When checking out the games from the PlayStation Plus service, you may notice that there are many categories as you will be able to find titles from Monthly Games, PlayStation Plus Collection, Game Catalog and Classics Catalog.
To see what the differences are between these catalogs, you can take a look at this comparison guide at Seeking Tech.
Monthly Games vs. PS Plus Collection vs. Game Catalog vs. Classics Catalog Comparison Chart
You can find our comparison table for these four PlayStation Plus catalogs below:
| Monthly Games | The PlayStation Plus Collection | Game Catalog | Classics Catalog | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Subscription Tiers | PlayStation Plus Essential PlayStation Plus Extra PlayStation Plus Deluxe PlayStation Plus Premium | PlayStation Plus Essential PlayStation Plus Extra PlayStation Plus Deluxe PlayStation Plus Premium | PlayStation Plus Extra PlayStation Plus Deluxe PlayStation Plus Premium | PlayStation Plus Deluxe PlayStation Plus Premium |
| Refresh Date | 1st Tuesday of every month | None | 2nd or 3rd Tuesday of every month | 2nd or 3rd Tuesday of every month |
| Online DRM Requirement | None | None | Sign in once every 7 days | Sign in once every 7 days |
| When you will lose access | Unsubscribe to any PlayStation Plus plans. | Unsubscribe to any PlayStation Plus plans. | Unsubscribe to PlayStation Plus Extra, Deluxe and Premium plans. Game is removed from the catalog. | Unsubscribe to PlayStation Plus Deluxe and Premium plans. Game is removed from the catalog. |
Subscription Tiers
When it comes to subscription tiers, both the Monthly Games and PlayStation Plus Collection lists are available on all four current PlayStation Plus tiers. Keep in mind that the PS Plus Collection catalog is only for those who have a PlayStation 5 or PlayStation 5 Digital Edition console as you won’t be able to add these to your library from your PlayStation 4 or PlayStation 4 Pro system.
For the Game Catalog, you will need to subscribe to the PS Plus Extra, Deluxe or Premium tier of this service.
If you want access to the Classics Catalog, then you need to be an active member of PlayStation Plus Deluxe or PlayStation Plus Premium.
Refresh Date
Monthly Games are refreshed at a monthly basis as it usually occurs on the first Tuesday of the month.
The PlayStation Plus Collection does not get refreshed as it has remained mostly the same since the launch of the PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 5 Digital Edition system. The only change is the removal of the PS4 version of Persona 5.
The Game Catalog and Classics Catalog do get monthly refreshes that usually occur on the second or third Tuesday of the month.
Online DRM Requirement
The Monthly Games and PlayStation Plus Collection do not have any online DRM requirements as you will be able to play these titles offline.
For the Game Catalog and Classics Catalog, you will need to log into the PlayStation Network account that you use to redeemed these titles once every seven days to be able to play these games offline.
When you will lose access?
As long as you added the titles to your library, you won’t lose any access to the titles you redeemed from the Monthly Games and PS Plus Collection catalog if you remained an active member to any of the PlayStation Plus tier.
For the Game Catalog, you must stay subscribed to either PlayStation Plus Extra, Deluxe or Premium. If the game ends up leaving this catalog, however, then you won’t be able to play it even if you remain a member.
With the Classics Catalog, you need to remain a member or PlayStation Plus Deluxe or PlayStation Plus Premium. With that said, once a game has been removed from this category, then you won’t be able to play it again even if you have the right subscription.