PlayStation Plus Gamers Surprised With Limited-Time Free Download For 10/10 Open-World RPG

Published Sep 10, 2026, 7:48 AM EDT Nicholas Becher is a gaming journalist with an MFA in Creative Writing from FAU. With extensive experience playing video games, he covers all forms of gaming content at Screen Rant, from breaking news to the latest fan theories. Most-played games range from Clair Obscur to Civ to Elden Ring to Halo 2 and beyond. Sign in to your ScreenRant account PlayStation Plus has slowly become one of the best subscription services on offer, and has added several unique features over the years that give gamers a chance to play games at no extra cost beyond membership fees. This includes the popular monthly game releases, which allow you to add popular titles to your library forever, while the PS Plus catalog itself includes hundreds of free games you can play as long as they are listed. PS Plus members can also take advantage of dozens of other unique aspects of the service, and thanks to one of PlayStation Plus's most useful and beloved features, gamers just got a massive surprise available now for PS Plus Premium subscribers. For a limited time, one of 2024's most popular open-world RPGs that's a 10/10 must-play is available to claim for free (via PlayStation). As part of PlayStation Plus's free Game Trial feature, the highly rated open-world creature-collector game Palworld is officially available to play for a limited 2-hour test period for PlayStation Plus Premium subscribers. Unlike a traditional demo, the Game Trial lets players try the full version of Palworld, with the two-hour timer counting down while the game is actually being played. Any save data or trophies earned during that period are retained, meaning subscribers who decide to purchase Palworld afterward can pick up exactly where they left off instead of starting over from scratch. Game Trials are one of the best benefits reserved for PlayStation Plus Premium subscribers, with individual trial lengths varying between games. For anyone who missed out at launch, Palworld is Pocketpair's open-world survival and creature-collecting game totally not inspired by Pokémon that's built around capturing the titular "Pals." Those creatures can accompany players in combat, help gather resources, work around increasingly elaborate bases, and be bred to produce new companions. The game mixes those monster-catching mechanics with survival systems, crafting, exploration, firearms, and online multiplayer, resulting in something considerably different and more mature than other popular creature-collector games. Palworld officially reached Version 1.0 earlier this year after originally launching in Early Access in January 2024. At the moment, PlayStation has not announced an end date for the two-hour trial, and it is featured among September's other PlayStation Plus Game Trials. It will likely remain available through at least the current month's promotion, potentially much longer. Sony notes that Game Trial availability can change over time, meaning there is no guarantee it will remain part of Premium indefinitely, however, so if you've been on the fence about Palworld, now is a great time to give it a shot on PS Plus. Brand Sony Original Release Date June 29, 2010 Original MSRP (USD) $59.99 (Essential), $99.99 (Extra), $119.99 (Premium) - Per Year App Store PlayStation Store