Ubisoft Reveals PS5 Plans for Its 2020 PS4 Games

When Sony's PlayStation 5 launched in 2020, one of the biggest questions for players was how existing PS4 games would work on the new console. Ubisoft provided some important answers as it prepared titles such as Watch Dogs: Legion, Assassin's Creed Valhalla and Immortals Fenyx Rising for the next generation.

The publisher planned to support cross-generation gaming for many of its major releases, allowing players to move from PS4 to PS5 without having to buy the same game again.

However, Ubisoft also confirmed that not every PS4 title would be compatible with PS5.

Ubisoft's Major PS5 Games

Ubisoft's 2020 lineup included several major games designed for both generations.

Watch Dogs: Legion launched on PS4 in October 2020 before arriving on PS5 in November. Players who purchased the PS4 version could access the PS5 version at no additional cost.

Assassin's Creed Valhalla followed a similar strategy. The Viking-themed action RPG launched across PS4 and PS5, with cross-progression allowing players to continue their saved progress when moving between supported platforms.

Immortals Fenyx Rising was another major cross-generation release. Ubisoft confirmed PS4 and PS5 versions, with the PS5 edition offering faster loading, 4K visuals, HDR and support for the DualSense controller's features.

PS4 Games Could Move to PS5

Ubisoft's strategy was broadly similar to Microsoft's Smart Delivery approach, although the implementation differed between platforms.

For supported games, players purchasing the PS4 version could receive access to the PS5 edition without paying for the game again.

This was particularly useful for gamers who planned to purchase a PS4 game before upgrading to the new console.

Watch Dogs: Legion, for example, included the PS5 digital version with the PS4 purchase, while disc owners could use their PS4 disc to access the upgrade on a standard PS5.

Not Every Ubisoft PS4 Game Was Compatible

While Ubisoft supported many of its major releases, the company eventually confirmed that several older PS4 titles would not work on PS5.

The list included:

• Assassin's Creed Syndicate
• Assassin's Creed Chronicles Trilogy Pack
• Assassin's Creed Chronicles: India
• Assassin's Creed Chronicles: China
• Assassin's Creed Chronicles: Russia
• Risk
• Star Trek Bridge Crew
• Werewolves Within
• Space Junkies

These exceptions meant that PS5 backward compatibility was not completely universal across Ubisoft's PS4 library.

PS3, PS2 and Original PlayStation Games Were a Different Story

The situation was even more limited for older PlayStation generations.

An Ubisoft support page briefly stated in 2020 that PS5 backward compatibility would cover supported PS4 games but would not extend to PS3, PS2 or original PlayStation titles. The wording was subsequently removed, but it sparked considerable discussion about Sony's backward-compatibility strategy at the time.

This contrasted with Microsoft's broader backward-compatibility approach on Xbox, which had become an important selling point for the Xbox Series X and Series S.

Cross-Generation Multiplayer

Ubisoft also worked on multiplayer features connecting players across console generations.

Rainbow Six Siege was one of the company's prominent examples. Ubisoft planned a PS5 version with support for higher performance, including up to 4K resolution and 120 frames per second under supported conditions. Existing PS4 owners could upgrade to the next-generation version without an additional purchase.

The company also highlighted cross-generation multiplayer support for selected games.

Cross-Progression Made the Upgrade Easier

Another important feature was cross-progression.

Ubisoft Connect allowed supported games to synchronize player progress across compatible platforms. This meant gamers could potentially start playing on PS4 and continue on PS5 without losing their campaign progress.

For a game such as Assassin's Creed Valhalla, this was particularly useful because of the game's large open world and lengthy campaign. Ubisoft confirmed cross-progression as part of its next-generation strategy.

Faster Loading and Better Graphics on PS5

The PS5 versions weren't simply identical copies of the PS4 games.

Ubisoft used the new hardware to improve loading times, graphics and performance in several titles.

Immortals Fenyx Rising, for example, was designed to take advantage of the PS5's SSD, 4K visuals, HDR and 3D audio capabilities. The game also supported the DualSense controller's haptic feedback.

These improvements demonstrated one of the main advantages of upgrading from PS4 to PS5 while retaining the same games.

Ubisoft's 2020 Next-Generation Lineup

Ubisoft entered the PS5 generation with a relatively strong collection of cross-generation titles.

Its major releases included:

• Watch Dogs: Legion
• Assassin's Creed Valhalla
• Immortals Fenyx Rising
• Just Dance 2021
• Rainbow Six Siege

The company also announced future next-generation projects including Far Cry 6 and Riders Republic.

Final Thoughts

Ubisoft's approach to the PS5 transition was designed to make the move from PS4 as straightforward as possible. Major games such as Watch Dogs: Legion, Assassin's Creed Valhalla and Immortals Fenyx Rising supported both generations, while several titles offered free upgrades and cross-progression.

However, the company's list of incompatible PS4 games showed that PS5 backward compatibility had some important limitations.

For gamers upgrading to the PS5 in 2020, the good news was that many of Ubisoft's biggest new releases were ready for the new console, with improved graphics, faster loading and next-generation features.