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PlayStation Support: Backward compatibility: PlayStation®4 games playable on PlayStation®5

DForce

NaughtyDog Defense Force
Is there a specific reason the game needs to be inserted each and every time? Sounds like a form of license checking, but couldn't they just simply get some kind of unique ID code off the disc, store it to the cloud, and then just have it so that the user needs to briefly be online to verify being able to play the game without the disc being in the drive? Maybe some kind of matching ID could be generated for that game getting initially verified with the disc in the drive on that system, and could even do it on a per-account basis?

Sure. Let them do this to all their physical games and then sell it right after uploading the data to the cloud.
 

Dodkrake

Banned
Also this stuck out to me:

Is there a specific reason the game needs to be inserted each and every time? Sounds like a form of license checking, but couldn't they just simply get some kind of unique ID code off the disc, store it to the cloud, and then just have it so that the user needs to briefly be online to verify being able to play the game without the disc being in the drive? Maybe some kind of matching ID could be generated for that game getting initially verified with the disc in the drive on that system, and could even do it on a per-account basis?

It stuck to me your usual concern trolling.
 

Skyfox

Member
Like I explained (and Cerny told everybody) before.

....

But the FUD here was unbelievable.

ps5-bc.jpg


Sony & AMD did an amazing job making the APU being hardware BC compatible with PS4.

I think we were all more interested in the image and its shape/odd layout on this slide about backwards compatability.

I mean it even looks like a freakin ps3 slim!
 

Kokoloko85

Member
All 3rd party or other games will run to the max and hit whaetver cap was set by the software unless patched.n They might get upscaled or whatever.

Just give me A 60fps patch for Death Stranding and TLOU2 lol instead of re release like TLOU 1 from PS3 (30fps) - PS4 ( 60FPS )
Maybe GOT too as the Developers have been great with post game support. Mostly expect it for 1st/2nd party Games
 
Presumably PS+ cloud saving too, right..? I plan on selling my PS4 this weekend while eBay aren't taking 10%.
Does that mean you can't transfer cloud saves from PS4 to PS5?
I am also hopping on this question. Do we have answers?
This would be such a disappointment if I couldn't use my save games from the cloud.
Also planning on selling my Pro before the PS5 release.
 
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Kokoloko85

Member
Select PS4 games will benefit from the PS5 console’s Game Boost

There is a difference. If the framerate is locked how can the game benefit?

Patch or update. TLOU1 went from 30 to 60fps PS3 to PS4 with the re release.
I hope they don’t re release them or have a decent upgrade plan like 10 bucks lol. It should be a patch/update etc like Xbox series X games
 
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ethomaz

Banned
I think we were all more interested in the image and its shape/odd layout on this slide about backwards compatability.

I mean it even looks like a freakin ps3 slim!
I believe it is a P from Playstation... that is how I see that chart since presentation (I did read after people thinking it was the PS5 console layout or there is space for PS3, PS2 and PS1 etc)
 
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Self

Member
Is there a specific reason the game needs to be inserted each and every time?

As I understand it the PS5 plays games natively, directly from disc. It actually reads the data on disc, unlike XSX where you have to download the whole game (emulated version) before playing.
 
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FranXico

Member
As I understand it the PS5 plays games natively, directly from disc. It actually reads the data on disc, unlike XSX where you have to download the whole game (emulated version) before playing.
That's not how it works at all. Where did you hear that?
 

CatLady

Selfishly plays on Xbox Purr-ies X
I think most reasonable people expected this to be the case, but it's a good thing to have it spelled out in Black & white. One less console war issue to fight about.

It is reassuring to see Black Tiger made wasn't one of the few excluded games. :messenger_beaming:
 
4,000+ PS4 games are playable on PS5 consoles.

So roughly 99.9% of all PS4 games work. Excellent.

Some games may receive errors and odd behaviors, please don't buy DLC until you try the game to make sure it works? What the hell is going on here? This is a load of crap...

The PS5 can't magically fix PS4 games that had issues on PS4. So if a game had problems on PS4 and was never patched, expect those same problems to show up on PS5.
 

DeepEnigma

Gold Member
As I understand it the PS5 plays games natively, directly from disc. It actually reads the data on disc, unlike XSX where you have to download the whole game (emulated version) before playing.

All games install to the HDD/SSD since the PS4/XB1 on up. The disc only serves as a DRM check like the old school PC days when we CD cracked the .exe.
 
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Self

Member
Here's hoping for this. And The Last Guardian too, although it's included in the PS Plus Collection. I think all of those will be PS5 boosted.

Last Guardian would benefit immensely from stable 30 FPS.
60fps would be a dream come true, but no... not gonna happen.
 

Romulus

Member
PSVR games have been getting random patches recently. What's odd is it's a bunch of old games, and alot of them. People are speculating that its something to do with ps5.

Will be interesting to see PSVR games that get real patches for ps5 to take advantage of the hardware. PSVR stands to take advantage of the extra power even more than regular gaming.

The headset is 120hz with a ceiling of 1080p
 
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TonyK

Member
  • Select PS4 games will benefit from the PS5 console’s Game Boost, which may make PS4 games run with a higher or smoother frame rate.
Ok, now I need to know what this means. But one thing is clear, it only mentions framerate, not resolution, so it doesn't sound very promising.

I assume it only implies that a game capped at 30fps will run at stable 30fps. So almost no improve from the PS4 pro :(
 
I'm very happy I decided to skip the last generation and went for PC instead. I think I'll pick up both consoles down the line and enjoy whatever I missed. Both parties are doing it right with regards to BC.
 
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Pantz

Gold Member
Sounds good so far. It doesn't say that the list of games not working is a definitive list or an example list though. Still being cautious until I see the status of a delisted game like Driveclub.
 

Agent X

Member
That is thankfully a very short list of incompatible games, mostly very obscure games at that.

Keep in mind that it is possible for the developer to patch their games, so some of these games could eventually become compatible with PS5 in the future.

Of the 10 games on the list, Hitman Go is the only one that I personally own on PS4. Ironically, I have not yet played it on PS4, but have played it on (of all places) my Amazon Fire tablet.

I do have Shadow Complex Remastered on PC. That's a good game, and hopefully one that can be patched for PS5 compatibility.

PS5 consoles do not support the PS4 Second Screen app or game companion apps.

I hope this ability can be added to the PS5 later. I liked using the Second Screen functionality with Tearaway Unfolded on PS4, which allowed you to use the touch screen of a PS Vita or mobile phone to draw shapes when creating objects. It was much easier this way, compared to using the relatively small touch pad on the DualShock 4 controller.
 

thebigmanjosh

Gold Member
This is some great news, and about what folks were expecting 👍

I'm curious how many of these are compatible with Boost mode; last figure had them having tested about 100 games. It'd be nice if they gave an update on that front with this one but they'll probably do that a week or two from now anyway.

Also this stuck out to me:



Is there a specific reason the game needs to be inserted each and every time? Sounds like a form of license checking, but couldn't they just simply get some kind of unique ID code off the disc, store it to the cloud, and then just have it so that the user needs to briefly be online to verify being able to play the game without the disc being in the drive? Maybe some kind of matching ID could be generated for that game getting initially verified with the disc in the drive on that system, and could even do it on a per-account basis?

It'd actually be better if the system had some kind of private NAND cache inaccessible by the user, where it could get and/or generate some kind of reference code to the digital copy of the game if it's installed on the internal SSD, expandable SSD or external storage device. Then implement some kind of encrypted ID reference code for any external drive the digital copy of the PS4 game is installed onto. If the user tries playing the game from an external drive without the matching reference code they'd be prompted to provide the original disc again.

I guess Sony's got it set up the way it is currently, to ensure people aren't simply borrowing the game from a friend and try to pass it off as their own purchase, which would be an issue if the system only needed the game disc inserted and verified once.

But I think generating some kind of unique encrypted reference ID code for a digital copy of that game installed onto either the system or external storage matching some type of unique identification of the game disc (I'm sure every printed disc of a physical release has to have SOME kind of unique identification of some sort issued during the printing phase, right?), which could be further expanded to a matching encrypted code installed on the connected 3rd-party storage drive (if the game is installed there), would be a better solution, though maybe a bit more complicated.

What you’re insinuating is essentially the original plan for XB1, limiting used games behind DRM and an online connection.

Can you imagine if PS5s BC was only enabled for online users? That would be nightmare PR.

It’s a hassle but at least I can pass my disc on to a friend and they can play the game without any issues.
 

Zathalus

Member
Wonder how many games get boost mode and what it all entails. Just fully utilizing the CPU/GPU or something more as well?
 

spons

Gold Member
Sounds good.

As for the people who think any of this is emulation (360, XBO, PS4), it's not. I can't believe this nonsense is spread across the internet. The same with the 'wizardry' crap. You really need only three things to make this all work: hundreds of pages of design docs and a team of proper engineers combined with a shitload of time. I'm 99.9999% sure it's a compatibility layer, translating API calls into native system calls on the running platform. There's no fucking way they could low-level emulate the entire Xbox 360 architecture on an Xbox One considering Jaguar.
 

Tomeru

Member
Dudes I am so fucking hyped to fire that thing up and play!

Edit:
Itshppening
 
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Hopefully this puts all of the silly speculation and handwringing to rest.

That's an odd list though-I wonder what is keeping each of those from being compatible. PS4->PS5 upgrades are a little clunky with two versions of the same game rather than one. Curious to see what games will get a boost mode. Microsoft is certainly leading in the back compat space but the fanboy console warring over it was always stupid. PS5 is going to be a great way to play PS4 games.

Licensing issues, uniquely insane workaround to get the game running (e.g. VR requires some PS4 part to be present), irreparable developer/publisher relations, discovery of security vulnerabilities in the code, discovery of stolen assets/significant copyright violations, discovery of multiple game breaking bugs that weren't caught/patched because the game didn't sell, it could be a thousand different things.

The fact that virtually all PS4 games are backwards compat is an indication that if a game doesn't run on PS5 then it's more than likely an issue unrelated to how the PS5 runs PS4 games. Which kinda makes me wonder if Sony are understating the amount of PS4 games that will run better on PS5.
 

Njocky

Banned
So no info on the performance I can expect my PS4 games to have on PS5? Basically all the info that has been trickling daily for the last 2 weeks about Series X?
Will PS4 games automatically look and play better given the more powerful hardware or not?
 
Good to see Sony finally issued straightforward language on the matter and that it won't be a scenario of per-game compatibility being added over time. In general, it's just good to know the PS5 should be a legitimate stand-in for its predecessor, while also offering the upgrade to 4K Blu-ray playback.
 

DeepEnigma

Gold Member
So then I can simply unplug the PS4 external drive and Plug it into the PS5 and all my games will be available?

Good question, I am going to go with yes due to it being the same based firmware and network. Hopefully it is elaborated on more with the UI features when they drop that.
 

Umbral

Member
Ok, now I need to know what this means. But one thing is clear, it only mentions framerate, not resolution, so it doesn't sound very promising.

I assume it only implies that a game capped at 30fps will run at stable 30fps. So almost no improve from the PS4 pro :(
Since Hitman has an unlock toggle, this means Hitman 1 & 2 should run at at least 60 if not higher. I’m happy.
 

Umbral

Member
Can someone explain ps5 boost vs ps4 pro enhancements? Shouldn’t the ps5 max out back compat titles?
  • Some games never got Pro patches, so they’ll run just like PS4
  • Games that got Pro patches will run like their Pro versions
  • Games that get patched or can support boost mode will perform better
An example I mentioned above: Hitman 1 & 2 allow you to unlock their frame rate if you want, but it doesn’t consistently hit 60. The game got a Pro patch, so it will perform like it’s Pro version as far as resolution, graphics, etc. It having the ability to unlock the frame rate means it can go above 60 easily on PS5 and beyond.

Additional: Hitman 3 is coming out and the new Hitman is a weird one because they do these weird upgrading of old levels to new graphics and mechanics with the legacy packs. When Hitman 3 releases it may all get a PS5 patch, and I expect it all will, which changes things again.
 
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