Sony Interactive Entertainment confirmed the PlayStation Plus Essential free games for June 2026 today, and the headliner is a genuinely excellent co-op shooter. Starting June 2, subscribers can download Warhammer 40,000: Darktide, Grounded Fully Yoked Edition, and Nickelodeon All Star Brawl 2 at no additional cost.
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The standout: a co-op shooter worth your time
Here's the thing about Warhammer 40,000: Darktide: it launched on PC back in 2022 to a mixed reception, but Fatshark spent years patching and expanding it into something genuinely worth playing. By the time it arrived on PS5, it was a much more complete game.
The Left 4 Dead DNA is obvious. You and up to three other players take on missions for the Inquisition, fighting through hordes of Nurgle-corrupted enemies across the hive city of Tertium. The moment-to-moment combat has real weight to it, and the class system gives each player a distinct role. PS5 is the only platform getting Darktide through this month's lineup.
Warhammer 40,000: Darktide is PS5 only. If you're on PS4, your options this month are Grounded and Nickelodeon All Star Brawl 2.
What Grounded's "Fully Yoked" label actually means
Grounded Fully Yoked Edition refers to the version of Obsidian Entertainment's survival game that shipped with the 1.4 update in 2024. That update added new ant queens, a new game plus mode, and a raft of other content on top of the base game. It's also the version that first brought Grounded to PlayStation and Nintendo Switch after years as an Xbox and PC exclusive.
The core loop puts you in a backyard shrunk down to insect scale, gathering resources, building shelters, and fending off spiders, beetles, and worse. Solo or with up to three friends online, it's the kind of game that runs away with your evening. Available on both PS4 and PS5.
Nickelodeon All Star Brawl 2 rounds out the trio
Nickelodeon All Star Brawl 2 is the follow-up to the original Smash Bros.-inspired platform fighter, and it addressed most of the first game's complaints. Every character now has full voice acting, cross-play works across all platforms, and the visual presentation got a significant upgrade.
The roster adds Squidward Tentacles, Jimmy Neutron, and the Angry Beavers alongside returning favorites like SpongeBob. A roguelike story campaign gives solo players a reason to stick around beyond the standard versus modes. Available on PS4 and PS5, though worth noting it's not accessible through PS Plus in Korea.
Pricing context and the May window closing
PS Plus Essential currently costs $10.99 per month, $27.99 for three months, or $79.99 annually. Those prices reflect a recent increase Sony applied across all subscription tiers.
The May 2026 lineup (EA Sports FC 26, Wuchang: Fallen Feathers, and Nine Sols) remains claimable through June 1. EA Sports FC 26 specifically stays available as a monthly game through June 16, giving subscribers extra time on that one.
All three June titles are co-op friendly, which makes this a stronger-than-average month for players who game with friends. For deeper dives on any of these games, check out our gaming guides and game reviews to see how they hold up before you commit your Tuesday evening to them.
