PS5 Update Finally Makes Cross-Gen A Little Less Confusing

Backwards compatibility on the PlayStation 5 gives players the opportunity to play new releases they want now while waiting for the limited stock of the PS5 to become, well, less limited. However, until recently, that backwards compatibility has been confusing, to say the least. Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War players accidentally played the PS4 version of the game on their consoles so often that Activision had to release a specific workaround to get the PS5 version up and running. Backwards compatibility has not been as smooth as Sony initially promised, but that doesn't mean that improvements can't be made to the system.

A screenshot from the PS5 menu, originally reported on by Video Games Chronicle, shows that the PS5 system menu now asks which version of the game you'd like to play, the PS5 version or the PS4 version. The menu asks players to "confirm game version," warning them that they're "about to play the PS4 version of this game" and then asking if they'd like to switch to the PS5 version. Kotaku has further added that the menu doesn't always pop up when booting up a game, but that could be easily fixed in the future. Because this feature is relatively new, it's possible that there are a few kinks that still need to be worked out. The inclusion of the feature at all is a gift, however, as Sony fans have been disappointed over how Sony has handled cross-generation upgrades. Microsoft's Smart Delivery makes upgrading games seamless, or at least more intuitive, than the PS5's convoluted menu. Hopefully Sony's new fix will remedy the confusion.

Considering the scarceness of the PS5, it's understandable that those who did snag one of the hottest consoles of the holiday season want said system to work perfectly. Even though the PS5 has had its share of bugs upon release, Sony is constantly making improvements to its operating system.

Backwards compatibility and the ability to upgrade to the PS5 version of a game after purchasing the game for the PS4 is a big selling point, but there's no point in making games compatible with both the PS4 and PS5 if there's not an easy way to switch between the two versions. Hopefully, this is a feature that Sony will continue developing and improving as time goes on. After all, we all want the option to avoid playing the glitchy Cyberpunk 2077 PS4 version.