Yes, PS4 Games Are Absolutely Worth Playing on PS5

As the owner of an extensive PS4 game library myself, this was one of the first questions I had when considering upgrading to the PlayStation 5. Could I bring my PS4 game collection with me? Would those older games still look and play great on new hardware? Or would I have to start my library from scratch again?

After now owning a PS5 for over a year, I can confidently say that not only can you play your PS4 games on the latest PlayStation, the backwards compatibility and performance enhancements make it more than worthwhile to experience your favorite last-gen games again on PS5.

Thanks to Sony‘s exemplary backwards compatibility support and the PS5‘s Game Boost feature, many PS4 games see notable improvements to resolution, framerate stability, loading times, and visual quality when played on new hardware. After seeing titles like God of War and Days Gone transformed on PS5, it‘s hard to imagine bothering with the last-gen versions anymore.

Let‘s dive deeper into why playing PS4 games on PlayStation 5 is an awesome experience that all PlayStation gamers should try for themselves.

Backwards Compatibility Done Right

Playing previous generation games on new hardware is nothing new in the console space. But Sony has done superb job ensuring practically the entire PS4 library can be played on PS5, without the hiccups that plagued earlier attempts at backwards compatibility.

Out of the over 4,000 PS4 games available on the PlayStation Store, only 10 have been identified as "unplayable" on PS5 so far. That‘s an astonishing compatibility rate of 99.75%! It‘s clear Sony engineered the PS5 with legacy support in mind right from the start.

This gives PS5 owners immediate access to a huge game library from day one. And thanks to Game Boost enhancing many titles with smoother performance, it feels like you‘re playing a remastered version of the game perfectly optimized for new hardware.

See Your Favorite PS4 Games in a New Light

So which games actually receive performance improvements via Game Boost on PS5? While not every title is enhanced, Sony has confirmed that select games benefit in the following ways:

• Higher or more stable framerates
• Faster load times
• Improved visuals and resolution

Digital Foundry conducted in-depth backwards compatibility tests on a range of popular PS4 games. Here‘s a summary of how some big titles were enhanced:

• Ghost of Tsushima – Targets 60fps now, much smoother. Loading cut by 66%.
• God of War – More stable 60fps, loading time reduced 40-50%
• Days Gone -Frame rate doubled from 30fps to 60fps.
• Bloodborne – Much smoother performance throughout. Eliminates giant 33 second load times!

And this is just a small sample – various racing games and shooters also see their target framerates hit more consistently. Jumping back into a PS4 game you may have struggled through at launch and seeing it running perfectly at 4K/60fps on PS5 never stops being satisfying.

Bloodborne load times dramatically improved on PS5 (Digital Foundry)

It‘s not just load times and framerates either – the visuals themselves can receive a boost. Games like The Last of Us Remastered render at native 4K on PS5 despite being limited to 1080p on PS4 Pro. Increased image clarity and resolution adds an extra level of immersion.

Thanks to Game Boost, your existing library of PS4 games suddenly feels fresh and new again on PS5. It‘s absolutely worth revisiting your back catalog to see classics elevated to their maximum potential.

Harness the Power of PS5‘s Cutting Edge SSD

One of the PS5‘s most transformational features is its custom built ultra high speed solid state drive (SSD). Capable of raw throughput exceeding 5.5GB/s, it‘s not hyperbole to call this one of the fastest SSDs ever put into a consumer device.

And one of the immediate benefits when playing PS4 games on PS5 is seeing radically faster load times thanks to the new SSD. Games that originally had load times of 30 seconds or more on PS4‘s old hard drive technology can now load in under 10 seconds on PS5‘s SSD.

To put the speed increase into perspective, here is how the PS5 SSD compares to other platforms in Final Fantasy 7 Remake load times:

As you can see, the PS5 SSD achieves faster load times than even most expensive gaming PCs! And developers are just now starting to tap into its true potential – expect loading to become even faster as teams optimize engines purely for next-gen hardware.

Once you adjust to waiting mere seconds for fast travel or dying and respawning quickly in action games on PS5, it‘s painful to imagine going back to anything slower. The SSD alone provides a compelling reason to play your PS4 library on new hardware.

DualSense Controller Adds Next-Gen Immersion

Another major PS5 enhancement that affects both next-gen and older PS4 games is the revolutionary DualSense controller. Sony built the DualSense from the ground up for PS5 with cutting edge haptic feedback and adaptive trigger technology.

This enables advanced immersive sensations like feeling the tension of pulling back a bowstring, the kickback of various guns, or subtle environmental sensations like footsteps in sand. Developers can now make their games truly come alive with nuanced controller feedback.

By enhancing PS4 titles like God of War and Death Stranding for DualSense features, players can experience levels of tactile feedback never before possible while playing these games on PS4. The new controller fundamentally changes the feel of gameplay itself.

“The DualSense controller with its haptic feedback and adaptive triggers shows what’s now possible in terms of immersive feel and interactivity. It’s a game changer, literally.”

Returning to iconic PlayStation games like The Last of Us on PS5 becomes a fresh experience thanks to the sensory elements made possible by the DualSense controller. I‘ve found myself turning to PS4 games just to show off the advanced haptics – the new levels of immersion are that impressive.

Stunning Visuals at Up to 4K/120fps

Make no mistake – the PS5 is an absolute beast of a console capable of visuals and performance rivaling high-end gaming PCs. The PS5 boasts up to 10.28 TFLOPS of power from its RDNA 2 GPU. Combined with its 8-core Zen 2 CPU, it has the horsepower to enable:

• Native 4K gaming at fluid 60fps
• Visual features like real-time ray tracing
• Support for 120fps frame rates for super smooth visuals
• Next-gen 3D immersive audio

By unlocking higher resolutions, framerates, and new visual features in your favorite PS4 games, the PS5 makes them look better than you ever thought possible on a console.

A great example is Insomniac‘s Spider-Man which has a new Performance RT mode on PS5 that plays at 4K/60fps with ray traced reflections enabled. The level of visual quality is basically unmatched on PS4 hardware.

The PS5‘s cutting edge GPU architecture even give it advantages over the PS4 Pro model. Games that ran at "Checkerboard 4K" or 1440p resolutions on PS4 Pro can now render at true, native 4K on PS5 for noticeably sharper image quality.

Why Casual Gamers Should Still Consider PS5

Given its $499 price point, you may wonder if casual or younger gamers need to bother with PS5 yet when PS4 still has plenty of life left. But there are compelling reasons mainstream gamers should consider upgrading to the new PlayStation sooner rather than later.

For one, the PS4 community will naturally start migrating over to PS5 as the install base grows. You‘ll want to follow your friends to where the active player population is concentrated – especially for popular online multiplayer games.

The PS5 also gives casual gamers tons of room to expand their gaming horizons in the years to come. As someone who grows into more immersive single player adventures as you get older, you’ll appreciate having the latest hardware already capable of delivering those experiences at their maximum potential.

And don‘t underestimate how much the PS5 can upgrade gaming satisfaction today for players of all types:

• Fast load times – No one enjoys waiting around for games to load. The SSD drastically speeds up this pain point.
• Smooth framerates – 60fps provides much smoother, responsive gameplay than choppy 30fps. Especially benefits fast-paced online games.
• 4K resolution – Even non-enthusiasts notice and appreciate the increased sharpness and clarity 4K brings to modern big screen TVs.
• Advanced haptics – The immersive DualSense controller adds another sensory dimension that engages all gamers on a more physical level.

Strong Ongoing Support for PS4

Given the gigantic 107.6 million unit install base of PS4 systems globally as of June 2022, it‘s no surprise that Sony plans to continue supporting the PS4 platform for the next couple years.

Major upcoming releases like Final Fantasy XVI, Marvel‘s Spider-Man 2, and Hogwarts Legacy are all confirmed to launch on both PS4 and PS5 in 2024. This allows publishers to maximize their potential market while the PS5 audience continues ramping up.

But industry analysts widely expect 2023 to begin transitioning to next-gen only releases – with PS4 support fully winding down by late 2024 or 2025. This mirrors the PS3 lifespan, which saw new games slowly dwindle around 3 years post-PS4 launch.

Once Sony is ready to fully commit to PS5, they have historically moved remarkably quick – essentially forcing gamers‘ hands to upgrade. By 2025 at the very latest, the PS4‘s run will end. To enjoy all PlayStation exclusives going forward, PS5 will be the only choice.

How Does PS5 Compare Against Xbox Series X?

Considering that the PS5 and Xbox Series X released within days of each other in November 2020, it‘s only natural to compare the two rival next-gen consoles. How does PlayStation 5 stack up against Microsoft‘s latest offering? Let‘s break down some key factors:

• Processing power – On paper, both systems sport similar custom CPUs and GPUs capable of 4K/60fps and ray tracing. Multi-platform games perform extremely similarly on both consoles with only minor differences. You can‘t go wrong with either from a pure specs standpoint.

• Storage capacity – The PS5 features a 825 GB SSD, while Xbox Series X includes a slightly bigger 1 TB SSD. Both offer radically faster load times than old hard drives. Storage can easily be expanded on each platform.

• Controller technology – Sony wins this one in my book. The revolutionary DualSense controller blows away Xbox‘s controller with its advanced haptic feedback and adaptive triggers. This brings games to life with immersive feedback.

• First party studios – Sony‘s first party lineup including Santa Monica Studio, Naughty Dog, Insomniac, and more have consistently produced acclaimed exclusives this past decade. Xbox lags behind in compelling exclusives, but hopes newly acquired studios can turn the tide.

• User experience – Both OS experiences are fast and polished. Xbox may have a slight edge in cross-gen backwards compatibility features, but Sony nails the essentails. The Quick Resume feature on Xbox is extremely well implemented though.

Overall, both PS5 and Xbox Series X represent excellent options that offer similar baseline capabilities. For players highly invested in Sony‘s exclusives, PS5 likely has the current edge. But Xbox remains very competitive as the generation unfolds.

Will We See a PS5 Pro Down the Road?

Given Sony‘s history of launching more powerful "Pro" models midway through a console generation, such as the PS4 Pro in 2016, most industry experts anticipate an upgraded PS5 Pro is likely at some point.

The current rumors suggest this PS5 Pro model could release sometime in late 2023 or early 2024. This would mirror the 3 year gap between PS4 and PS4 Pro.

I expect a PS5 Pro would feature improved AMD silicon not available when the original PS5 launched. This might include newer Zen 4 CPU cores and RDNA 3 graphics architecture. The benefits would potentially include:

• Even faster performance – perhaps over 20% CPU and GPU gains
• Up to 8K output resolution
• Higher quality ray tracing effects
• Improved ML-powered techniques like super resolution

Essentially it would cement PS5‘s technical advantage against Xbox‘s inevitable mid-gen refresh. It also helps Sony maintain parity with the rapid improvement cycles seen in PC hardware.

But of course, nothing is confirmed yet on a PS5 Pro. We‘ll have to wait and see! The current PS5 hardware still represents a gigantic leap over PS4 and will provide stunning next-gen gameplay for years to come.

As you can see, the PS5 provides compelling upgrades across visual performance, loading times, and immersion for many popular PS4 titles. After experiencing your PS4 favorites elevated to their maximum capabilities, it’s tough to go back to last-gen.

Here are just some of the key benefits to playing PS4 games on PlayStation 5:

• Up to 4K resolution at smooth 60+ fps
• Faster loading thanks to the ultra speedy SSD
• Greatly improved framerate stability via Game Boost
• Support for next-gen features like ray tracing
• PS4 catalog of 4000+ games ready to play day one
• Revolutionary DualSense controller with advanced haptics
• Access to new PS5 exclusives going forward

So are PS4 games worth playing on PS5? For any PlayStation gamer, whether casual or enthusiast, I believe the answer is a resounding yes!

The PS5 makes your existing PS4 library feel fresh and new again. And it provides a glimpse into the stunning next-gen experiences that will soon become the new standard.

The PS5 is undoubtedly the future of PlayStation gaming. I highly recommend all PS4 owners consider upgrading to enjoy their favorite games on Sony‘s latest and greatest hardware!

Let me know if you have any other questions!