Here’s How Backward Compatibility Works on the PS5 (As Far As We Know)

Good news... we think.

There’s still so much we don’t know about the PS5 (including, for those who didn’t pre-order it in those first few hours of availability, when they’ll even get it).

That's despite the fact it's due out for release on 12 November in Australia, the US, Japan, Canada, Mexico, New Zealand and South Korea. That's soon!

One of its biggest mysteries is how backward compatibility will work (or backwards compatability, depending how you call it). This has been complicated by the inconsistent messaging around whether or not PS4 discs will play on the disc-supporting version of the PS5. (They will. Phew.)

Well, we at least have something close to an answer thanks to an interview between Game Informer and PlayStation senior vice president of platform planning & management Hideaki Nishino.

In the chat, Nishino explained how users could conceivably add their PS4 catalogue to the next-gen console.

"When you sign in to PS5 with your account, you will automatically see your library of played PS4 content through the menu," he said.

"Approximately 99 per cent of the thousands of PS4 titles, both catalogue and newly published, will be playable on PS5, and we’re excited about supporting our PlayStation community as they transition from PS4 to PS5 when they’re ready."

Okay, so that’s all we've got for now, but at least that confirms a) you should be able to simply re-download the titles once you login to your account on the PS5 and b) only one per cent of titles won’t be portable. That's... a small number.

It does leave us with some lingering questions: What if you’ve never played a certain game on the PS4 but want to play it on the PS5? We’re thinking, say, The Last of Us Part 2 or Ghost of Tsushima, two of the PS4’s biggest 2020 releases, both yet to receive an official PS5 release date (as of this writing). Will you need to have bought it and added it to your PS4 catalogue first? Can you download them from the PlayStation store and play them in upgraded fashion without having already purchased and played them during the previous generation?

We don't know.

We do know, however, that the PS4 games will be playable using that console’s DualShock 4 controller, but the new DualSense controller will only work with PS5 games, so you’ll want to hold onto your old controllers if you indeed want to play previous editions of NBA 2K with the good shot function.