Can You Play PS4 Digital Games On PS5?
Previously, we have discussed whether it’s possible to play PS4 disc games on PS5 or not, and we stated that you can’t really play PS4 disc games unless you own the PS5 disc edition or you buy the digital editions of these PS4 disc games. Now, in this article, we’ll discuss something a little different which is whether you can play PS4 digital games on PS5 or not, and if yes, how to play them on PS5?
Is It Possible To Play PS4 Digital Games On PS5?
Generally, YES, you can play PS4 digital games on PS5, whether you have the digital or disc edition of PS5. But what you might not know is that not all PS4 games are compatible with PS5. It’s a fact that some PS4 games are totally incompatible with PS4 and won’t work at all on it, whereas others are partially compatible and you can play them on PS5 with errors.
What Digital PS4 Games You Can’t Play On PS5?
So, as stated earlier, some PS4 digital games are totally incompatible with PS5 thus you can’t play them on it. But, what are they? Luckily, they are very few, not more than 6 games, which are:
- Afro Samurai 2: Revenge of Kuma Volume One
- Hitman Go: Definitive Edition
- Just Deal With It!
- Robinson: The Journey
- Shadwen
- We Sing
If you go to the PlayStation Store, you’ll read a small notification message under these game titles saying “Playable on PS4 only“. This simply means that these PS4 digital games you can’t play by any means on PS5, therefore avoid them.
On the other hand, there are a bunch of PS4 digital games that will work on PS5 but with some errors due to incompatibility issues. Hopefully these errors will be eliminated with future update patches, but until then be aware that you might not play these PS4 digital games on PS5 with its full features and functionality. Do expect some weird behaviors.
Here is a complete list of games that are partially compatible with PS5 and may generate errors:
- A Summer with the Shiba Inu
- Active Soccer 2 DX
- American Ninja Warrior: Challenge
- Anomaly 2
- APB Reloaded
- Ape Escape 2
- Arcade Land
- Assassin’s Creed Chronicles: India
- Assassin’s Creed Chronicles: Russia
- Assassin’s Creed Chronicles: Trilogy Pack
- Assassin’s Creed Syndicate
- Assetto Corsa
- Assetto Corsa Ultimate Edition
- Atrapa La Bandera
- Batman: Return to Arkham – Arkham City
- Battlezone
- Call of Duty: Black Ops 4
- Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare
- Chicken Police
- Clan N
- Close to the Sun
- Crossout
- Darius Cozmic Collection Arcade
- Daylight
- Dead Island Retro Revenge
- Dead Nation: Apocalypse Edition
- Dead or Alive Xtreme 3 Fortune
- Dead or Alive Xtreme 3 Fortune Free-to-Play Version
- Dead or Alive Xtreme 3 Scarlet
- Deliver Us The Moon
- Dino Frontier
- Disney Classic Games: Aladdin and The Lion King
- Doki-Doki Universe
- DOOM VFR
- Dungeon Rushers
- DYNASTY WARRIORS 8 Empires
- DYNASTY WARRIORS 8 Empires Free Alliances Version
- DYNASTY WARRIORS 8: Xtreme Legends Complete Edition
- Entwined
- EVE: Valkyrie – Warzone
- Everybody’s Golf
- Feral Fury
- Filthy Lucre
- Flinthook
- Frisky Business
- Game of Thrones
- Gensokyo Defenders
- Geometry Wars 3: Dimensions
- Ghostbusters: The Video Game Remastered
- GRIP
- Hardware: Rivals
- Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice
- How to Survive: Storm Warning Edition
- Kickbeat Special Edition
- Lara Croft and the Temple of Osiris
- Left Alive
- Let’s Sing 10
- Let’s Sing 2018
- Lightfield
- LittleBigPlanet 3
- Mafia III The Complete Edition
- Mafia III: Definitive Edition
- Manhunt
- Metal Slug Anthology
- MLB 14 The Show
- MLB 15 The Show
- MLB The Show 16
- MLB The Show 17
- MLB The Show 18
- MLB The Show 19
- MOTHERGUNSHIP
- NBA 2K19
- NBA 2K20
- Need for Speed
- NHL 19
- Nobunaga’s Ambition Souzou
- Nobunaga’s Ambition: Sphere of Influence
- OKAGE: Shadow King
- Onigiri
- Operation Warcade
- Paddle Vs. Paddle
- Pinball Arcade
- PixARK
- PixelJunk Shooter Ultimate
- Prey
- Primal
- Pro Evolution Soccer 2018
- Pro Evolution Soccer 2018 LITE
- Project CARS
- Project CARS GOTY Edition
- Pure Hold’em
- Pure Hold’em – World Poker Championship
- Pure Pool
- Realm Royale
- RIGS Mechanized Combat League
- RISK
- Roundabout
- Saint Seiya: Soldiers’ Soul
- Sea of Solitude
- Season Match 2 HD
- Season Match 3 Curse of the Witch Crow
- Senran Kagura Burst Re:Newal
- Senran Kagura Estival Versus
- Senran Kagura Peach Beach Splash
- Shuttle Commander
- Sleeping Dogs: Definitive Edition
- SMITE
- Space Junkies
- Star Ocean Second Evolution
- Star Ocean: Till The End Of Time
- STAR STRIKE ULTRA
- STAR STRIKE ULTRA VR
- Star Trek: Bridge Crew
- Super Kids Racing
- Super Stardust Ultra
- Super Stardust Ultra VR
- Survive Said The Prophet VR Experience
- Sword Art Online Re: Hollow Fragment
- Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutants in Manhattan
- Tennis World Tour
- The Golf Club 2019
- The King of Fighters 2000
- The Surge
- The Tomorrow Children
- The Walking Dead: Season 1
- The Warriors
- Tooth and Tail
- True Fear: Forsaken Souls Part 2
- Until Dawn: Rush of Blood
- Valhalla Hills
- Velocity 2X
- Werewolves Within
- WRC 8 FIA World Rally Championship
- Zero Escape: The Nonary Games
How to Play PS4 Digital Games On PS5
In order to enjoy playing your PS4 digital games on PS5, you have to follow one of these two methods:
- Use your PS4 external hard drive directly on PS5. It shall work flawlessly, as PS4 external hard drives are already compatible with PS5 system.
- Download and install your PS4 digital games on your PS5 from the PlayStation PSN store.
Either method will work and let you play your PS4 digital games on PS5 without an issue. Just remember that some PS4 games are not really compatible with PS5 and some are just partly compatible.
Conclusion
It’s important for Sony to offer wide-range support for PS4 games on PS5 systems in order to persuade PS4 users to buy its fifth-generation console because most PS4 users have their own favorite games that they don’t plan to dispose of them any sooner. Therefore, it’s such a wise step Sony made to offer that to PS4 users.
I, personally, don’t think that this support will last for long, maybe just until Sony discontinues the support for PS4 in 2024.
