PS5 Backward Compatibility: Will It Play PS1, PS2, PS3, PS4 Games?

Over the past months, Sony Interactive Entertainment has trickled some details about its next generation gaming console, the PS5. However, even Sony CEO and President Jim Ryan earlier admitted that it has not yet revealed all the significant features of the PS5. While the gaming giant already mentioned about backward compatibility, fans and gamers are wondering if the next generation gaming console from Sony could allow them to play their favorite PS1, PS2 and PS3 titles.

While Sony Interactive Entertainment has confirmed that the PS5 will feature backward compatibility, fans should not expect too much from it when it comes to older generation games. In a blog post released by the gaming giant last Mar. 2020, the article said that the next generation gaming console would cater to most of the PS4 titles.

According to the blog post, “a quick update on backward compatibility – With all of the amazing games in PS4’s catalog, we’ve devoted significant efforts to enable our fans to play their favorites on PS5. We believe that the overwhelming majority of the 4,000+ PS4 titles will be playable on PS5.” It is worth noting that the article did not say anything about older generation games. Also, it never mentioned that every PS4 titles would be playable on the PS5.

Cradle Games Technical Director Marc-Andre Jutras shared that the main reason why the PS5 would not be able to play PS1, PS2 and PS3 titles through its backward compatibility feature may be due to legal and licensing issues. The technical director said that another problem could be because some companies or gaming studios no longer exist. It is also possible that legal issues could be a factor is the main objective is to make older games available for sale in some stores.

Earlier rumors claimed that the PS5 would be able to play PS1, PS2, PS3 and PS4 titles. However, aside from the blog post released by Sony, it has remained quiet about this issue. The gaming giant has yet to fully reveal the PS5 console, which some reports claim could happen in May or Jun. 2020. Sony announced that the PS5 would be released sometime in the holiday of 2020.