PS Plus October 2026: A Lineup That Sparks Outrage (Especially in Japan)
Halloween without the scares—well, almost. The PS Plus lineup for October 2026 is making waves, and in Japan, Sony managed to swap out its only creepy game for a title sitting at just 38/100 on Metacritic.
PS Plus Essential subscribers get F1 25, Hunt: Showdown 1896, and Earth Defense Force: World Brothers 2 from October 6 to November 2. On paper: a gritty extraction shooter, a racing sim, and a voxel co-op shooter. In reality: a lineup that totally misses the Halloween vibe and has the Reddit crowd up in arms. After a September selection that was already under fire, the backlash is only getting louder.
Image credit: Sony
Hunt: Showdown 1896 — the only horror game in the lineup (except in Japan)
For October, Hunt: Showdown 1896 is the lone torchbearer for Halloween. This PvPvE extraction shooter drops players into the corrupted wilds of the 19th century, where monstrous creatures and rival hunters battle for bounties in an atmosphere thick with dread. Play solo or in a squad of three—Crytek’s title blends relentless tension, tactical gunfights, and memorable boss battles. It’s a perfect seasonal pick—except Japanese subscribers won’t get it. And that’s where things get messy.
Hello Neighbor — the swap that’s sparking outrage in Japan
In Japan, Sony decided to replace Hunt: Showdown 1896 with Hello Neighbor, a stealth horror game from 2017. Swapping in another horror title for the season? Sure, in theory. But this choice is hard to defend. Hello Neighbor sits at 38 on Metacritic for PC and 42 for Xbox, and doesn’t even have a PlayStation score. Worse, it’s already been sitting in the PS Plus Premium and Extra catalogs for ages—meaning many subscribers already own it.
Reddit didn’t take long to react. “They actually made things worse. I usually defend PlayStation Plus games, but this month is just bad,” summed up one of the top comments. Another user pointed out: “A Metacritic score of 38 on PC and 42 on Xbox, nothing for PS4/PS5. And it’s been in the Extra catalog forever. How could they not find a better replacement?” The paradox: despite the scathing reviews, Hello Neighbor has sold millions and spawned a whole franchise. Offering a poorly rated, old, and already available Extra game as a substitute is still a baffling move.
F1 25 — a recent AAA for racing fans
F1 25 is arguably the best surprise here—at least for motorsport fans. Released last year, the official FIA Formula One World Championship 2025 game hits PS Plus barely a year after launch—a rare feat for an annual sports title. There’s plenty to dig into: Career mode, My Team 2.0 for running your own stable, and the F1 World multiplayer mode for teaming up with friends against AI drivers. It’s a generous, full-featured sim—even if it’s got nothing to do with Halloween.
Earth Defense Force: World Brothers 2 — voxel co-op chaos
The last game in the lineup, Earth Defense Force: World Brothers 2, leans all the way into its niche status. Earth (yep, it’s square) is under siege by voxel hordes of giant enemies, and you’ll assemble a four-person squad from across the EDF universe to fight back. The result: a gloriously over-the-top arcade shoot-’em-up, available on PS5 and PS4, with online co-op for up to four and local split-screen for two. It’s loud, it’s wild, it’s perfect for chaotic co-op sessions with friends—but again, there’s zero Halloween connection.
All three games will be available from October 6 to November 2, and September’s titles can still be claimed until October 5. To make up for the lack of chills in the Essential lineup, Sony is banking on its exclusive PS Plus HorrorFest bundles: cosmetic goodies for Call of Duty: Warzone, Hunt: Showdown 1896, and Overwatch 2 rolling out all month long. We’ll see if the Extra/Premium catalog additions for October—set to be announced soon—can win back increasingly demanding subscribers.
