On December 2, 2025, millions of PlayStation Plus Extra subscribers will get instant access to a native PS5 port of Red Dead Redemption 2—and just six days later, they’ll be dropped into a surreal, hellish skatepark where the devil demands one impossible trick: swallow the moon. Sony Interactive Entertainment stunned fans with a double-day-one drop for its mid-tier subscription, flipping the script on the usual monthly game rotation. The surprise? Sony Interactive Entertainment didn’t just add two major titles—they made them feel like events, not just entries in a rotating catalog.
Two Games, One Hell of a Launch Window
Red Dead Redemption 2’s PS5 port arrives first, on December 2, 2025, at 12:00 AM UTC. It’s not just a visual upgrade—it’s a full native recompilation, optimized for DualSense haptics and faster load times. Existing PS4 owners won’t pay extra; the upgrade is automatic. But the real headline? Skate Story, a game so bizarre it feels like a fever dream penned by a cult leader with a skateboard. Developed by Deolver Digital and published under Sony’s PS Plus Extra banner, it casts players as a sentient shard of glass and agony, tasked by the devil himself to grind through layers of hell to devour the moon. "You’re not just skating," reads the official blurb. "You’re exorcising pain with a backside tailslide." The game’s tone blends Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater’s kinetic joy with the existential dread of Inside and the surrealism of Okami. Early builds shown to press described it as "unlike anything on PlayStation," with physics that make glass shards shatter and reform mid-ollie, and demons that scream in reverse when you land a 360 shove-it. It’s not just a game—it’s a statement. And Sony dropped it on day one, without fanfare, without teaser trailers, just a single blog post on November 25, 2025.The Catalog Shuffle: What’s Leaving, What’s Coming
While subscribers celebrate, others will be packing their bags. Nine games are being removed from the PS Plus library on December 1, 2025, including the Grand Theft Auto 3: Definitive Edition, a title that had been a staple since its 2023 addition. Other departures include Dead by Daylight, Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, and Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales—all titles that once drew new subscribers to the service. The removals follow Sony’s standard 12-month retention window, but this batch feels especially heavy. Meanwhile, Bandai Namco Entertainment is bringing back a relic: Soulcalibur III, the 2005 PlayStation 2 fighting classic, will land on December 16, 2025, for PS Plus Premium subscribers. It’ll run on PS4 and PS5 via emulation, but—true to legacy title tradition—no trophies. That’s a bummer for completionists, but for retro fans, it’s a gift. "This isn’t just nostalgia," said one anonymous PlayStation curator in a leaked internal memo. "It’s a bridge. Players who grew up with this are now parents. They’re showing their kids what fighting games used to be."Essentials Reveal: The Waiting Game
Before all this, Sony will drop the PS Plus Essentials lineup for December on Wednesday, November 26, 2025, at precisely 4:30 PM GMT. That’s the same moment the November slate—Stray, EA Sports WRC 24, and Totally Accurate Battle Simulator—expires. Predictions swirl around South Park: Snow Day and LEGO Horizon Adventures, but Sony’s kept tight-lipped. What’s clear? The Essentials tier, priced at $9.99 monthly, is becoming less about "must-have" exclusives and more about consistent value. With Red Dead 2 and Skate Story in Extra, Sony’s making it harder to justify skipping the higher tiers.
What This Means for the Future of PS Plus
This December marks a turning point. Sony’s no longer treating PS Plus like a game library—it’s becoming a cultural platform. By launching Skate Story as a day-one exclusive, they’re signaling that original, experimental games can thrive outside the AAA spotlight. Deolver Digital, a tiny studio with no prior hits, now has a global audience. Meanwhile, the inclusion of Red Dead Redemption 2 shows Sony’s willing to invest in high-value legacy titles to retain subscribers. The move also pressures competitors. Xbox Game Pass recently added Starfield and Forza Horizon 5, but hasn’t matched Sony’s boldness with indie experimentation. Sony’s strategy? Offer something you can’t find anywhere else—even if it’s a demon on a skateboard trying to eat the moon.What’s Next?
On December 17, 2025, Palworld gets its "Home Sweet Home" update, adding new base-building mechanics. It’s a minor patch, but it keeps momentum going. Then comes January 2026—and speculation is already wild. Will Sony bring back God of War (2018)? A new Horizon title? Or another mind-bending indie like Skate Story? One thing’s certain: the bar has been raised.Frequently Asked Questions
How does the PS Plus Extra tier compare to Essential in December 2025?
PS Plus Extra includes both Red Dead Redemption 2 and Skate Story at no extra cost, while Essential subscribers get only the monthly Essentials titles—likely South Park: Snow Day or LEGO Horizon Adventures. Extra costs $16.99/month, but offers over 400 games, including PS4 and PS5 exclusives. For fans of open-world or experimental titles, Extra delivers far more value.
Why is Soulcalibur III being added without trophies?
Bandai Namco Entertainment historically disables trophies for legacy PS2 and PS3 titles in PS Plus due to technical limitations and licensing constraints. The focus is on preservation, not achievement hunting. This is standard practice across all retro game releases in the service, including titles like Shadow of the Colossus and ICO.
Can I still play Skate Story after December if I don’t renew my subscription?
No. Like all PS Plus games, Skate Story requires an active subscription to play. Once your membership lapses, the game becomes unlaunchable—even if you’ve downloaded it. Sony doesn’t offer permanent ownership for any PS Plus titles, which is why many users prioritize downloading games early in the month.
What’s the significance of releasing two day-one games in December?
Typically, PS Plus adds games on the third Tuesday of the month. By releasing Red Dead Redemption 2 and Skate Story on December 2 and 8, Sony is breaking the pattern to create urgency and excitement. It’s a signal that they’re treating PS Plus like a live service, not a static catalog—similar to how Netflix drops entire seasons at once.
Who is Deolver Digital, and why should I care about them?
Deolver Digital is a small, independent studio based in Portland, Oregon, with no prior published titles. Their debut game, Skate Story, was funded through a Kickstarter campaign that raised $1.2 million in 2023. Sony’s decision to feature it as a day-one PS Plus Extra title is a major validation for indie developers and suggests Sony is actively scouting for unconventional, narrative-driven experiences.
Will Red Dead Redemption 2’s PS5 port include new content or just graphical upgrades?
The PS5 version is a native port with no new story content, but it includes 4K resolution, 60 FPS performance, DualSense adaptive triggers for horse reins and gun recoil, and faster load times that cut travel between towns from 90 seconds to under 15. It’s the most polished version of the game ever released—making it a must-have even for players who own the PS4 version.