Free PlayStation Plus online multiplayer weekend announced

Sony Interactive Entertainment has announced plans to offer a free PlayStation Plus online multiplayer weekend.

Players who want to participate in the promotion, which is taking place from December 18-19, will require a PlayStation Network account.

“Dive into the online multiplayer modes of your favorite PS4 and PS5 games without a PlayStation Plus membership during our Online Multiplayer Weekend from Dec 18 @ 12:01AM to Dec 19 11:59PM (local time),” Sony said.

Details on an Xbox Game Pass competitor service reportedly being planned by PlayStation emerged this month.

According to documents seen by Bloomberg, the new subscription service is codenamed ‘Spartacus’ and will combine the current PlayStation Plus and PlayStation Now services, phasing out the branding of the latter.

The service is expected to launch next spring, when it will be available on both PS4 and PS5 and be structured across three payment tiers, it’s claimed.

The first would include existing PlayStation Plus benefits, such as online play and free monthly titles. The second would offer a large catalogue of games like Xbox Game Pass (although not first-party titles at launch). The third tier would add extended demos, game streaming and a library of classic PS1, PS2, PS3 and PSP games.

Activision announced on Monday that it’s planning a Call of Duty Vanguard multiplayer free access promotion from December 16-21.