This new generation of consoles has not been like all the others we have seen so far because Sony and Microsoft have added to the equation an element that until recently it had hardly been cared for as the players would have wished. We refer to PS5 (and Xbox Seris X | S) to backward compatibility, the one that allows us to take our purchases for the old-gen PS4 and install them on the new hardware to continue with the game where we left off.
This backward compatibility has led to a strange situation, because many users are confused about how downloads are managed from the PlayStation Store, resulting in absurd situations like having a next-gen title but playing the PS4 version. So, to avoid these errors, we're going to explain exactly how to update these releases to the latest versions (the PS5 versions) and, if it's a paid add-on, how to spend less on each purchase.
Do you want the PS4 or PS5 version?
Thanks to backward compatibility, the PlayStation Store has become a kind of minefield where it's dangerous to venture if you don't know exactly what you're looking for. The store mixes games historically released for PS4 with new PS5 titles, which we can differentiate by a couple of small black and white logos indicating exactly which versions are available. And if both versions exist because the developer has released an update, then we'll see two icons, and it's crucial to know which one is available so that when we download the game to our console, we don't make the mistake of installing an inferior version.
It must be acknowledged that Sony could improve the system and narrow down the options available to users, limiting it to one per console. It makes no sense that if we connect to the PlayStation Store from a PS5, we have the option to download the PS4 version almost as prominently as the next-gen version, when it should be a less accessible option, available only to players who, for whatever reason, want to run an old-gen installation.
How to download only the PS5 version?
In the case of an already purchased game that you want to download on PS5, you must do the following:
- Access your Game Library where you store your PlayStation Store purchases.
- Select the option your collection.
- Find the game you want to download.
- If you have multiple versions of PS4 or PS5, it will give you to choose the one you want to download to the console (as in the screenshot you have just above).
- Select the PS5 version and start the installation process.
What's different from Xbox Smart Delivery?
Sony hasn't grasped something Microsoft has. Those who buy a PS5 or an Xbox Series X|S aren't expecting to have the option of downloading a graphically inferior version of the game ; that's why Microsoft's Smart Delivery system makes the choice for us.
Through this feature , the Microsoft Store decides which is the best available version of the game based on the console you're using, and downloads it for you so you don't have to navigate through the Microsoft Store menus. And most importantly, you only have to buy the title once, without spending a single extra euro on updates.
What exactly is a PS5 upgrade?
In the year or so since the new consoles have been available, we've had the opportunity to upgrade some PS4 games to PS5 as soon as the developer released a new version compatible with the hardware on the PlayStation Store. This is the case, for example, with Ghost of Tsushima Director's Cut , Dead Stranding Director's Cut , and more recently, the collection that includes Uncharted 4 and Uncharted: The Lost Legacy , which Sony released for the next-gen consoles.
In these cases, when a new product is released, you have to pay, although Sony has adopted a policy of not charging the full price if you already own the PS4 version. That is, if you previously purchased any of these titles for the previous generation (on disc or digitally), when you buy the upgrade, you'll only be charged €10, or €30 in the case of new editions that add extra content, such as Ghost of Tsushima Director's Cut . In this way, the Japanese company rewards you for already owning the game, and you don't have to pay the full price when it's released.
There are also updates that are completely free simply for having purchased the game in any previous format, so when they become available, you'll see a notification that you can install them. In this case, if you have the PS4 version on your console, we recommend deleting it and then installing the PS5 version or applying the update directly . This is the case, for example, with Cyberpunk 2077 and Dirt 5 , which offer this graphical upgrade at no extra cost.
How do I update my game from PS4 to PS5?
In the event that you have a PS4 game on a physical disc that you purchased years ago and now has a new remastered version for PS5, you must:
- Sign in with your account on PS5.
- Insert the PS4 game disc into the console (PS5 digital will not allow you to do this).
- Look in the store for the update what do you want to buy
- Of all the available versions, choose the upgrade offer.
- Confirm the purchase (verify that you pay the reduced price) and proceed to download the PS5 version to your console.
- It is important to remember that you will only be able to play with the new version of PS5 that you have downloaded if you have the disk inside the console.
In the event that the PS4 game that you want to update to PS5 you bought in digital format, the steps will be as follows:
- Sign in with your account inside your PS5 (it does not matter if it is the standard model with a Blu-ray or Digital reader).
- Search within the PlayStation Store for the game you want to update from PS4 to PS5.
- Select the version that applies the offer for already having the PS4 version purchased.
- Confirm the purchase (verify that you pay the reduced price) and download the PS5 version on your console.
- When finished, already you can play with the latest version available for the new generation.