The free PS Plus games for November mark the beginning of a new era with the very first bundled-in PS5 game. If you have any love in your heart for catchy game jingles, you've already heard about it. That's right, I'm talkin' 'bout Bugsnax.
The next game from the developers of Octodad: Dadliest Catch has been a perennial pick for PS5 preview events, and we always assumed it was just to show off its adorably weird mix of Muppet journalism and bug hunting. Now we know that Sony was getting us all excited for the gift it was planning to give out to subscribers in the very first PS5-era collection of free PS Plus games.
On top of confirming the final lineup for the PS Plus Collection on PS5, the free PS Plus games for November will also offer up two PS4-generation games. Middle-Earth: Shadow of War lets you follow the ranger Talion as he plunges ever deeper into a war of vengeance against Sauron, and Hollow Knight: Voidheart Edition is the definitive way to play one of the best exploration-driven action platformers in recent memory. Both games are backwards compatible on PS5 as well.
The two PS4-gen games will be available from Tuesday, November 3 through Monday, November 30, after which they'll be replaced by next month's selection. Don't worry, you'll have a longer window to claim Bugsnax.
PS5: Bugsnax (November 12 to January 4, 2021)
Bugsnax is officially the first free PS Plus game for PS5. The new game from Young Horses lets you hunt the eponymous creatures and meet up with oddball NPCs as you explore their colorful island home. Attempt to unravel the mystery behind the Bugsnax, and try to catch them all yourself. Just be careful - when it comes to Bugsnax, you literally are what you eat.
PS4 and PS5: Middle-earth: Shadow of War
The sequel to Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor builds on the Nemesis System to create even more reactive armies. Cultivate your forces to siege Sauron's fortresses and grow ever more powerful - nothing bad ever happens to people who seek power in The Lord of the Rings, right?
PS4 and PS5: Hollow Knight: Voidheart Edition
Hollow Knight draws equal parts of inspiration from Metroid, Dark Souls, and dead bugs. There are a lot of dead bugs. But it's not really gross or anything? It's mostly just sad and cool. Voidheart Edition bundles in all of the DLC packs released for the game, which means you're in for a ton of new content even if you already played the base game.
October 2020 free PS Plus games
- Need for Speed: Payback (PS4)
- Vampyr (PS4)
For more PlayStation fun, check out our list of the best PS4 external hard drives, best PS4 Pro deals, and the best PS4 exclusives.