Backwards compatibility has been a much desired feature on consoles for years now. So much so that Microsoft’s Xbox One, which originally did not feature backwards compatibility with games from prior consoles, went back and updated its systems to allow for this, giving players what they wanted.
In fact, backwards compatibility is one of the major features of Microsoft’s new console the Xbox Series X, which releases this holiday season. Microsoft has included compatibility for the Xbox One, Xbox 360, and even the original Xbox console.
Then there’s Sony.
Sony seems to not be overly concerned with backwards compatibility, which is strange because it was the first major gaming company to ever offer it. The PlayStation 2 was revolutionary in that it allowed you to play your old PlayStation 1 games. However, when the PlayStation 3 came out, this initiative was abandoned. PlayStation 2 games were not available on the PS3 platform.
Then the PlayStation 4 came out, and despite its massive popularity, you’re still not able to play games from prior systems on it unless they’re uploaded onto a streaming service like PSNow.
It has been announced that the PlayStation 5, also due out this summer, will feature backwards compatibility for PlayStation 4 titles.
Well…some PlayStation 4 titles anyway.
It has been surmised throughout the gaming world that there will be no support for any games from previous console generations beyond the PS4. That means no PlayStation 3, PlayStation 2, or PlayStation 1 functionality.
This report was seemingly confirmed recently by game developer Ubisoft.
Ubisoft made a post discussing how its titles will change across this new console generation. According to Ubisoft, PlayStation 4 players will be able to play online with PlayStation 5 players, which is great.
But then they go on to mention backwards compatibility.
“Backwards compatibility is available for supported PlayStation 4 titles, but not for PlayStation 3, PlayStation 2, or PlayStation games,” Ubisoft said on its Support page. That blurb has since been removed and Sony has not yet commented on it.
That means one of two things. Either Sony did not want their lack of complete backwards compatibility announced on the Support page of a third party developer or the information might not be totally valid.
While both the PlayStation 5 and the Microsoft Series X are due out this holiday season, it is currently unknown how much either system will cost. We have also received no word on a release date for either console, with a vague reference to “Holiday 2020” as our only reference.