Ready or Not’s 3-hour PS5/Xbox trial is live for 90 days — here’s the catch

Why This Matters: Tactical realism finally gets a low-risk console tryout

Ready or Not is one of those games you hear about from that hardcore friend who loves whiteboards, callouts, and losing a mission for failing to bag evidence. It’s a punishing, methodical SWAT sim-and now PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S players can actually try it without buying in. VOID Interactive has rolled out a time-limited free trial that gives you three hours of full access, available for a 90-day window through February 20, 2026. Your progress carries over if you buy, there’s a 20% Black Friday discount on consoles, and a chunky 40% discount on PC. As someone who bounced between Siege and Insurgency for years, this caught my attention because tactical shooters live or die on “feel,” and you can’t get that from trailers.

Key Takeaways

• Three hours of full-game access on PS5 and Xbox; progress carries over on that platform if you buy.
• Trial is live for 90 days, ending February 20, 2026; PS5 access is via PlayStation Plus.
• Black Friday discounts: 20% off on consoles and 40% off on PC.
• Console keyboard-and-mouse support is in, making this the perfect time to test your setup.

Breaking down the announcement (and the catch)

Let’s translate the marketing speak. “Three-hour trial” means three hours total cumulative playtime, not per session. Once you’ve spent those hours, the timer’s up. On PS5, you’ll need a PlayStation Plus subscription to access the trial; on Xbox, you can grab it directly from the store. The progress carryover is the big win here-finish the trial, buy the game, and your unlocks and mission progress come with you. That’s how trials should be done.

The smart timing isn’t an accident. Console versions have matured a lot in 2025. Updates in the late summer and early fall ironed out hundreds of bugs, cleaned up arrest and reload animations, and-crucially—added official keyboard-and-mouse support on both consoles. If you hated fighting the reticle on a gamepad in the launch window, this is a very different experience now.

What this changes for console players

Ready or Not isn’t a run-and-gun power fantasy. It rewards patience, comms, and non-lethal options. You’ll fail missions for shooting too quickly, forget to report a weapon, or let a civilian run past you. That’s the appeal. The free trial gives console players a realistic window to figure out if they want that pressure. For three hours you can learn how room clearing feels, whether AI squadmates follow your orders reliably, and how breaching tools, tear gas, and flashbangs actually change the flow of a room. It’s a very different vibe from Siege’s esports meta or Insurgency’s faster pace.

There’s also the platform difference to consider. PC will always be the mod sandbox—custom gear, UI tweaks, and community realism packs keep the game fresh. Consoles won’t get that, but with keyboard-and-mouse support and the recent stability passes, the gap has narrowed where it matters most: control and consistency. If you care about mods, the 40% PC discount is a no-brainer. If you want a couch-friendly, squad-up-on-voice-chat experience, the console version finally feels ready for prime time.

Make your three hours count: a mini game plan

• Do the training first. It’s not glamorous, but it teaches rules of engagement, reporting, and suspect compliance—core systems that will otherwise fail you fast.
• Test both control schemes. Try controller with tuned dead zones and aim curves, then switch to keyboard and mouse if you have them. See what clicks.
• Run a solo mission with AI, then a co-op mission. You’ll get a feel for squad command responsiveness and whether randoms fit your vibe.
• Experiment with non-lethal. Pepperball, beanbag, and tasers matter here—compliance is often safer (and higher scoring) than headshots.
• Stress-test utility. Breach + flash, wedges, and tear gas now behave more predictably post-patches. Try different entries and watch suspect behavior change.
• Watch your ROE. Report everything, bag evidence, and detain even when it feels tedious—this is how the game is meant to be played.

The skeptic’s checklist: what I’m watching

Not everything is solved. Some players still report occasional lobby weirdness and mid-mission disconnects tied to backend services. AI is better than it was at console launch, but you’ll still see the odd pathfinding hiccup under pressure. Mods remain a PC-only advantage, and there’s no reason to expect cross-play unless the studio explicitly says so. Also, remember that this is a punishing sim—if you bounce off strict scoring, this may not be your forever shooter. The three-hour clock is enough to learn that without buyer’s remorse.

Should you buy during the Black Friday window?

Here’s the straight answer. If you try the demo and love the pacing, the 20% console discount is a solid nudge to lock it in now, especially with progress carryover. If you’re PC-curious or care about customization and long-term mod support, the 40% PC cut is the best value play. Either way, the trial removes the “will the shooting and AI feel right to me?” question you can’t resolve by watching a YouTube clip.

TL;DR

Ready or Not’s 3-hour trial on PS5 and Xbox is the right kind of test drive for a demanding tactical shooter. Use the time to feel out controls, AI, and the sim-style rules. If it clicks, the Black Friday discounts sweeten the jump—PC for mods and value, console for convenience and a surprisingly polished experience post-2025 patches.