PS4 to PS5 transition will take 3 years, more cross-gen games to come

Sony plans to support the PS4 alongside the PS5 for around 3 years, which means proprietary games will continue to be released on both platforms.

For Sony, a smooth transition from the current to the next generation is extremely important. Sony needs to be careful not to move its massive install base of 100 million PS4s and try to transfer those users to the PS5. This means a period of overlap – a period when the two consoles will cohabit and share both old and new games. This period of overlap could last as long as 2023, Sony says.

In a recent interview with AV watchSony Interactive Entertainment vice president Hideaki Nishino confirms that the PS4 to PS5 transition period is expected to last approximately 3 years. Meanwhile, Sony will release a mix of next-gen exclusives and cross-gen releases.

The PS5 was designed from the ground up with backward compatibility in mind, and being able to play PS4 games on PS5 was always expected. Now Sony is talking about the importance of backward compatibility.

“In terms of compatibility it is important to move the PS4 titles to PS5, but I insisted that backward compatibility (providing the same titles as PS5 to PS4) is important”, Nishino said.

“The current assumption is that the transition from PS4 to PS5 will take about three years. Until then, how can I continue to buy games on PS4? Can the purchased games be played on PS5? . “

“At some point, we ask the developers to develop on the principle of ‘cross generation’ of PS4 and PS5. Of course, we also have to improve the library to make it easier.”

An early version of this plan has already been featured with games like Spider-Man Miles Morales and Horizon: Forbidden West releasing on both PS4 and PS5. Other titles like Demon’s Souls will be next-gen exclusives on PS5.

Also read: Sony’s biggest PS5 games are coming to PS4 too, free upgrades confirmed