Is Stray Free to Play? (& How to Play It for Free)
Stray has taken the community by surprise with some astonishing performance since its release, and many gamers are becoming more interested now that Stray is gaining so much attention. But, pay-to-play isn’t always on the table for everyone, and many people now wonder if Stray is free to play – or, if there is any way to play this game for free.
PlayStation users can play Stray for free if they are subscribed to the PS Plus Extra or Premium plans. But, Stray will also be made available for free with a 7-day trial to these membership plans. There is no way to play Stray for free on PC at the moment.
Although Stray is not a free game as is, there may be a few ways for players to at least get a taste of the game without having to pay the standard price for it. Stick around to find out everything you need to know about the pricing arrangements for Stray, as well as how you can play it for free.
Is Stray Free To Play?
Stray is possibly one of the most unique video games to be released in 2022 so far, offering an incredibly captivating experience for just about any adventure-loving gamer or decline fanatic. This game was developed by BlueTwelve Studio and published by Annapurna Interactive, released for PC and PlayStation in mid-July 2022.
At the time of writing, Stray has only been made available for PlayStation (specifically PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5) as well as PC. There are talks of Stray coming to Xbox and other platforms in the future, but it is still something the community will have to go without for the time being.
It takes players on a journey filled with threats and futuristic dangers, as it places us in the shoes of an adorable and cuddly stray cat lost in a Cyberpunk-inspired city. Although, it’s worth noting that Stray is definitely not for the faint-hearted, especially considering that some of the events and possibilities (many of which are somewhat realistic) can be pretty hard to swallow for sensitive viewers and cat lovers.
That being said, it is a beautifully created game, with stunning visuals, some really original concepts, and interesting storylines that make it super fun and immersive. It is an absolute must-play for anyone who is up for trying out unique indies – topped with surprisingly stellar quality that has been considered close to AAA as well.
However, all of these thrilling gameplay experiences do come at a cost – at least, for those who want the fullest and most action-packed experience possible. Stray will need to be purchased in order for it to be played – unless you are already subscribed to Sony’s PS Plus Extra or Premium tiers, in which case it would have been included free of charge!
How Much Does Stray Cost?
Stray costs $29.99, and the price is the same irrespective of the platform you choose. Buying the digital version of Stray for PC will cost the same as Stray on PlayStation.
How To Play Stray For Free
If you’re interested in trying out Stray and are not a subscriber of the PS Plus Extra or Premium tier, you’ll be happy to know that there is a way to get to play Stray for free. However, this method is only available for PlayStation users – there is no way to get access to Stray free of charge on the PC version at the moment.
You will be able to get access to Stray completely for free by signing up for a trial of the PS Plus Extra or Premium tier, which will only last for 1 week. All of the subscription plans offer a 7-day trial for those who are interested, and you will gain access to PlayStation Plus for the duration.
As a result, you should be able to get your hands on Stray for free as a part of the same arrangement as those who are actually subscribed to these plans. The only exception to this method is that those who have previously purchased PlayStation Plus will not be able to get this free trial – it may seem unfair, but the trial is typically for informal purposes only, and it does not last forever.
Follow the steps below in order to get Stray for free:
- Go to the PlayStation Plus sign-up page on the official website.
- Log in using your credentials.
- Click View all membership plans.
- Choose to start your 7-day free trial for either a Premium or Extra subscription.
- Sign in to the same account you started a trial with on your PlayStation 5 or PlayStation 4.
- Go to the PS Plus Library on the home screen, and manually navigate to Stray from this menu – this will enable you to download Stray as part of the subscription rather than having to buy the game.
- You will see an option to “Download” the game.
Once the subscription is activated, you should be able to launch Stray and start getting into everything that the game has to offer. Although, you should definitely remember to set a reminder to turn the subscription off after the trial is over unless you plan on continuing, since the PlayStation Store may just start charging you for the subscription after a week.
Although there isn’t a way to play Stray for free on PC at the moment, PlayStation players can still take advantage of the 7-day trials available for the PS Plus Extra and Premium plans right now. There’s no telling if this arrangement will stick around for the trials for much longer, so it’s best to make the most of it as soon as possible – you may find that you love Stray far more than expected, possibly even enough to buy it.
But, while you may only have 7 days to try out the game using the subscription trials, Stray is really not a long game nor is it time-consuming compared to many other titles – you may just be able to finish the entire game in the available timeframe, without skipping out on the fun!
