Friday, March 29, 2024

Will the PS5 play older games? Here’s what we found!

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Best answer: Yes. The PS5 can play 99% of PS4 games, including VR titles. It does not, however, support games from any other PlayStation consoles.

  • Stock up on games: PlayStation Store gift card (From $10 at Amazon)
  • One of the PS4’s best: God of War ($19 at Amazon)
  • Hard to find: PlayStation 5 ($500 at Amazon)

Can the PS5 play older games?

The PS5 will be backward compatible with the PS4, so you don’t need to worry about losing access to your collection of PS4 games. This includes VR titles since the PlayStation VR (PSVR) is confirmed to work with the PS5. Your saves will also transfer over, as Sony has given an example of someone starting a game on PS4, moving to PS5, then back to PS4 again all on the same save game.

The PS5 will also feature a new service called PlayStation Plus Collection, which allows PS Plus subscribers to play select PS4 games for free.

PS5 older games How many PS4 games are backward compatible?

Sony initially confirmed that 100 of the most popular PS4 games will be playable on PS4 at launch, with more to come down the line.

Lastly, we’re excited to confirm that the backward compatibility features are working well. We recently took a look at the top 100 PS4 titles as ranked by play time, and we’re expecting almost all of them to be playable at launch on PS5. With more than 4000 games published on PS4, we will continue the testing process and expand backward compatibility coverage over time.

Sony Interactive Entertainment CEO Jim Ryan later went on to clarify that 99% of PS4 games will be playable on PS5 through backward compatibility.

PS5 older games What about much older titles?

While many are hoping for PlayStation, PS2 or PS3 games to be supported on the PS5, it’s not very likely. The custom CELL architecture of the PS3 provides a particularly difficult obstacle to overcome, which is why getting backward compatibility on the PS4 was also super difficult.

While anything is possible further down the line, we’d recommend against hoping for these games to ever be playable. The only exception will be through PlayStation Now streaming, which does have some PS3 games.

The PS5 has launched worldwide, though finding a console in stock is continuing to prove challenging. If you’re looking to buy one, keep your notifications on, and don’t hesitate when consoles are available. In our PS5 review, we noted that while PS5 games are the big focus, playing PS4 titles is also a more pleasant experience thanks to the ultra-fast SSD.

Our pick

PlayStation Store Gift Card

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From $10 at Amazon

Easy to stock up

PlayStation gift cards are an easy way to grab currency for games, add-ons, themes, and more on the PlayStation Store. All your PlayStation 4 content will carry over and be usable on PlayStation 5. They also come in a wide variety of denominations.

PS4’s best

God of War

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$18 at Amazon

A new beginning

2018’s God of War brings the Spartan warrior Kratos to a new land, full of new myths and monsters, as the aged god-killer is forced into his greatest challenge yet, that of raising his son.

Already sold out

PlayStation 5

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$500 at Amazon
$500 at Best Buy
$500 at Walmart

Keep checking for more chances to buy

PS5 preorders unexpectedly kicked off Sept. 16, leading to a frenzy of buying that crashed websites and depleted inventories almost immediately. Hopefully, more units will be available for sale soon. In the meantime, you can consider which version of the console you want and browse launch games and accessories.

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