Though every PS4 players wish to play their old PS3 games on PS4.
- But will PS4 allows PS3 games to be operated?
- Is PS4 architecture is same as that of PS3?
- Can PS3 play PS4 games?
You will soon conclude about it.
Is PS4 backward compatible with PS3?
If PS4 were to be reversely compatible with any of the older generation consoles, it must be built with the same chip of PS3 to operate the games of PS3 games. You will know about the architecture part and due to the damn chip, not being built-in PS4, it is NOT reversely compatible with any of the consoles (PS3,2,1).
Many PS4 games can be digitally played on PS3 such ad GTA 5, RE7, FC4, Uncharted 3, etc.
Back in the days when PS3 was reversely compatible with most of the PS2 games and all it was due to the same chip (of PS2) built-in PS3. Though only the original 60 GB and 20 GB models were compatible. But Sony will never produce that PS3 again. A sad ending for PS3 guys :D.
If you have games that are digitally stored in PS3 then not much effort is required to transfer the games to PS4. You will find the option 'PS3 TO PS4' in PS4. Recently, as claimed by Sony, PS5 is going to support PS4 games (not all).
Conclusion: Sony intentionally didn't put the system of backward compatibility.
Why Sony Didn't Put The Chip To Enable Backward Compatibility?
All it was due to the marketing issue and technical issue.
- Marketing Issue: Sony is a pure business and its sole purpose is to earn money. If they had put reverse compatibility in PS4, then Sony would have lost enough money because many of the PS3 users, after shifting to PS4 would not buy new games. Why would Sony wanted the PS4 to run old games if they can sell the same game with more price but just some minor change?
- Technical Issue: It was certain that Sony doesn't want to put more money into building a chip that enables backward compatibility. It might be because of the huge architectural difference between PS3 and PS4. Again, Sony is a brand and it has occupies such a position in the market that it can easily manipulate people...
So, 'Can PS4 Play PS3 Games?' No.
- Marketing Issue: Sony is a pure business and its sole purpose is to earn money. If they had put reverse compatibility in PS4, then Sony would have lost enough money because many of the PS3 users, after shifting to PS4 would not buy new games. Why would Sony wanted the PS4 to run old games if they can sell the same game with more price but just some minor change?
- Technical Issue: It was certain that Sony doesn't want to put more money into building a chip that enables backward compatibility. It might be because of the huge architectural difference between PS3 and PS4. Again, Sony is a brand and it has occupies such a position in the market that it can easily manipulate people...
Knowledge is wisdom,
What does the term 'reversely compatible' mean?
The term 'reversely compatible' means that the software or hardware can be able to be used with the older piece without any deep modification.
reverse compatibility in PS4 means that PS4 can support games of PS3 physically (disc). Like PS3 (original) was reversely compatible with PS2.
Add-up facts
Let know the architecture difference between PS4 and PS3:
-PS3 was made in 2006 while PS4 was made in 2013 so certainly, 7 years of difference is enough to prove that PS3 was not built with powerful architecture but it was the drastic up-gradation of PS2.
-Sony said that PS4 is roughly 10 times powerful than PS3. PS3 has a modified power pc system, on the other side PS4 has x86/x86-64.
-PS3 has the cell processor with over-extra cores, while PS4 is more like an established gaming PC
-If we talk about CPU and GPU, then PS3 has a 3.2 GHz single-core with 550 MHz GPU. Only 256 MB of DDR3 RAM it does support.
-On the other hand, PS4 supports a maximum of 2.7 GHz with a GPU of 800 MHz AMD. It has 8 GB of GDDR5 RAM which is pretty faster.
-So the above things make certain that PS3 and PS4 cannot be compared. In fact, PS3 was the best console of its time launched by Sony while during now PS4 is the best console (or Xbox one, maybe).
Though you should read: Why PS5 is not worth to buy
Myth About PS4 Compatibility:
- Jail-breaking PS4 can make you play PS3 games:
Sony is always a concern if the matter comes to hacking and jail-breaking. If Sony causes anyone to do an unfair way to their console, they will surely do legal acts if they found it anyway. And moreover, it is technically impossible to play a PS3 game on PS4 either by jail-breaking or by hacking.
You might have to structurally change its architecture. Will you do it?
- Playing digital games from PS3 to PS4 is free of cost
To play your PS3 games on PS4 digitally, you will have to buy a PlayStation Now subscription which costs around 99$ per year.
- You can play all the games after subscribing to PlayStation Now
Not all the games are available. Few or more games are there on monthly basis and they are the top picked games, so don't underestimate PS now. But don't overestimate it too because not every game you wish to play will be available.
- PS3 can play PS4 games
This article was published on 14th May 2020. Re-updated on 22nd of September 2021.