Pour one out for the PS4. It’s not gone, but it’s definitely ghosting us. Sony has officially confirmed what we all saw coming: the PlayStation 4 is entering its sunset phase. After more than a decade of dominating living rooms and sucking up electricity, the PS4’s days of glory are winding down. But don’t toss yours in the bin just yet. It still has some gas left in the tank.
Follow the Money: Why Sony Still Cares (a Bit)
In a recent strategy update, Sony’s finance chief Lynn Azar confirmed the obvious. The PS4 is old, but still a cash cow. Millions of users are still gaming, spending, and subscribing on the PS4, making it a revenue-generating machine despite its age. And with a player base that size, Sony isn’t killing it outright. They’re just letting it slowly fade out while they push us toward the shinier, sexier PS5.
The Slow Burn: How Support Will Taper Off
- PlayStation Plus is changing. Starting January 2026, don’t expect PS4 games to be regular monthly freebies anymore. Sony says they’ll only be added “occasionally.” Translation: PS5 is the main course now. PS4 is just the leftover roti in the fridge.
- No more big exclusives. Major Sony games have already gone PS5-only. If you’re waiting for the next Spider-Man or Ghost of Tsushima on PS4, forget it.
- Updates and patches? They’ll probably keep trickling in for a while, but the focus has clearly shifted to next-gen.
Devs Are Dipping Out Too
Game studios are done babysitting old-gen hardware. With the cost of development sky-high, most devs are focusing on PS5 and PC. Why spend time optimizing for a 10-year-old machine when you can go all in on ray tracing and 60FPS? Sure, some indie games might still throw the PS4 a bone, but don’t expect AAA titles to stick around.
Even 2K Games hinted that PS4 editions of NBA 2K just aren’t worth the effort anymore. If that doesn’t scream “we’re done here,” what does?
So, What Should You Do if You Own a PS4?
Here’s your Geekhub game plan:
✅ Enjoy your current library and maybe build it up while games are still supported.
✅ Backward compatibility on PS5 is great, so your library isn’t dead if you upgrade.
⚠️ Get those PlayStation Plus PS4 titles while you can before Sony stops offering them.
❌ Don’t expect new AAA games. Sony’s focus has moved on, and so should you (eventually).
PS4 consoles are also harder to find these days. Sony ended production years ago, so if you’ve still got one that works, congrats. You own a vintage classic.
Read: Before PS5: What Made the Original Sony PlayStation So Iconic
What’s Next?
We’re not at “switch off the servers” levels yet, but we’re definitely heading there. Expect full PS4 retirement by 2028 to 2030, especially after the inevitable PS6 drops.
TL;DR
- Sony is keeping PS4 alive, but just barely
- PlayStation Plus is scaling back PS4 content starting Jan 2026
- No more new big games for PS4
• Time to start thinking about that PS5 upgrade
