Free PlayStation Plus Games for PS3: Historical Offers and Subscription Benefits

PlayStation Plus has served as Sony’s primary subscription service for over a decade, offering subscribers monthly access to free games across various PlayStation platforms. Historically, the service included titles for the PlayStation 3 (PS3), PlayStation Vita, and PlayStation 4. While the service has evolved to focus primarily on current-generation hardware, the PS3 played a significant role in the early structure of the subscription model. This article details the types of free games offered to PS3 subscribers, the timeline of these offers, and the subscription requirements necessary to access them, based on historical data from official announcements and news reports.

Historical PS3 Game Lineups

The PlayStation Plus subscription model originally provided a rotating selection of free games each month for PS3, Vita, and PS4 users. Specific lineups were announced monthly via the PlayStation Blog and covered in gaming news outlets.

October 2016 Lineup

According to a 2016 report, the PlayStation Plus lineup for October 2016 included specific titles for the PS3. Subscribers were able to download Mad Riders and From Dust at no additional cost. These titles joined the PS4 offerings (Resident Evil and Transformers: Devastation) and Vita titles (Code: Realize -- Guardian of Rebirth and Actual Sunlight). The report noted that these games became available on October 4, 2016, replacing the September 2016 games, which included Lords of the Fallen and Journey.

January 2019 Lineup

By January 2019, the service was preparing to discontinue free games for older platforms. A report from late 2018 noted that February 2019 would be the final month Sony offered free games for both PS3 and PS Vita through PlayStation Plus. For January 2019, the PS3 offerings included Zone of the Enders HD Collection and Amplitude.

Zone of the Enders HD Collection: This bundle included Zone of the Enders and Zone of the Enders: The 2nd Runner, both featuring visual improvements and trophy support on PS3.
Amplitude: A rhythm game where players control a spaceship and shoot at musical beats.

Special Promotional Offers

Beyond the monthly subscription games, Sony occasionally offered free downloads as part of special events or console launch promotions.

PlayStation Experience (2014): To celebrate the 20th anniversary of PlayStation and the inaugural PlayStation Experience event, Sony offered three free games for 24 hours on December 6, 2014. PS3 users were able to download Mirror’s Edge for free during this window.
Australia PS3 Launch (2007): In a promotional effort to drive adoption of the PlayStation 3 in Australia, Sony offered freebies to early adopters. For the first 20,000 Australian buyers of the PS3 (60GB version), Sony provided a Blu-ray Disc version of the James Bond movie Casino Royale and free downloads of the GranTurismo software game.

Subscription Pricing and Tiers

Access to free monthly games requires an active PlayStation Plus subscription. Historical pricing data indicates changes in cost over the years.

2016 Pricing: In October 2016, the price of a yearly subscription increased from $50 to $60 in the United States. The three-month subscription cost $25, and the monthly plan remained $10.
2019 Context: By 2019, the service structure was shifting. The report noted that February 2019 would be the last month to offer six free games (PS3, Vita, and PS4) before the service transitioned to focus on PS4 titles only.

Evolution of the Service

The availability of free PS3 games was a core component of the service for many years. However, as hardware generations advanced, the focus shifted. Sources from 2019 confirmed the end of PS3 and Vita freebies, while sources from 2025 describe the service as having "given the boot to PS3 and PS Vita games in recent years." Current iterations of the service (referenced in 2025 data) focus on PS4 and PS5 content, including "Essential" tiers (monthly games) and "Extra/Premium" tiers (game catalog access).

Claiming and Access Rules

The rules regarding the ownership of these free games have remained consistent throughout the service's history. Once a subscriber "claims" a free monthly game, it is added to their library. However, access to these games is contingent upon maintaining an active PlayStation Plus subscription. If the subscription lapses, access to the downloaded or claimed free games is restricted until the subscription is renewed.

Conclusion

Historically, PlayStation Plus provided a robust selection of free PS3 games, ranging from racing titles like Mad Riders to action-adventure games like Mirror’s Edge. These offers were part of a broader subscription strategy that included price adjustments and eventual platform transitions. While the service no longer offers free PS3 games as part of its monthly lineup, the historical data illustrates the value proposition that helped establish the subscriber base for Sony's online service.