Do You Need PlayStation Plus for Online Multiplayer on PS4?

Yes. An active PlayStation Plus (PS Plus) subscription is required to play online multiplayer in the vast majority of PS4 games.

What PS Plus Provides

• Online multiplayer access
• Monthly downloadable games (Essential tier)
• Cloud storage for save backups (100 GB)
• Exclusive discounts on the PlayStation Store
• Share Play (let a friend join your game remotely)

Exceptions

• Free-to-Play Games: Titles like Fortnite, Apex Legends, Warframe, Destiny 2, and Genshin Impact do not require PS Plus for online play.
• Single-Player Games: No subscription needed for offline campaigns.
• Share Play Host: Only the host needs PS Plus; the visitor does not.

Subscription Tiers (Current)

• Essential: Online play, monthly games, cloud saves, discounts.
• Extra: Essential + Game Catalog (hundreds of PS4/PS5 games).
• Premium: Extra + Classics Catalog (PS1/PS2/PS3/PSP), game trials, cloud streaming.

If you only play single-player or free-to-play titles, you do not need to subscribe.