You can play PS5 games with a DualShock 4 if you use Remote Play

PS4 pad
(Image credit: Sony)

The PS5 Remote Play functionality allows you to play PS5 games using a DualShock 4. 

YouTuber Kevin Kenison posted a video detailing how Remote Play works on both the PS5 and Xbox Series X via resetera. While you won't be able to use a PS4 controller on the console directly, it will work with PS5 games using the Remote Play mode on a tablet, smartphone, or any other device that supports it.

As Kenson explains, to start up Remote Play on PS5, you go into the Setting Menu and enable the option for the mode. When you then use the Remote Play app on your other device, it should detect your PS5. It's important to note that to make the most out of Remote Play and get a smooth experience, you will need a solid WiFi connection with good download and upload speeds. 

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Compatible with both Apple and Android, the controllers you can use for the Remote Play mode are actually quite limited on the PS5. As Kenson points out, the mode will only work the DualSense, DualShock 4, or touch-screen controls on whatever device you're using. No other controller is said to work, even if it's normally supported. 

Back in August, Sony released a blog post detailing what PS4 peripherals would work on its next-gen machine. The post first revealed that the DualShock 4 and third-party PS4 controllers will work on the PS5 for supported PS4 games, but not next-gen titles. So for now, it seems the only way to play PS5 games with your trusty PS4 controller is through Remote Play. 

Isabelle Tomatis, Sony Interactive Entertainment's senior director of peripherals marketing and licensing, also gave an answer as to why the DualShock 4 won't be compatible with PS5 games directly: "We believe that PS5 games should take advantage of the new capabilities and features we’re bringing to the platform, including the features of DualSense wireless controller." 

If you're still trying to get your hands on Sony's next-gen console, be sure to check out these PS5 deals for the latest stock updates.

Heather Wald
Senior staff writer

I started out writing for the games section of a student-run website as an undergrad, and continued to write about games in my free time during retail and temp jobs for a number of years. Eventually, I earned an MA in magazine journalism at Cardiff University, and soon after got my first official role in the industry as a content editor for Stuff magazine. After writing about all things tech and games-related, I then did a brief stint as a freelancer before I landed my role as a staff writer here at GamesRadar+. Now I get to write features, previews, and reviews, and when I'm not doing that, you can usually find me lost in any one of the Dragon Age or Mass Effect games, tucking into another delightful indie, or drinking far too much tea for my own good.