Not long ago, Sony stirred up the world of console gaming with two major announcements. The first was the reveal of the PlayStation 5, promising a new standard in performance and features. The second — perhaps even more important for many players — was the confirmation of backward compatibility: a promise that the beloved worlds of the PS4 would carry over to the new generation.
Jim Ryan, head of Sony Interactive Entertainment, reassured fans by stating that about 99% of PS4 titles would remain playable. Still, curiosity remained high: which games exactly, what about saved progress, and what improvements can we expect?
Which PS4 games are playable on the PS5?
Sony confirmed that nearly all major titles would be available on the new console. Popular exclusives like Ghost of Tsushima and God of War would be playable right away, along with hits like Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice and Cyberpunk 2077. Developers such as Naughty Dog confirmed that their entire PS4 catalog would be playable again — including the Uncharted series and both parts of The Last of Us.
What makes this transition even more appealing is the introduction of Game Boost. This feature allows many PS4 games to benefit from improved performance on the PS5, with faster load times, higher frame rates, and in some cases, sharper visuals. Some titles, like Assassin’s Creed Valhalla and DOOM Eternal, also received full upgrades specifically developed for the new hardware.
Does PlayStation VR work on the PS5?
For those who want to keep exploring virtual worlds, there is good news: PlayStation VR is supported. However, the original PS VR headset, along with the old PS Camera and an adapter, is still required to play VR games on the PS5. The new headphones and the modern HD Camera for the PS5 are unfortunately not compatible. Still, nearly all PS VR games can be carried over seamlessly to the new console, while a new generation of VR experiences is already in development.
Transferring save files from PS4 to PS5
Transferring saved progress has also been well thought out. Players can choose a direct transfer via Wi-Fi or LAN, use an external hard drive, or rely on the PlayStation Plus cloud. In all cases, it’s important to make sure both consoles are updated to the latest software to avoid synchronization issues.
Which PS4 games don’t work on the PS5?
Although the vast majority of the PS4 library remains available, there are a few exceptions. A small number of titles, such as Hitman Go: Definitive Edition and Afro Samurai 2: Revenge of Kuma, are only playable on the previous generation and not on the PS5. Sony keeps the list updated and notes that demos, non-game apps, and media applications are not supported.
