PlayStation Definitely like a good format, but the company is also smart enough to change it every now and then. PlayStation doesn't want to predict it (like PS Plus reveal and release date format). Sometimes there's even a clear pattern to how PlayStation chooses games to populate PS Plus, and another situation where this manifests in the status of its play announcements.
At one point in time, State of the Plays followed a very specific format: Tuesday announcement, Thursday event of any given week. There were some exceptions to this rule, but very few exceptions to the 2-day gap. This pattern gave way a few years ago, but looking at the state of play in the last couple of years, a new pattern emerges. This is important as the rumors surrounding the new PS Plus kick off as the question becomes: Does PlayStation's extensive announcement history support the April 16th State of Play? The data says to watch for at least April 15.
PS Plus members have an extra freebie to claim in April 2026
PlayStation Plus members have another freebie to claim this month, but they need to act fast.
Insider Net The Hate heard April 16 as a possible date for the next game. For those unfamiliar, Net the Hate is considered a highly reliable leaker, often focusing on Nintendo announcements (as opposed to PlayStation). His track record weighs heavily on Nintendo, as that suggests The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time The remake is coming to Nintendo Switch 2 this year. However, all rumors and leaks should be taken with a grain of salt, regardless of the source, unless otherwise confirmed in all scenarios. Double that while Net The Hate himself has made it clear that he has not been able to confirm this date, nor has he been able to confirm the content of the Play State, but he claims that a third-party focus seems more likely.
That's all, but how likely is the April 16 date itself? Looking at the dating pattern back to 2024 supports this more than it hurts.
The status of play announcement dates follow a clear pattern
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State of play as of January 31, 2024 — Wednesday
- Announcement: January 29 (Monday)
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Special state of the game on February 6, 2024 (Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth) – Saturday
- Announcement: January 31 (Wednesday)
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State of play as of May 30, 2024 — Thursday
- Announcement: May 29 (Wednesday)
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State of play on September 24, 2024 – Tuesday
- Announcement: September 23 (Monday)
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State of play on February 12, 2025 — Wednesday
- Announcement: February 11 (Tuesday)
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Special Game Conditions on April 30, 2025 (Limit 4) — Wednesday
- Announcement: April 29 (Tuesday)
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State of play on June 4, 2025 — Wednesday
- Announced: June 3 (Tuesday)
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July 10, 2025 Special Game Condition (Yotei's Ghost) — Thursday
- Announcement: July 8 (Tuesday)
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Special status of the game on September 3, 2025 (007 First Light) — Wednesday
- Announcement: September 1 (Monday)
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State of play on September 24, 2025 — Wednesday
- Announcement: September 23 (Tuesday)
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Game Status Japan on November 11, 2025 – Tuesday
- Announcement: November 10 (Monday)
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State of play on February 12, 2026 — Thursday
- Announcement: February 9 (Monday)
More Wednesdays play than Thursdays, but it's the second most common
Except in particular Final fantasy 7 rebirth State of Play In 2024, every state of play in the past two or so years has been Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday. 2 of them happened only on Tuesday, while 6 happened on Wednesday and 3 on Thursday. Thursday was a very normal day, but over time it slipped towards Wednesday. This in no way rules out Thursday. It's also possible that 2026 signals a new format, or more specifically, a return to a Thursday-oriented State of Play schedule. it said, Data says Thursday is possible Even if Wednesday has more support.
If Classic is the format, then PlayStation fans may get an announcement on April 14 that confirms Play's status for April 15, but that depends only on raw data and not what's happening in the industry. If April 16 is indeed the date, however, April 15 remains significant: Fans will likely know the status of the game on April 15one way or another. Either it's happening, or it's announced. That's because one of the most reliable patterns is moving away from the 2-day gap and heavily relying on the 1-day gap.
Plays in 12 states over the past two years, Seven states of play were 1 day apart (announced one day, done the next) The three were 2 days apart (announced one day, dropped one day, happened another), and The two were only 3 days apart (extending the same structure). Among these, it is worth noting that extended distances are almost entirely a special state of sports events. A 2-day interval was dedicated to the State of the Game Ghost of Yotei and 007: First LightThe first of 2024 is a normal state of play with only a 2-day gap.
It's even easier to justify a 3-day gap as the exception to the rule. The first one was for dedicated Final fantasy 7 rebirth state of play, and the last one (the most recent state of play) is possible because it was the longest state of play in years. Cut out the special conditions of play, and it essentially goes from seven 1-day intervals to one 2-day interval.
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PlayStation's announcement gap format means April 15 is important
Possible outcomes
- Status of Play announcement on April 15
- The state of play takes place on April 16
As such, if the status of the game is indeed happening next week, April 15 is the date to watch for confirmation. It may come sooner, but based on rumors and data, fans will know one way or the other on April 15.
