PS5 cross-gen support will be mandatory for new PS4 games from July onward

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This applies to games submitted after July 13, not those released

(Image credit: Future)

PS5 cross-gen support will be mandatory for all newly submitted PS4 games from July 13.  

As Eurogamer reports, updated internal documentation sent to PlayStation partners now asks developers to confirm that their game - that is, the submitted version of their software - is also compatible with PS5 hardware. All PS4 games submitted after July 13 must be fully compatible with PS5, offering the same features and functionality as on PS4. Games submitted before that date won't require PS5 support, but it's apparently "strongly recommended" by Sony. 

Note that this rule applies to games that are submitted for PS4 release, not games that are released on PS4. Sony will determine the necessity of PS5 support based on a game's submission date, not its release date. In other words, PS4 games that are released after July 13, like Ghost of Tsushima, will not necessarily be required to run on PS5, as they were undoubtedly submitted well ahead of time.  

Sony will reportedly contact developers on an individual basis in order to test and/or troubleshoot PS5 forwards compatibility for new PS4 games, just as it will rely on developers to ensure PS5 backwards compatibility for many older titles. As senior vice president Hideaki Nishino said in March, Sony is "currently evaluating games on a title-by-title basis to spot any issues that need adjustment from the original software developers."

New reports indicate that PS5 backwards compatibility may be tied to rolling catalog updates. 

Austin Wood
Austin Wood
Senior writer

Austin has been a game journalist for 12 years, having freelanced for the likes of PC Gamer, Eurogamer, IGN, Sports Illustrated, and more while finishing his journalism degree. He's been with GamesRadar+ since 2019. They've yet to realize his position is a cover for his career-spanning Destiny column, and he's kept the ruse going with a lot of news and the occasional feature, all while playing as many roguelikes as possible.