Sony Interactive Entertainment has officially revealed the PlayStation Plus Monthly Games for May 2025, and this month’s selection is a straight-up banger. From dino-taming survival in ARK: Survival Ascended, to the deck-building madness of Balatro, and retro FPS carnage in Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun, there’s a solid variety of genres to dive into. All three titles will be free for PlayStation Plus Essential subscribers from 6 May to 2 June.
May’s free games
ARK: Survival Ascended (PS5)
This isn’t just a visual upgrade—it’s a full Unreal Engine 5 remaster of the original ARK. Everything looks sharper, moves smoother, and feels far more modern than the 2017 version. You’re still waking up nearly naked on a mysterious island, punching trees and trying not to die, but now it’s prettier and better optimised.
Tame, ride, and breed everything from T-Rexes to otters (seriously). The game includes all of ARK’s expansions—Scorched Earth, Aberration, Extinction, Genesis Part 1 & 2—so there’s a ridiculous amount of content to explore. Whether you’re in it for solo crafting or 70-player chaos on public servers, there’s something for every kind of survivor.
Also: split-screen co-op for two players. Because yelling at your mate when a raptor eats you never gets old.
Balatro (PS5, PS4)
If you like poker but think it could use more chaos, Balatro is your jam. This roguelike deckbuilder is all about stacking wild synergies, discovering absurd Joker cards, and pulling off busted combos. It starts simple: play a legal poker hand, earn chips. But soon you’re creating illegal hands, breaking the game in the best way possible, and laughing as you beat the final ante with a single card combo.
It’s got the vibes of Slay the Spire, but through the lens of high-stakes card trickery. Every run is different. Every decision feels smart. And once you unlock hidden decks and bonus hands, it becomes hard to stop.
Perfect for quick sessions—or full-night binges.
Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun (PS5, PS4)
Imagine a lovechild between Doom, Quake, and a Warhammer lore book, and you’ve got Boltgun. You play as an Ultramarine, blasting daemons and heretics in what can only be described as a gloriously gory 90s-style shooter.
It’s fast, loud, and soaked in pixels and blood. Movement feels tight, gunplay hits hard, and every enemy explodes with that satisfying retro crunch. But it’s not just about nostalgia—Boltgun nails the feel of being a one-man army in the grimdark future.
Boomer shooter fans? This one’s a must-play.
PlayStation Plus May 2025 games – Download dates and final thoughts
All three games will be available to download for PlayStation Plus Essential subscribers from Tuesday, 6 May until Monday, 2 June 2025. As always, make sure to claim them during that window to keep them in your library.
Whether you want to conquer dinosaurs, break poker rules, or purge daemons in pixelated style, May’s PlayStation Plus lineup has you covered.
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