When Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout first burst onto the scene in 2020, it quickly became one of the most popular multiplayer games on PlayStation. With its chaotic obstacle courses, colorful characters, and addictive mini-games, it’s no surprise that many players want to dive in. But one of the biggest questions new players often ask is: Do you need PlayStation Plus (PS+) to play Fall Guys?
The History of Fall Guys and PlayStation Plus
At launch in August 2020, Fall Guys was actually free for PlayStation Plus subscribers. This move introduced millions of players to the game right away, cementing its popularity. However, the game wasn’t permanently free for all PS+ members—it was only included as part of the monthly PS+ lineup for that launch month.
After that, Fall Guys became a paid title. Since it’s primarily an online multiplayer game, players did need an active PlayStation Plus subscription to keep playing online. For a while, this caused some confusion, since the game started as “free” for PS+ users but later required both the game purchase and the subscription.
The Big Change: Fall Guys Goes Free-to-Play
Everything shifted in June 2022, when Fall Guys officially went free-to-play across all platforms, including PlayStation. This was a huge update, coinciding with crossplay support and its move under Epic Games publishing. With this change, players no longer needed to buy the game.
More importantly, Fall Guys was reclassified as a free-to-play online game. On PlayStation, this means you no longer need a PlayStation Plus subscription to play Fall Guys online. Sony makes an exception for certain free-to-play titles (like Fortnite, Apex Legends, and now Fall Guys) that lets anyone jump in without the PS+ requirement.
Playing Fall Guys Without PS+
If you have a PlayStation 4 or PlayStation 5, you can download Fall Guys for free from the PlayStation Store and start playing right away. You do not need to pay for PS+ to enjoy the main multiplayer experience. All of the standard shows, events, and modes are available to everyone.
However, PlayStation Plus can still provide some perks. For example:
- You might see Fall Guys cosmetic packs offered as a free PS+ add-on from time to time.
- Cloud saves are tied to PS+, so if you want your game progress safely backed up, a subscription helps.
Still, none of these are required. You can fully enjoy Fall Guys without paying for a PS+ membership.
What About Other Consoles?
Since Fall Guys is cross-platform, it’s also worth mentioning how it works elsewhere. On Xbox and Nintendo Switch, the game is also free-to-play, and just like on PlayStation, no paid subscription (like Xbox Game Pass Core or Nintendo Switch Online) is required to play. PC players can grab the game from the Epic Games Store for free and play without any additional fees.
Bottom Line
Fall Guys might have started as a PS+ title, but the game has evolved. Today, you don’t need PlayStation Plus to play Fall Guys. All you need is a console or PC, a free Epic Games account, and an internet connection. This makes it one of the most accessible and fun party battle royale games around, letting you and your friends jump into the madness without any subscription barriers.