Which PS4 Games Don't Work On PS5?
The PS5 can play nearly all PS4 games via backwards compatibility, but Sony has shared a list of games that only work on PS4.
The PS5 supports backwards compatibility with most PS4 games and can even offer a mixture of improved load times, enhanced visuals, and better frame rates. While Sony says the vast majority of games will be playable on the new system, there are a select few games that will not be compatible, and we now know exactly which games those are.
A support page on the official PlayStation website initially listed 10 games that would not be playable on PS5, but that number has dropped to eight games as of December 2020. The list includes some VR content, and it doesn't feature any enormous titles. The games you'll likely want to keep playing when you get your PS5 will still work. Joe's Diner fans are in for a rude awakening, though. We hate to be the ones to break this news, but you will have to keep your PS4 available in order to keep playing it. Some of these could be updated, however. These include DWVR, which could be even before the PS5's launch date.
It initially looked as if these 10 games would be the only ones that didn't work, but Ubisoft subsequently shared its own list with a handful of game that purportedly were incompatible. These are listed below, and include several VR games and entries in the Assassin's Creed franchise. Ubisoft has since removed a post listing them from its website; the games in question are listed below with an asterisk. Based on reports, these Ubisoft games do at least boot up, but it's possible you could encounter some issues as you play. You may want to wait for potential updates in order to get them to run more smoothly. Newer Ubisoft games will work more smoothly on PS5.
In our PS5 review, we noted that we found occasional glitches in non-Ubisoft games, such as a visual bug in Batman: Return to Arkham. Your mileage may vary, and it's possible some of these issues could be patched in the future. However, we don't suggest getting rid of your PS4 quite yet.
PS5-Incompatible PS4 Games
- Assassin's Creed Syndicate*
- Assassin's Creed Chronicles: India*
- Assassin's Creed Chronicles: China*
- Assassin's Creed Chronicles: Russia*
- Risk*
- Star Trek Bridge Crew*
- Werewolves Within*
- Space Junkies*
- Afro Samurai 2: Revenge of Kuma - Volume One
- TT Isle of Man – Ride on the Edge 2
- Just Deal With It!
- Robinson: The Journey
- We Sing
- Hitman Go: Definitive Edition
- Shadwen
- Joe's Diner
All you need to do to play a backwards-compatible game on PS5 is put it into the disc drive, download it from PSN, or transfer it via external storage from PS4. Should there be a PS5 upgrade available, Sony also detailed that process. Even some PS4 games will see better performance via Game Boost without a PS5 upgrade.