Guide Is PS5 Backwards Compatible With PS4 News PS5 PS5 Backwards Compatibility Explained Will PS4 Games Work On PS5 Will you be able to play PS4 games on PS5

PS5 Backwards Compatibility Explained – Are PS4 games compatible with PS5

PS5 Backwards Compatibility Explained

Is PS5 Backwards Compatible, Are PS4 games compatible with PS5, Will you be able to play PS4 games on PS5, Is PS5 Backwards Compatible with PS4 games – The messaging around PS5 backwards compatibility with PS4 games hasn’t been clear.

Some PS4 games work with PS5, some PS4 games have PS5 upgrades and some PS4 games simply aren’t compatible with PS5 at all. So to keep you all clued in, we’ve knocked together this handy little guide. As previously confirmed, PS5 is not backwards compatible with PS1, PS2, or PS3 games.

PS5 Backwards Compatibility Explained – Are PS4 games compatible with PS5


  • PS5 Compatible – A great number of PS4 games will be playable on PS5 and run the exact same as they would on a PS4 Pro or base PS4 hardware. The only difference is that loading times will be much faster and in some cases practically non-existent thanks to the PS5 SSD. It is expected that most of the PS4 games available will initially fall into this category and would include titles such as NHL 21 and L.A Noire. You can catch EVERY PS4 game that works with PS5 right here.
  • Not PS5 Compatible – Occasionally, a very small selection of PS4 titles simply will not work with PS5, but as Sony is testing up to 4,000 PS4 titles, we would expect this number to dwindle further post launch.
  • PS5 Update – In addition to a boost from the PS5 SSD, some PS4 games will receive an update on PS5 at a later date (after the PS4 release) which provide a variety of visual enhancements such as higher resolution, increased detail and superior frame rates. An example of a game that would fall into this category would include Cyberpunk 2077. As developers begin to shift to PS5, you will see less and less of these sorts of games after the release of the console.
  • PS5 Upgrade – A selection of PS4 games will immediately upgrade to the better quality PS5 version of the game and will include the improvements listed above. Such games would include Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War and Control: Ultimate Edition. A great number of large third-party publishers such as Ubisoft are doing this right now, but it varies as to whether or not some offer the upgrade free of charge, or request a premium SKU to be bought (see the aforementioned examples).

We hope you’ve found this PS5 backwards compatibility explained guide useful. As and when things change we’ll be sure to keep this guide updated.

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