Famitsu recently interviwed Playstion's CEO, Jim Ryan which was translated to English by Siliconera. In that interview, Ryan confirmed two things. First, the PlayStation 5 will have a 99% compatibility with all PlayStation 4 titles. Second, the PS5 will not have backwards compatibility with PS1, PS2, and PS3 games.

Famitsu: We were also surprised when we heard that it will have 99% compatibility with PS4 titles. By the way, will there be compatibility with PS1, PS2, and PS3 titles?

Jim Ryan: We keep in mind the engineering specialized for the PS5, as we produced the device. In the midst of that, the PS4 already has 100 million players; we thought they ought to want to play PS4 titles on the PS5 as well indeed, so we included compatibility with the PS4. While implementing that, we also focused our efforts on taking in the high-speed SSD and the new controller DualSense at the same time. So, unfortunately, we couldn’t reach the implementation of such compatibilities.

This news makes it clear that remastered versions of the PS1/2/3 era games for the PS4 will still be playable on the PS5 via backwards compatibility with the PS4. However, the confirmation that backwards compatibility is limited to the PS4 may be upsetting to some, but it is likely not surprising. What classic PS1, PS2, or PS3 era games do you wish you were able to play on the PS5?

Source

 

[Cyan]

"PS5 will play all your already bought PSN games library, no need to buy them again"
and now
"no, sorry, you can't play the PS3 game you got on PS+ ...."

Damn, I hoped I could finally play remastered version of Beyond good and Evil I got on PS3's PS+ three years ago... before playing Beyond good and evil 2 on PS5 !
Well, now I'm hoping they will surprise us by releasing a remake or at least include the remastered version on the prequel!

Also Mass effect... but if PS4 game release is not a hoax, then it'll be playable on PS5 if part of the 99%, that would benefit from loading time, right?

I'm happy it can play 99% PS4 games though, I feared it would be limited to "best 100 PS4 games" like they announced few weeks ago.
I just wonder which one are not compatible, it might be the one I own and I didn't play yet, and that's why I still have my PS4 for that.

I still have too much backlog of PS1/2/3... for my hole life, but I wouldn't have been able to play them on any retail unhacked console. PS1/PS2 is probably fine on raspi4, PS3 would have been nice on PS5, even if I had to buy the game again at lower price (I did buy some games twice ! to play on PS4 without having to get my consoles out again, because my TV don't have scart cable anymore!). unfortunately, even if PSNow is a solution, it does NOT have a lot of games. not all the library at least, look they don't even have beyond good and evil remastered !!! If they plan to use PSNow as a marketing solution for previous games, at least make them all available !


The PS4 backward compatibility on PS is probably hardware restricted games? like camera ? or another input controllers ? like VR ?

Don't expect to play your PS4VR at PS5 launch ! the PS4 camera is not compatible with PS5! the PS5 camera is not compatible with PS4VR!

I'm still wondering WHY the PS4 camera requires an adapter for PS4 VR games...
like the console couldn't detect PS4 or PS5 hardware difference and use corresponding firmware internally. if it's because it's a different plugtype... why ? just make it same plugtype and problem solved!
or at least, if you have to buy a PS5 camera, make it work with PS4VR! your hardware is not released yet, you have all the time and ideas to make things work the way you want.
The PS4 adapter will not make it work with PS5 games or else they wouldn't have any need of releasing a new camera and could have kept the PS4 camera as natively working.

now you'll have to manufacture adapters, make a website to distribute them, create a team to manage it, ship them, manage returned faulty devices, and all that for free ???? why not just plug it and let the console work with PS4 camera ??? Your console is not even released, just make it work from day one !! so much waste of money on that decision...
Yes, sony officially said "free of charge adapter ship to VR users !" on their blog !

 

[leon315]

Here's the fearsome contest for "The worst game companies of 2020":

EA: we buy studios, we squeezed them then we shutdown them down and fire everyone.

EGS: Hold my beer. we I bribe game devs to pull down their games from STEAM.

$ONY: hehehe amateurs, Hold my sake!

I'm sure this is the conspiracy to have people to get PS NOW subscription!

 

[Aew4life]

I've got a backlog dating back to the nes I can do with 70 dollar games and $500 consoles honestly.

 

[Esdeath]

Wow, all this about being such a powerful console and they can't / don't want to figure out a way to play PS2 games and not even PS1?

 

[chrisrlink]

so sony sealed their own coffin this gen the only bad point bout Xbox now is the "memory cards which could be about a series S in price but at least it CAN PLAY all previous 4 generation Xbox games instead of one natively must I add I doubt it watch a new gen of scene some even not willing to take sony's prize money hack the ps5 and I bet their either A) lying (assuming we find code/syscalls or whatnot to support psx-3 or b) we'll show that sony are lazy fucks this gen (yet again) and prove emulation of ps1-3 is possiable if not at least 1 and 2

 

[Gon Freecss]

So basically, Microsoft won.

 

[Engezerstorung]

of course it isnt backward compatible !
how would they sell to us all those classic game and hd port if it was?
here, buy ff8 classic on your ps5, and let it join your ff8 classic for psp, your ff8 classic for ps3 and your ff8 classic for ps4 (was there a ff8 classic for psvita?)

 

[CTR640]

The only one reason I see this decision being made is:

"Remastered editions" so more money for the executives
"HD ports" like it happened with GTA 3D Era for example to their PSN store.

Yeah fuck off, Sony. My last Sony device ever was the PSVita and it will stay on that.

 

[Xzi]

So basically, Microsoft won.

In terms of backward compatibility? Sure. Based on this generation though, that's unlikely to be the main driver of sales, or even one of the top three drivers for that matter. Otherwise console gaming would be dead and everybody would just get a gaming PC so they can play every game all the way back to DOS titles.

Ultimately people care way more about exclusives. That's why both PS4 and Switch easily surpassed XB1 sales. There's also next to nothing worth revisiting on OG Xbox or 360, and the few games that are worth revisiting are available on other platforms through ports or remasters.

 

[Chains]

Makes perfect sense. How else will they sell their bullshit PS Now service?!

 

[Silent_Gunner]

In terms of backward compatibility? Sure. Based on this generation though, that's unlikely to be the main driver of sales, or even one of the top three drivers for that matter. Otherwise console gaming would be dead and everybody would just get a gaming PC so they can play every game all the way back to DOS titles.

Ultimately people care way more about exclusives. That's why both PS4 and Switch easily surpassed XB1 sales. There's also next to nothing worth revisiting on OG Xbox or 360, and the few games that are worth revisiting are available on other platforms through ports or remasters.

If only Sega could and port the stuff they made exclusively for the OG Xbox to PC, though...

 

[tommasi]

It’s very clear at this point. Sony is pushing people to subscribe to their PlayStation now service, in order to play classic games.

 

[depaul]

Indeed PS3 removed hardware PS2 compatibility, but even through emulation it works well. All of my old PS2 games are working perfectly on my super slim PS3. There are very few notable exceptions like devil may cry 1 and street fighter ex3.

 

[playstays_shun]

havent read this thread, but I'm curious how PS4 compatibility will even be

Last I heard, they were touting compatibility with the 'top 100 games'

Seems like one won't be able to toss their ps4 / pro so easily if they intend on playing their full library with ease... am I correct in assuming that? If so, kind of a bummer since I would wish there would be zero compelling reason to own the former anymore to largely offset the cost for this new hardware

Not the least bit surprised PS1/2/3 won't be compatible, even tho it's still a little bit of a bummer.

Then again I have already *have* a ps1/2/3.

 

[SS4]

From a business perspective it makes sense since they don't have to worry about extra development for emulation or extra hardware to drive the price of the console up.
Also they will be able to sell the port of all those games in the store and make money from them.
As a user i guess it sux but i've dropped consoles after getting a Wii and PS3 since nowadays consoles are running PC instruction on customized PC hardware and running a custom PC OS . . .
So might as well stick to PC at this point lol

 

[Karones]

Seeing how you can't use Dualshock 4 controller on the PS5, it's not surprising Sony is this route. I don't see any reason other than making people buy more controllers for this incompatibility, the gimmicks(touchpad and pressure trigger thing) are only used by 2 or 3 exclusives and I'm very sure it's hard to make the old controllers work on new consoles, it's all USB/Bluetooth

 

[Xzi]

If only Sega could and port the stuff they made exclusively for the OG Xbox to PC, though...

Well, we already got Jet Set Radio on PC, plus a spiritual successor to JSRF in the works, so there's always a chance that JSRF itself comes to PC at some point. Perhaps in original form or perhaps as a remaster.

 

[PityOnU]

I am confusion... So many people seem so upset about this. Why?

Do you really have games in your backlog that are 7+ years old? If so, you must not want to play them that badly, right?

Do you have a collection of games you want to be able to still play? You must have something to play them on right now then, right?

Even if you want to play those old games, finding them physically is probably hard and expensive due to their age, right? Wouldn't it just be cheaper to buy a newer digital release?

Yes, they could certainly include emulators so that you *could* play those super old games. But will you really? Honestly?

 

[Karones]

I think I'm going to pass on the ps5. I've got too much junk already, and that thing seems to be pretty large. I mean look at my floor. I have to plug and unplug stuff.View attachment 225262

I love seeing pictures like this and think that a raspberry pi can emulate all of that while being so small and using so little power

I am confusion... So many people seem so upset about this. Why?

Do you really have games in your backlog that are 7+ years old? If so, you must not want to play them that badly, right?

Do you have a collection of games you want to be able to still play? You must have something to play them on right now then, right?

Even if you want to play those old games, finding them physically is probably hard and expensive due to their age, right? Wouldn't it just be cheaper to buy a newer digital release?

Yes, they could certainly include emulators so that you *could* play those super old games. But will you really? Honestly?

Yes, I do want to play them, games that never got ports/remasters, games that are expensive and difficult to find nowadays, that again, haven't received a port/remaster. Games that have new releases like metal gear solid, god of war or infamous, but that I still wish to play previous titles because of their story, lore or simply because they are great games that I wish to play.

 

[PityOnU]

Yes, I do want to play them, games that never got ports/remasters, games that are expensive and difficult to find nowadays, that again, haven't received a port/remaster. Games that have new releases like metal gear solid, god of war or infamous, but that I still wish to play previous titles because of their story, lore or simply because they are great games that I wish to play.

What do you play them on now?