PlayStation Plus free games for April confirmed — and there’s a nasty surprise

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April’s PlayStation Plus lineup offers outlaws, deckbuilding and a sponge

PlayStation Plus April 2022 line up
(Image credit: Sony)

The PlayStation Plus lineup for April has been revealed, and it’s looking like another solid month offering PS5 and PS4 players a trio of games to get their teeth into. Although, some unwelcome news about the PlayStation Plus Collection has been quietly confirmed at the same time.  

This month's lineup includes Hood: Outlaws and Legends, Slay the Spire and SpongeBob SquarePants Battle for Bikini Bottom Rehydrated. All three games will be free to download on PS5 and PS4 for members of the PlayStation Plus subscription service. These games will be available from April 5 to May 2, and once claimed can be downloaded anytime so long as you have an active PlayStation Plus subscription. 

Headlining the lineup is Hood: Outlaws and Legends. This intense multiplayer game sees you and up to three friends attempt to pull off daring heists using a variety of unique abilities and skills. Your goal is complicated by the presence of a rival gang also trying to steal as much loot as possible. If you want to execute the perfect heist, you’ll need strong coordination and to master the art of being sneaky. 

Rounding out the lineup is a game starting everyone’s favourite underwater irritant, SpongeBob SquarePants: Battle for Bikini Bottom Rehydrated. A full scale remake of the classic 2003 platformer, play as SpongeBob, Patrick and Sandy as you look to thwart Plankton’s evil plan to conquer Bikini Bottom with his army of robots. This family-friendly adventure is perfect for kids, or anyone with a fondness for the Nickelodeon cartoon series. 

It’s not all good news for PlayStation Plus subscribers 

Persona 5 screenshot

(Image credit: Atlus)

Unfortunately, the announcement of April’s PlayStation Plus lineup has also come with the news that Persona 5 is being removed from the PlayStation Plus Collection on May 11. 

If you’ve overlooked this perk till now, the PlayStation Plus Collection is a library of 20 high-quality games that is persistently available to subscribers on PS5. The current collection includes heavy hitters like God of War, Fallout 4 and The Last of Us Remastered. It’s been available on PS5 since the console launched and until now the selection of games has remained static.

The removal of Persona 5 is the first time a game has left the collection, and there has been no word from Sony to suggest it will be replaced by anything new. The good news is that current PlayStation Plus subscribers can add the game to their library before May 11 and doing so will give you access beyond its removal date. 

We strongly recommend you do so as Persona 5 is a remarkable JRPG that offers more than 100 hours of content across a compelling narrative-driven campaign. Hopefully, its removal from the PlayStation Plus Collection is just a sign that the selection of games is being refreshed rather than an indication it will slowly shrink over time. 

Rory Mellon
Rory Mellon
Senior Entertainment Editor (UK)

Rory is a Senior Entertainment Editor at Tom’s Guide based in the UK. He covers a wide range of topics but with a particular focus on gaming and streaming. When he’s not reviewing the latest games, searching for hidden gems on Netflix, or writing hot takes on new gaming hardware, TV shows and movies, he can be found attending music festivals and getting far too emotionally invested in his favorite football team.