The PS5 is scheduled to drop during the 2020 holiday season and many gamers want to know if the console will be backwards compatible before they commit to buying it. While sources seem to indicate the PS5 will indeed be backwards compatible, there appear to be limitations in regards to what titles will be backwards compatible on the PS5.
Is the PS5 backwards compatible?
The quick answer to the question of whether the PS5 will be backwards compatible is: yes, it will be. Sony has been vocal in the past about this, confirming that PlayStation 4 and PS VR games will be backwards compatible with the PlayStation 5.
Update 18/3: In today's PS5 system hardware presentation, lead architect Mark Cerny confirmed that the PlayStation 5 will support the top 100 PS4 games at launch, with further compatability expanded after launch. There was no indication on whether the first three PlayStation consoles would also receive support.
With Sony indicating games like Ghost of Tsushima and The Last of Us Part II will release for PlayStation 4, it’s nice to hear you’ll still be able to play these titles via backwards compatibility should you decide to upgrade to a PS5. As for games from older consoles like the PlayStation 3, less is known as recent interviews indicate the dev team is still working everything that will be offered and how it'll be presented.
This was emphasized in an interview with Famitsu where the PR team for Sony noted that the devs are still working on “complete compatibility” for the PS5. On Twitter, @bk218 translated the original Famitsu article quote from Japanese to English.
“Currently, the dev team is putting all power on verifying whether they can secure a complete compatibility. Please wait for more information.”
Reflecting on this statement, it’s safe to say that Sony aims to offer backwards compatibility, but work on this feature is ongoing. PlayStation 4 and PS VR games are definitely going to be backwards compatible, but prospective PS5 buyers will need to wait a little bit longer to find out if older PlayStation titles will be available as well.
© Sony
Now that you know whether the PS5 will offer backwards compatibility, be sure to check out some of our previous features including details on the PlayStation 5’s haptic feedback controller, the patent for Sony’s PSVR2 headset which reveals built-in cameras, and our wishlist of PlayStation 5 launch titles.
