So, Turns Out the Transition from PS4 to PS5 Will Take About Three Years

Sony will release a mix of cross-gen games until at least 2023.

If you have been holding out on buying the PS5 because you simply can’t justify the cost or you just have so many PS4 games, you’re in luck. 

Me watching everyone get their ps5 this week pic.twitter.com/kE4RwXOtzM

— Chris:. ϟ (@Chrissdawg_) November 12, 2020

Right before the PS5 was released, Sony told customers that pretty much every PS4 game would be backwards compatible (minus a few with 'errors') on the PS5, and many PS5 games will also be released in a PS4 compatible version, rather than just as a PS5 exclusive.

This was awesome news for most of us who still love our PS4. However, if you were wondering how long your blissful ignorance of the PS5 would last, it’s approximately three years.

Yep, instead of the shops completely replacing previous games with next-gen games within a matter of months, Sony is aiming for a much slower transition from the PS4 to the PS5.

Within this three year period, we should expect to see a bunch of cross-generation games, as well as PS5 exclusives.

In an interview with AV Watch via TweakTown, Sony Interactive Entertainment Vice President Hideaki Nishino mentioned PlayStation’s approach to game development following the launch of the PS5.

Nishino explained that it is so important for Sony to continue the support of cross-gen releases now that they have a base of 100+ million customers and are growing.

"The current assumption is that the transition from PS4 to PS5 will take about three years," said Nishino.

"In the meantime, how can I keep buying games on PS4? Can the purchased games be played on PS5? That is important.”

The PS5 was always built with backwards compatibility in mind but now Sony is doing what they can to consider forward compatibility.

"In terms of compatibility, it is important to move PS4 titles on PS5, but I have insisted that forward compatibility (supplying the same titles as PS5 to PS4) is important," he says.

This makes perfect sense for customers, especially considering the amount of people who currently own a PS4 or PS4 Pro, and because it lines up with the PS3’s 10-ish years life cycle.

Of course, exclusive games will likely remain exclusive but for now you can keep playing your PS4 as if the PS5 doesn’t even exist.

Header Image: Sony