Is PS5 Backwards Compatible?
Is PS5 backwards compatible? This is a widely-asked question about the powerful next-gen console. Let’s understand if the PS5 is capable of running previous-gen games.
Is PS5 Backwards Compatible with PS4?
The PS4 is Sony’s previous-gen console. Simply put, yes, PS5 is backwards compatible with PS4 and it can run a great number of PS4 games on it comfortably. More than 4,000 PS4 games can run on the PS5. This includes widely-acclaimed fan-favourites like God of War and Uncharted 4.
Your physical PS4 discs will work on the PS5 as well. You can also expect higher framerates, smoother gameplay, lower load times and other enhancements when playing the previous-gen games on the PS5. This is through the usage of Game Boost, a feature of the PS5.
You will need to update the said PS4 games in order to use Game Boost, but it will prove to be worthwhile, considering the improvements which also include better visuals in some regards. Game Boost is automatically enabled for all compatible games, and you don’t need to worry about manually activating it.
Some of the notable Game Boost-compatible titles are Days Gone, Ghost of Tsushima and God of War.
PS4 Games that cannot run on the PS5
There are only a handful of titles that cannot run on the PS5. Other than these, pretty much all the other PS4 games will perform ideally on the PS5. These include:
- Assassin’s Creed Syndicate and the Assassin’s Creed Chronicles games
- Afro Samurai 2: Revenge of Kuma Vol. 1
- Hitman GO
- Star Trek Bridge Crew
- Risk
Is PS5 Backwards Compatible with PS3, PS2, and PS1?
This is a bit more complicated. While you can run certain PS3 and PS1 games on the PS5, you can only do this through PlayStation Plus Premium (formerly PlayStation Now). The downside of this is the fact that you need to pay a monthly fee and cannot use your existing discs. This streaming service is similar to things like Netflix and Xbox Game Pass.
Keep in mind that your physical discs of PS3/PS2/PS1 games will not work on PS5. So, in short, the only way you can play the PS3/PS1 games on the PS5 is via PS Plus Premium, which is a streaming service that costs you monthly. Thus, we can conclude that PS5 is not really backwards compatible with PS3/PS2/PS1 games.
