With so many anticipated PlayStation 5 games being delayed, we shift our gaze to the PS4 games receiving free PS5 upgrades.
When a new console gets released there’s an inevitable period where it all starts to feel a bit desolate. What once seemed an exciting horizon of opportunity quickly morphs into a stretch of empty prairie. The game that inspired your purchase (hello Demon’s Souls) starts to fade to the periphery once completed; leaving an energy-sucking behemoth that provides little present comfort. Enter: free PlayStation 5 upgrades.
So far Sony has done an admirable job of making sure that PlayStation 5 owners have no need to dust off their old consoles. Backwards compatibility has meant most PS4 games can be played on PS5 without much trouble. In fact, many older games are running better on the new console than the one they were designed for.
The PS5’s solid state drive means that gamers can play last generation games with significantly shorter loading times. While this may sound relatively inconsequential, it’s actually a huge quality of life upgrade, particularly for newer PS4 games that were doing their best to stretch what that console was capable of.
However, shorter loading times is just the start of it. A bunch of development teams are choosing to throw a bit of polish at their most affectionately remembered titles, reinvigorating their playerbase with better resolutions, higher frame rates, adaptive trigger support, and more.
We’ve decided to compile a list of the PS4 games that are ripe for a replay, or hell, a first play if you missed them when they were released. We will also do our best to list what specific improvements are associated with each title.
Currently available PS4 games with free PS5 upgrades
- Assassin’s Creed Valhalla – 60fps, 4k, 3D audio
- Borderlands 3 – 60fps, 120 fps, 4k
- Biomutant – 60fps, 4k
- Borderlands 3 – 60fps, 4k
- Bugsnax – 60fps, 4k, DualSense features
- Control Ultimate Edition – 60fps, 4k, ray tracing, transferable save files, DualSense features
- Crash Bandicoot 4: It’s About Time – 60fps, 4k, 3D audio, DualSense features
- Cyberpunk 2077
- Dead by Daylight – 60fps, 4k, transferable save files
- Destiny 2 – 60fps, 4k, transferable save files
- Dirt 5 – 60fps, 120fps, DualSense features, 3D audio
- DOOM Eternal – up to 120fps, up to 4k, ray tracing
- Dying Light 2 – 60fps, 4k, DualSense features, 3D audio
- Elden Ring – 60fps or 4k
- Far Cry 6 – 60fps, 4k, DualSense features, transferrable save files
- FIFA 21 – 60fps, 4k, some improved animations
- Final Fantasy VII Remake – 60fps or 30fps/4k
- Final Fantasy XIV – 60 fps or 4k, DualSense features, 3D audio
- For Honor – 60fps, 4k
- Genshin Impact – 60fps, 4k, DualSense features
- Ghost of Tsushima – 60fps (additional PS5 features available as part of paid Ghost of Tsushima Director’s Cut)
- God of War (2018) – 60fps, 4k
- Hades – 60fps, 4k, DualSense features
- Hitman 3 (Digital only) – 60fps, 4k, DualSense features
- Horizon Zero Dawn – 60fps, 4k
- Horizon Forbidden West – 60fps, 4k, DualSense features, 3D audio
- Immortals: Fenyx Rising – 60fps, 4k, DualSense features, 3D audio
- Madden 21 – Multiple updates to lighting, audio, and more
- Maneater – 60fps, 4k, ray-tracing
- Marvel’s Avengers – 60fps, 4k, DualSense features, 3D audio
- Metro Exodus – 60fps, 4k, DualSense features
- Spider-Man: Miles Morales – 60fps, 4k, DualSense features, 3D audio
- Mortal Kombat 11 – 60fps, 4k
- No Man’s Sky – 60fps, 4k, DualSense features, 3D audio
- Outriders – 60fps, 4k,
- Planet Coaster – 60fps, 4k, DualSense features
- Rainbow Six Siege – 60fps, 120fps, 4k, DualSense features
- Ratchet & Clank (2016) – 60fps
- Resident Evil Village – 60fps (45fps with raytracing on), 4k, DualSense features, 3D audio
- Riders Republic – 60fps, 4k
- Ride 4 – 60fps, 4k, DualSense features
- Sackboy: A Big Adventure – DualSense features, 3D audio
- Subnautica – 4k, 60fps
- Star Wars: Jedi Fallen Order – 60fps, 4k
- Terminator: Resistance – Enhanced – 60fps, 4k, DualSense features, new game mode
- The Elder Scrolls Online – 60fps or 30fps/4k
- The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim – Special Edition – 60fps, 4k
- The Pathless – 60fps or 30fps/4k
- The Last of Us Part 2 – 60fps, 4k, DualSense, 3D audio
- Watch Dogs Legion – 4k, DualSense features
- WRC 9 – 60fps, 4k, DualSense features
- Yakuza: Like a Dragon – 60fps, 4k (30fps), DualSense features
PS4 games with upcoming free PS5 upgrades
- Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2
- Far Cry 5
- Ghostrunner
- Grand Theft Auto V
- Monster Boy and the Cursed Kingdom
- Resident Evil 2 (Remake)
- Resident Evil 3 (Remake)
- Resident Evil 7
- The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
How to make sure your game is upgraded
The best way to check that you are playing the upgraded version of your game is by using the PlayStation Network. Log on and head to the PS Store. From here, check out your library of purchased games. If there is a PS5 upgrade available you should see a notification on it.
It should be noted if your version requires a disc then you will need the disc inserted into your PS5 to commence the upgrade. If you are having any trouble, there is a handy video guide here.
So, what are you still doing reading this article? Get to your library and get downloading! We will keep this page updated as new upgrades are announced and released.
