PlayStation 5: Finally clear words about PS4 backward compatibility

Sony announced the technical details of the PlayStation 5 last week and also commented on the backward compatibility of the console. According to the first statements, this is initially not as extensive as expected – but now Sony is giving the all-clear, at least with regard to the PS4.

We already reported during the week that "almost all" of the 100 most gambled PS4 titles will also be compatible with the PS5 when the PlayStation 5 starts. That's what Lead System Architect Mark Cerny said when he introduced the PlayStation 5. Before the announcement, however, the next-gen console was expected to be far more backward compatible. In this regard, Sony now felt compelled to clarify.

In a new statement for the weekend it says Hideaki Nishino from Sony via PlayStation blog: "We believe that the vast majority of the over 4,000 PS4 titles will be playable on the PS5." At least in relation to the PS4, the feature will be available much more extensively than only in relation to the top 100 titles. That very mention should only give a first impression of how things are with regard to the development and, due to the performance of the PS5, adjustments to the various PS4 titles will be necessary.

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On the PS5, the backward-compatible games should also offer "higher and more stable frame rates and possibly higher resolutions" thanks to the implementation, said Hideaki Nishino. But it remains: Each individual PS4 title must be individually evaluated for the feature on the PS5 and adjusted if necessary. Hundreds of titles have already been checked, and by the Christmas 2020 release, there should be thousands. There will be further updates "in the months ahead".

Think they'll talk about backwards compatibility?

– david attenbro (@ monochromat2) March 18, 2020

However, contrary to previous rumors, it looks poor in terms of further backward compatibility beyond PS4 games. After PS1 to PS3 were never mentioned in the official presentation, the well-known Kotaku insider Jason Schreier investigated the gaming industry. Although he did not receive a final message, the probability that such a feature will actually come is apparently very low.

In this respect, Microsoft is probably ahead of the game with the extensive downward compatibility of the Xbox Series X as far as this feature is concerned.

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