The PS5 will be backward-compatible with PS4 games, meaning that PS4 owners will be able to keep their library of games and play them on the PlayStation 5. The news has been confirmed by Sony, with it bringing an end to speculation that PS4 backwards compatibility would not be available on the next-gen PlayStation console would only be able to run its own games.
The PS4 not being compatible with PS3 games was a point of contention at launch, with Sony having decided to not go that route with the PS5. This is due to the PS5’s architecture having been based on the PS4’s, meaning that it’s easier to run PS4 games on the new console than it was to run PS3 games on the current-gen PlayStation system.
The news was revealed in a Wired report, which has outlined many of Sony’s plans for its upcoming hardware.
“Because [the PS5 is] based in part on the PS4’s architecture, it will also be backward-compatible with games for that console,” the report reads. “As in many other generational transitions, this will be a gentle one, with numerous new games being released for both PS4 and the next-gen console.”
This news of a “gentle” generational transition isn’t unexpected, as many consoles launch with a few exclusive games while the manufacturer attempts to bring the divide between the current- and last-gen systems. As such, it seems like PS4 owners can still expect to receive many of the games that will appear on the PS5 when the system launches.
Backwards compatibility with the PS4 will be welcome news for current-gen PlayStation owners, as this will mean that they’ll be able to use all their existing games on the new console. This will make jumping to the PS5 a much more seamless transition than the shift from the PS3 to the PS4, though it’s currently unclear if all PS4 games will be made available to play on the new console.
Elsewhere in the interview, Sony confirmed that the PS5 will be able to support an 8K resolution and hinted that Death Stranding could release on both the PS5 and PS4.
