PlayStation Plus October 2026 Games: F1 25, Hunt: Showdown 1896 and EDF World Brothers 2

PlayStation Plus is set to add three sharply different games for October 2026: F1 25 for PlayStation 5, Hunt: Showdown 1896 for PlayStation 5, and Earth Defense Force: World Brothers 2 for both PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5.

The selection covers motorsport simulation, tense multiplayer shooting and deliberately cartoonish co-op action. That makes it a more varied group than a lineup built around one genre, though the platform split matters: only Earth Defense Force: World Brothers 2 is listed for PS4, while F1 25 and Hunt: Showdown 1896 are listed for PS5.

The October 2026 PlayStation Plus lineup

F1 25 — PS5
Hunt: Showdown 1896 — PS5
Earth Defense Force: World Brothers 2 — PS4 and PS5

The games are listed for PlayStation Plus Extra and Premium. The available information identifies the three titles and their platforms, but does not provide further details on claiming dates, the precise period for which they can be added, or other regional variations. Subscribers should therefore check the PlayStation Plus section of their own console or storefront for the applicable terms.

F1 25 brings current-era Formula 1 racing to PS5

F1 25 is the newest of the three games by release timing, having launched in 2025. It is part of Codemasters’ long-running official Formula 1 racing series and is listed here exclusively for PS5.

Formula 1 games have a distinct appeal within racing: their premise is built around a specific championship rather than a broad collection of fictional events and vehicle types. For players who want a structured motorsport game, the attraction is the combination of high-speed circuit racing and the identity of Formula 1 itself. For players simply looking for a racing game, it is the most straightforward entry point in this month’s selection.

The game previously received an 8/10 review score, with particular praise for being a broader and stronger package than its immediate predecessor and for representing the series at one of its better recent points. That is useful context for subscribers who skipped its initial release and are now deciding which October download deserves priority.

There is a small calendar oddity inherent to an annual sports release joining a subscription catalog in the following year. By October 2026, its “25” label will no longer align with the current season. That does not change what the game is, but it is worth separating the appeal of a well-regarded racing package from the appeal of playing the most current annual edition. A player interested in Formula 1 competition and circuit driving may still find plenty to enjoy; someone seeking the latest season-specific framing may weigh that differently.

For PS5 owners, F1 25 is also the lineup’s cleanest solo starting point. It is the only racing game among the three, and it offers a contrast to the horror-inflected tension of Hunt and the squad-focused mayhem of World Brothers 2. Those looking for a change of pace after a difficult shooter or a loud co-op session have a fundamentally different kind of game here.

Hunt: Showdown 1896 is the high-stakes multiplayer pick

Hunt: Showdown 1896 is Crytek’s first-person extraction shooter, placing players against mythological monsters. Its roots go back to an early-access launch in 2018, and the version in the October selection is for PS5.

“Extraction shooter” is a useful term to unpack because it describes the basic pressure behind this kind of multiplayer game. The objective is not merely to score eliminations or be the last player standing. Players venture into a dangerous match space, contend with threats, and ultimately need to get out successfully. The extraction component gives every confrontation added importance: survival and leaving with the results of a run are central to the format.

That puts Hunt: Showdown 1896 in a different lane from a conventional arena shooter. Its monster premise adds another layer to the danger, while the listed battle royale offering provides an additional competitive mode. Battle royale generally refers to a mode where the field is reduced until a final survivor or surviving side remains; it is not the same structure as extraction play, even when both can create high-tension multiplayer encounters.

The game previously received a 7.5/10 review score. Its long history also means this is not a brand-new concept seeking its first audience. Instead, the October placement offers PS5 subscribers a chance to approach an established multiplayer shooter with a highly specific identity: first-person combat, mythological monsters and extraction-focused stakes.

It is the lineup’s clearest recommendation for a group that wants suspense rather than spectacle. That does not necessarily mean it is the easiest game in the trio to jump into. Extraction terminology alone signals that successful play revolves around more than firing at opponents. Players who prefer pressure, uncertainty and the prospect of a costly run will likely see that as the point; those who want immediately breezy co-op may find Earth Defense Force: World Brothers 2 the more natural first download.

Earth Defense Force: World Brothers 2 offers co-op voxel action

Earth Defense Force: World Brothers 2 rounds out the trio, and it is the only game in the selection listed for both PS4 and PS5. It is a third-person shooter with local and online co-op, allowing players to tackle its action alongside others either in the same physical setting or over the internet.

The game follows what happened to voxelEarth after the first World Brothers. “Voxel” refers to a block-like visual construction, a style that gives the world a deliberately simplified, toy-like appearance. That presentation distinguishes World Brothers 2 from the more grounded presentation implied by F1 25 and Hunt: Showdown 1896, even as all three are action-oriented games in their own ways.

Its setup brings Brothers from around the world back together to confront a new enemy threatening to tear Earth apart again. The important practical point for PlayStation households is not just the story setup, but the range of ways to play together. Local co-op is especially notable in a monthly selection because it gives people sharing a room an option that does not depend solely on online matchmaking. Online co-op, meanwhile, broadens that possibility to friends playing separately.

Third-person shooter means the player sees their character on screen rather than experiencing the action directly through that character’s eyes. That perspective can make World Brothers 2 feel immediately distinct next to Hunt’s first-person viewpoint. One game centers close, direct sightlines and extraction pressure; the other presents a broader view of its characters and world while supporting cooperative play.

There is also a sensible order for newcomers to consider. Because World Brothers 2 continues a story after the first installment, players who value narrative sequence may want to know that it begins after those prior events. At the same time, the supplied details establish its premise clearly enough to identify the immediate conflict: voxelEarth is threatened again, and the returning Brothers unite to respond. Its co-op format may be the bigger draw for many players regardless of how familiar they are with the earlier game.

Which game fits your PlayStation setup?

Platform is the simplest deciding factor. PS4 subscribers have Earth Defense Force: World Brothers 2 as the listed October option. PS5 subscribers can choose among all three games, with each offering a different kind of session.

Choose F1 25 if you want Formula 1 racing and a game that has been positively received as a recent high point for the series.
Choose Hunt: Showdown 1896 if you want a first-person multiplayer shooter where monsters, extraction and battle royale modes create a more demanding competitive flavor.
Choose Earth Defense Force: World Brothers 2 if local or online co-op is the priority, or if a lighter-looking voxel presentation and third-person action sound more appealing.

There is no need to force all three games into the same expectation. F1 25 is about racing; Hunt: Showdown 1896 is built around dangerous multiplayer encounters; World Brothers 2 foregrounds cooperative shooting in a voxel setting. The strength of the October selection is that its differences are substantial rather than cosmetic.

For a wider look at how one racing game can disappear even after leaving behind its records, see Mario Kart Tour’s final finish line. October’s PlayStation Plus group, by contrast, places three very different active play options in front of subscribers at once—provided they have the relevant console platform.