Skip to content

PS5: two surprise free games are available now for a limited time



Between two big AAAs, the PlayStation Store sometimes there are little curiosities that delight trophy hunters. In mid-April 2026, two single-player games appeared in the “free” category, with a complete list of trophies and no subscription requirement. PlayStation Plus.

Those concerned are called Chess Mate And Ecchi Secrets and they are already accessible on PS5 in Europe, as spotted by GamingBible and PlayStation LifeStyle. As of this writing, they can be added to your library for €0.00, but some content associated with Ecchi Secrets won’t stay discounted for very long.

PS5: what are these two new free games on the PlayStation Store?

Chess Mate is a signed chess set CUDIT Gamesonly on PS5. Rated PEGI 3, it is played solo, entirely offline, with 16 difficulty levels. The PlayStation Store synopsis announces: “Ready to learn chess and master strategy? You’ve come to the right place”, emphasizing progressive learning suitable for beginners and experienced players alike.

The title offers three free sets of chess pieces, while additional purely cosmetic sets are sold through an in-house store. The whole thing weighs barely 0.21 GB on the console’s SSD and displays a rating of around 4.2/5 on the Store, which makes it a credible candidate for short sessions or for introducing a child to chess.

Ecchi Secrets is a PS4 puzzle game signed YABAI.GAMESplayable on PS5 via backwards compatibility. The Standard Edition is free and corresponds to the complete base game, solo, offline, with optional in-game purchases. Rated PEGI 12 for its sexual innuendoes, it is based on Qix-style gameplay: you clear blocks while avoiding enemies to gradually reveal illustrations of female anime, all accompanied by music described as “sensual”.

Chess Mate and Ecchi Secrets: who are these free PS5 games for?

Chess Mate clearly targets fans of reflection and the curious who want to progress in chess without the hassle. The 16 difficulty levels allow you to adjust the challenge, and the total absence of a paywall on the core of the game means that you can win all the trophies without taking out your credit card. The trophies community, particularly on WeArePlayStationhighlights a platinum considered affordable, ideal for quickly boosting your profile.

Ecchi Secrets targets a much more specific audience: trophy hunters and players comfortable with the “ecchi” aesthetic. The French community mentions a Platinum trophy recoverable in around 20 minutes, without DLC. The content remains suggestive but not explicit, which explains the PEGI 12 rating; in practice, it is still better to avoid starting the game with the family in the living room.

Around the free base game, several level packs are offered at €2.49 each, as well as a Complete Edition at €18.99. For subscribers PS Plusthis bundle increases to €9.49 until May 7, 2026, 8:59 p.m. (UTC), a discount clearly indicated as temporary on the Store.

PS5: how to download Chess Mate and Ecchi Secrets for free, and until when?

On your PS5, open the PlayStation Storelook for “Chess Mate” in the PS5 section then “Ecchi Secrets” on the PS4 games side. Verify that the displayed price is indeed €0.00, choose “Add to library”, then start the download now or later. No PS Plus subscription is necessary, a simple PSN account is enough.

The Store listings don’t indicate an end date for free base games, but Sony has changed prices overnight in the past. As long as Chess Mate and the Standard Edition ofEcchi Secrets remain at €0.00, the smart reflex is to save them in your library now, even if it means trying them later.