PS Plus: The First Game Announced for March 2026 Is Already Sparking Outrage (And It’s Easy to See Why)
A fighting game without versus mode is like a pizza without cheese—something’s just wrong. Yet that’s exactly what Sony is serving up to PS Plus Premium subscribers this March, with the PSP version of Tekken 5: Dark Resurrection. The fighting game community is not taking it well.
The first PS Plus addition for March 2026 has been revealed, and it’s already stirring up controversy. Unveiled during the February State of Play marathon, Tekken 5: Dark Resurrection will join the Classics catalog on March 17. But here’s the kicker: Sony picked the 2006 PSP edition instead of the far more complete PS2 version. After a generous February lineup, this feels like a cold shower for Premium subscribers.
Image credit: Sony
Tekken 5: Dark Resurrection lands March 17… but not the version fans wanted
On March 17, PS Plus Premium subscribers will be able to grab Tekken 5: Dark Resurrection in the Classics section. So far, so normal. The problem? Sony went with the PSP version from 20 years ago, instead of the PS2 or PS3 editions, which are way more complete in every respect. That’s a tough pill to swallow, especially since the differences aren’t just cosmetic.
Here’s what the portable version is missing compared to its console siblings:
- No versus mode—pretty wild for a fighting game
- Noticeably downgraded graphics, built for the PSP’s tiny screen
- Missing stages from the original Tekken 5
- Overall, much less content, trimmed down for handheld play
With this addition, the Tekken saga is now almost fully playable on PS5. Tekken 2, Tekken 3, and Tekken 6 are already on PlayStation Store and PS Plus; only the original Tekken and Tekken 4 are still missing. It’s an impressive collection on paper, but this particular entry deserved way better treatment.
Fighting game community cries foul: “Why not the PS2 version?”
Fighting game fans wasted no time voicing their frustration. On Reddit, reactions range from bafflement to outright annoyance. One player summed it up: “Please don’t let this be another T6 with no multiplayer. That was dumb.” There’s a precedent here: Tekken 6 was already added to the catalog without multiplayer, sparking the same kind of outrage.
noticed that the PS Plus Premium version of Tekken : Dark Resurrection
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Sony’s argument seems to be that they want to offer the best possible solo experience. But even there, the PS2 version is superior, with more content and better graphics. For a genre where player-versus-player is the heart of the action, releasing a version without versus mode is like cutting out the soul of the game. The community feels like Sony is just ticking a box in the catalog, without caring if the game actually fits.
PS Plus Premium: a tier that struggles to convince next to Essential and Extra
This controversy didn’t come out of nowhere. It’s part of a bigger frustration with the Premium tier, which has been stacking up disappointments for months. While Essential and Extra subscribers regularly get cool new additions—Spider-Man 2 was a smash hit in February—the Classics catalog often gets just one new game a month. And when that one game is a letdown, there’s nothing to make up for it.
Technical limitations don’t help: none of the Classics catalog games have online multiplayer, which automatically makes some genres less appealing. And looking ahead, things aren’t much brighter. Time Crisis is set for May 2026, but there probably won’t be any Premium addition in April. Two months with just one retro game, while six games are about to leave the catalog in March—it’s getting harder to justify the top-tier price.
Watching the trailer for the PS3 version of Tekken 5: Dark Resurrection really drives home the gap between what Premium subscribers could have gotten and what they’re actually getting. The contrast is stark—and it sums up the whole problem with PS Plus’s priciest tier.
There’s still a glimmer of hope for March: the free PS Plus games for the month (Essential tier) will be revealed on February 25. After a half-baked Tekken as an appetizer, subscribers are hoping the main course will deliver. Sony’s got five days to turn things around.
PlayStation 5, PlayStation Plus
