PlayStation Plus New Free Game Is A 140 Hour Juggernaut Of A JRPG

3 hours ago 10

Published Mar 14, 2026, 5:00 PM EDT

Austin King is the Senior Editor of Gaming at ScreenRant and has been with the site since 2020 with a focus on RPGs and tabletop games. He previously managed content for Geek to Geek Media, and has served as a writer for sites like Nintendad, Geek Fitness, and more.

In addition to his work at ScreenRant, he also hosts the Dragon Quest FM podcast and is the author of several books, including co-writing Nimbus (a #1 bestseller in 2013). His latest is the nonfiction The Dragon Quest Book, available now.

He's written about pop culture, video games, and genre studies over the course of his career. You can find him on BlueSky, X, and at Dragonquestaustin.com

We've nearly reached the halfway point of March, which means a bunch of new games are coming to PlayStation Plus for its Extra and Premium tiers. While there's a number of good games being offered, there's one new addition that fans of JRPGs should be thrilled to play. And if you want to really immerse yourself, you can spend over 140 hours with it.

PS Plus has had a good March so far, with a number of high-profile games being added to its Essential tier. That deal is getting even sweeter when the Extra and Premium tiers are updated on March 17. Half a dozen games have been confirmed for PlayStation Plus already, including Persona 5 Royal.

PlayStation Plus Just Got A Huge JRPG

Persona 5 Royal is an incredible game. It got excellent reviews at launch, and ScreenRant's review of Persona 5 Royal called it a masterpiece before giving it a perfect 10/10 score. User reviews have also been overwhelmingly positive, and word-of-mouth since the game released has caused it to become a fan-favorite in many JRPG circles.

If you've never played Persona 5 Royal before, then this is the perfect chance to do so. Both the PS4 and PS5 versions of the game are on PlayStation Plus Extra starting on March 17, 2026. There's not currently an end date for when it will be removed, but considering that PS Plus releases are cyclical, you should play it while you have the chance.

Persona 5 Royal is praised for its turn-based combat, gameplay revolving around Personas, compelling cast, and engaging storyline. There are a number of surprises along the way, which I won't spoil here, but fans of JRPGs should really adore this one. The game is admittedly a bit slow at the start, but its sprawling story is really immersive, and your interactions and decisions with other characters are a real highlight. It also means no two playthroughs are exactly the same.

Persona 5 Royal Will Consume Your Life

Kawakami and Joker standing in a room at school in Persona 5 Royal

Persona 5 Royal isn't the kind of game you'll get through in a single weekend. If you're looking for more bang for your buck, then this should be the RPG for you. HowLongToBeat says the main story alone averages 101 hours, but considering how enticing side content is, expect to play even longer than that. The Main+Sides average is 123 hours, which feels more in line with what I expected.

If you're a completionist, the average is 141 hours, but depending on how you experience cutscenes and develop your characters, you can realistically spend even more time with Persona 5 Royal. If you haven't checked it out before, then it's a must-play as it arrives on PlayStation Plus this month.