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Ubisoft (temporarily) suggests no PS1, PS2, or PS3 backwards compatibility for PS5

A Ubisoft support article said that the PlayStation 5's promised backwards compatibility only extends to the PlayStation 4 generation, and will leave games from PS-branded legacy and retro systems out in the cold.

Alissa McAloon, Publisher

August 31, 2020

1 Min Read
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In a now pulled paragraph, a Ubisoft support article rather certainly said that the PlayStation 5’s backwards compatibility plans only extend to the PlayStation 4 generation, and will leave games from PlayStation-branded legacy and retro systems out in the cold.

The post, captured and immortalized in a screencap on Twitter by Wario64, explains that supported PlayStation 4 titles will be playable on PlayStation 5 via backwards compatibility “but will not be possible for PlayStation 3, PlayStation 2, or PlayStation games.”

If found to be PlayStation-confirmed fact, these restrictions on the reach of backwards compatibility wouldn’t be entirely surprising. While Xbox has led with a more backwards compatible-friendly foot this generation, and for some time now, PlayStation’s generational lines tend to be drawn more clearly, especially of late.

While PlayStation’s first-party projects aren’t planned as cross-generational titles, the Ubisoft support article does echo PlayStation’s own decrees that there are programs and pathways in place that allow players to upgrade supported current generation games to spruced-up next generation versions, though those exact steps vary from publisher to publisher. 
 

About the Author

Alissa McAloon

Publisher, GameDeveloper.com

As the Publisher of Game Developer, Alissa McAloon brings a decade of experience in the video game industry and media. When not working in the world of B2B game journalism, Alissa enjoys spending her time in the worlds of immersive sandbox games or dabbling in the occasional TTRPG.

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