PlayStation offers free multiplayer weekend amid user backlash

PlayStation is offering PS5 and PS4 players a free multiplayer weekend from July 3 to July 5. Users can join online multiplayer for any game without a PS Plus subscription during the three-day window.

The company published the weekend offer on its official channels days before it announced plans for a future focused on digital-only distribution. That later announcement drew strong criticism from players.

PlayStation also published the July PS Plus Essential lineup on the PlayStation Blog. Those blog posts were not shared on the company’s social media feeds during the same period.

Players posted reactions on social platforms. One user wrote, “Online is always free on PC.” Another wrote, “Oh wow, gee, thanks for allowing me to play online for free games I already paid for.” A third wrote, “No reason to buy anything since I don’t own anything, and you can delete the catalog any time.”

Free multiplayer weekends are a recurring promotion from console makers to let non-subscribers or lapsed members try online features. Sony has historically required PS Plus for most online multiplayer on PS4 and PS5 but periodically opens free-access windows.

The current free weekend restores online access temporarily and does not change the regular subscription model. PlayStation’s posts did not include details about future changes to PS Plus or online access related to the company’s digital strategy.

The free multiplayer weekend runs July 3 through July 5. No further details about longer-term access or subscription changes were included in the announcement.