The PlayStation 5 had a relatively small catalogue of console-exclusive games at launch. But thanks to backwards compatibility, PS4 games can also be played on the PS5. Although to take full advantage of that next-gen console power, most PS4 games need a bit of an upgrade.
Thankfully there’s a couple of ways to get the most out of your PS4 games. The PS5 offers a game boost system, which automatically pushes the best quality resolution and framerates from backwards compatible PS4 games. If you’re looking for which games play better on the PS5 thanks to game boost, check out our round-up.
Another thing that can help PS4 games run better is a certified next-gen upgrade. This is something that’s down to individual game developers, so not every game has one. It means your PS4 games will run like a PS5 game without the need to purchase a whole new PS5 game.
For example, Assassin’s Creed Valhalla players can purchase a PS4 copy of the game and then download the PS5 upgrade instead of purchasing the PS5 copy.
Next-gen patches are a thing too. Most recently PS4 exclusive God of War got a next-gen udate which boosted its performance to 60 FPS, 4K resolution and 2160p. It’s up to developers as to what features are included in these updates. Most will bring graphical enhancements but not every game will take advantage of say DualSense controller features.
PS4 Games with free PS5 upgrades
Here are all the PS4 games with free next-gen upgrades or next-gen patches available that go beyond playing via backwards compatibility.
- Assassin’s Creed Valhalla
- Borderlands 3
- Bugsnax
- Control (with Ultimate Edition only)
- Dead by Daylight
- Destiny 2
- Dirt 5
- FIFA 21
- For Honor
- God of War (2018)
- Hitman 3 (Digital only)
- Immortals: Fenyx Rising
- Just Dance 2021 (disc version only)
- Madden 21
- Maneater
- Spider-Man: Miles Morales
- Mortal Kombat 11
- No Man’s Sky
- Planet Coaster
- Ride 4
- Sackboy: A Big Adventure
- The Pathless
- Rainbow Six Siege
- Star Wars: Jedi Fallen Order
- Watch Dogs Legion
- WRC 9
Games with planned PS5 upgrades
Not all games have received their PS5 upgrades or patches yet. Here are some to expect in the coming weeks, months and years.
- Cyberpunk 2077
- Doom Eternal
- Far Cry 6
- Ghostrunner
- Horizon Forbidden West
- Kena: Bridge of Spirits
- Marvel’s Avengers
- Metro Exodus
- Monster Boy and the Cursed Kingdom
- Outriders
- Resident Evil Village
- Riders Republic
- Subnautica
- Terminator: Resistance – Enhanced
- The Elder Scrolls Online
- The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
- Yakuza: Like a Dragon
How to upgrade your games
So there you have all the games you can upgrade from the PS4 versions for free – so far. All it costs you is your internet bandwidth.
As for how to upgrade to the PS5 version once its available? Here’s what you need to do.
For digital purchases make sure you’re logged in to the PlayStation Network and head to the PS store. In your purchased library or in search you should see a ‘free PS5 upgrade’ overlay. You can then select the game and download the free upgrade.
If you purchased a disc version you’ll need to insert it into your console. Then head to the PS Store and download the PS5 version of the game. You’ll need to keep the disc inserted to play the PS5 version regardless.
If you’ve purchased a PS4 game that’s getting a PS5 improvement patch this should automatically download when it’s available. If it doesn’t, go to the options menu on the game card and select ‘check for update’.