Sony's PlayStation 5 will be backwards compatible with PlayStation 4 games, but not games from earlier console generations, according to a support document from Ubisoft.

PS5 backwards compatibility
Sony had hinted that backwards compatibility would only reach as far back as PS4 – and not necessarily every PS4 title out there. A support document from one of the biggest console game developers, Ubisoft, now seems to confirm this.

- "Backwards compatibility will be available for supported PlayStation 4 titles, but will not be possible for PlayStation 3, PlayStation 2, or PlayStation games," Ubisoft's support document said before it was removed.

This is one area where Microsoft and Sony's next-generation game consoles will differ. Microsoft has confirmed that Xbox Series X will be backwards compatible with four generations of Xbox games, meaning all previous Xbox consoles.



Sony could of course decide to expand backwards compatibility later on but unlike the x86 processor architecture inside PS5 and PS4, Sony's earlier PS3, PS2 and PS1 consoles are built on different processor architectures, meaning that games would need to be software emulated.

It will, however, be possible to play a curated selection of PS3, PS2, and PS1 titles on PS5 via PlayStation Now, which is Sony's premium game streaming service.

- Source: Ubisoft via Ars Technica