balatro trailer below!

So what free games are included in PlayStation Plus Essential in May 2025, I hear you ask? The headline title is arguably the 2024 indie sensation Balatro.

“Combine valid poker hands with unique Joker cards in order to create varied synergies and builds,” reads the synopsis of Balatro. “Earn enough chips to beat devious blinds, all while uncovering hidden bonus hands and decks as you progress. You’re going to need every edge you can get in order to reach the boss blind, beat the final ante and secure victory.”

The other two games included in PlayStation Plus Essential are Ark: Survival Ascended and Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun.

Ark: Survival Ascended is a next-gen remaster of Ark: Survival Evolved, which was released in 2017. Powered by Unreal Engine 5, hunting and taming dinosaurs, and building epic bases with friends has never looked better.

Set in the unforgiving world of Warhammer, Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun is a retro-inspired FPS that should not be missed, regardless of whether you’re a fan of the tabletop game or not.

All three games will be available to download on Tuesday, 6 May 2025. They’re also included in the PlayStation Plus Extra and Premium tiers.