Which games can you play across both PS4 and PS5 systems? With the PlayStation 5 now firmly established in the market, many gamers find themselves in mixed-console households or friend groups.
Below you’ll find a comprehensive list of games that support cross-play between PS4 and PS5 consoles. For more information about PlayStation’s latest console, check out our complete PS5 guide. In this guide, we’ll cover which games allow PS4 and PS5 owners to play together.
Key Terms:
Backward Compatibility: PS5’s ability to play PS4 games
Cross-Generation Play: The ability for PS4 and PS5 owners to play together online
Cross-Generation Progression: Your game progress and saves transfer between PS4 and PS5
All PS4 and PS5 Cross-Generation Compatible Games
| Game | Cross-Generation Play | Cross-Generation Progression |
| Apex Legends | ✓ | ✓ |
| Assassin’s Creed Valhalla | ✓ | ✓ |
| Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War | ✓ | ✓ |
| Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II | ✓ | ✓ |
| Call of Duty: Warzone | ✓ | ✓ |
| Crash Team Rumble | ✓ | ✓ |
| Destiny 2 | ✓ | ✓ |
| Diablo IV | ✓ | ✓ |
| DIRT 5 | ✓ | ✓ |
| EA Sports FC 24 | ✓ | ✓ |
| Elden Ring | ✓ | ✓ |
| Fortnite | ✓ | ✓ |
| Ghost of Tsushima: Legends | ✓ | ✓ |
| Gran Turismo 7 | ✓ | ✓ |
| GTA Online | ✓ | Limited |
| Marvel’s Avengers | ✓ | ✓ |
| MLB The Show 23 | ✓ | ✓ |
| NBA 2K24 | ✓ | ✓ |
| No Man’s Sky | ✓ | ✓ |
| Outriders | ✓ | ✓ |
| Overwatch 2 | ✓ | ✓ |
| Rainbow Six Siege | ✓ | ✓ |
| Resident Evil Re | ✓ | ✓ |
| Rocket League | ✓ | ✓ |
| Sackboy: A Big Adventure | ✓ | ✓ |
| Star Wars Jedi: Survivor | ✓ | Limited |
| Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands | ✓ | ✓ |
| The Crew Motorfest | ✓ | ✓ |
| The Elder Scrolls Online | ✓ | ✓ |
| Warframe | ✓ | ✓ |
Types of Cross-Generation Games
Cross-generation PlayStation titles generally fall into three categories:
1. Native Cross-Generation Games
These titles have dedicated PS4 and PS5 portable dual monitor versions but enable players on both platforms to play together. Examples include:
- Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War
- EA Sports FC 24
- Fortnite
- Assassin’s Creed Valhalla
2. PS4 Games with PS5 Enhancements
These games were originally designed for PS4 but received Portable PS5 monitor enhancement patches that improve performance while maintaining cross-generation compatibility:
- Rainbow Six Siege
- Destiny 2
- No Man’s Sky
- Warframe
3. PS4 Backward Compatible Titles
These are PS4 titles that do not possess anything like specific PS5 versions but could still be played on PS5 thanks to backward compatibility, thus engaging in multiplayer sessions with PS4 owners:
- GTA V (PS4 original version)
- Red Dead Redemption 2
- Battlefield V
- Monster Hunter World
Performance Differences Between PS4 and PS5 Versions
Main performance differences between PS4 and PS5 Version are:
- Greater framerates: Whenever for 60 frames/sec or 120 frames/sec, whereas 30 frames/sec occurred to be the frame rate of the elder console.
- Better resolution: A good number plays at 4K on the PS5, whereas on the PS4 it is not better than 1080p.
- Faster loading: With the SSD, it acquired much lesser loading times.
- More visual fidelity: Better textures, lighting, and effects on PS5.
- DualSense functions: Haptic feedback and adaptive triggers are offered by DualSense in the PS5 version.
These differences find ample space in competitive games, where higher framerates and quicker loading are pivotal in getting gameplay advantages.
Benefits of Cross-Generation Play
The ability to play across PS4 and PS5 consoles offers several advantages:
- Extended Community Lifespan: Player pools remain larger as the community transitions between console generations
- Family Sharing: Different PlayStation consoles in the same household can play together
- Friendship Preservation: Friends can continue gaming together even if they upgrade at different times
- Value Retention: Your PS4 library remains relevant and playable with friends who’ve upgraded
Notable Exceptions and Limitations
Games with notable limitations include:
- GTA Online: Character transfers from PS4 to PS5 are one-way and close the PS4 version of that character
- Star Wars Jedi: Survivor: Cross-generation saves require manual uploads and downloads
- FIFA 23/EA Sports FC 24: Ultimate Team progression carries over, but other modes may not
- Call of Duty: Some special graphical modes and features are only available in the PS5 version
Setting Up Cross-Generation Play
To ensure smooth cross-generation gameplay on 120hz gaming monitor between PS4 and PS5 consoles:
- Make sure both consoles are running the latest system software
- Verify that your game is updated to the latest version
- Ensure both players have PlayStation Plus subscriptions for online play
- For games with free PS5 upgrades, check that PS4 friends have downloaded any required compatibility patches
Some games may require additional steps for cross-generation functionality, such as linking publisher accounts or enabling specific settings within the game.
Conclusion
As we move deeper into the PS5 generation, the number of new releases supporting PS4 has begun to decrease. Major franchises are increasingly releasing PS5-exclusive entries that take full advantage of the newer hardware’s capabilities. However, live service games and popular ongoing titles will likely continue supporting cross-generation play to maintain their player base.
Sony has indicated that support for cross-generation play will continue for major titles through at least 2025, ensuring PS4 owners aren’t left behind too quickly.
Do you regularly use cross-generation play between PS4 and PS5?
