PS5 Pro Can Run PS4 Games Better Via Improved Backwards Compatibility
Sony has revealed more about the PS5 Pro on the official PlayStation Blog, confirming that the upgraded console will support PS4 games via backwards compatibility, just like the standard PS5. While this isn’t exactly groundbreaking news, Sony’s efforts to push this as a key selling point feels like a stretch, especially since the so-called enhancements for older games don’t seem all that revolutionary.
Sony is marketing the feature as 'PS5 Pro Game Boost,' which supposedly stabilizes or improves the performance of supported PS4 and PS5 games. CEO Hideaki Nishino claims, "This feature may stabilize or improve the performance of supported PS4 and PS5 games," and goes on to mention an "Enhanced Image Quality for PS4 games," designed to increase the resolution for select titles. However, the word "may" does a lot of heavy lifting here, and it’s unclear how many games will genuinely benefit from this upgrade. For a console touted as the next step forward, these vague promises hardly seem worth the price hike.
In reality, what this means is that your PS4 games might run a bit smoother on the Pro compared to the regular PS5, but only certain titles will see visual improvements — and we’re left guessing which ones. The lack of specifics on what will actually improve makes the whole proposition feel like smoke and mirrors. Sure, some titles might have fewer frame rate dips or look a little sharper, but these are things that PC players have been enjoying for years without needing a “Pro” upgrade.
The Pro’s focus on enhancing older games highlights a fundamental issue: why invest in new hardware if its main appeal is polishing up titles from a past generation? Instead of setting a clear path forward with new, groundbreaking experiences, Sony seems intent on rehashing old games with marginally better performance, something many gamers have already experienced on the base PS5. And while it’s nice to hear about improved resolutions, this isn’t the kind of feature that will convince skeptics or justify the Pro’s inevitable premium price tag.
For gamers still clinging to their PS4 libraries, these enhancements might sound appealing — but only to a point. If the biggest selling point of the PS5 Pro is making old games look slightly better, it’s hard not to question what exactly this console is supposed to be offering. Are a few extra pixels and marginally smoother gameplay really worth shelling out for another new console?
As we wait for more concrete details, one thing’s clear: Sony's reliance on "improved backwards compatibility" feels like a half-step rather than a leap forward. The promise of "Enhanced Image Quality" sounds nice, but without specifics, it all feels like a marketing ploy aimed at making you pay more for features that should have been there from the start. So, which PS4 games are you hoping might finally run the way they were meant to? Or do you think Sony’s just trying to charge you more for what should be standard? Let’s hear your thoughts below!
