Backward compatibility: which older games run on PS5, Xbox Series and Switch 2

Switching consoles is exciting, but it usually comes with a question: what about the games I already own? Backward compatibility is the name for a console's ability to run games from earlier generations. Each company handled it differently, and knowing the rules avoids surprises, especially if you plan to sell or give away the old device.

This guide sums up what applies on each of the three platforms, based on the sources listed at the end. In every case, the golden rule is the same: before getting rid of anything, test your games on the new console.

PlayStation 5: nearly all of PS4

The PS5 runs the vast majority of PS4 games, a catalog of well over 4,000 titles, both digital and on disc. Just put the PS4 disc in the console's drive, or download the digital game from your library. There is, however, a short list of exceptions that do not work, such as Afro Samurai 2, Shadwen and Hitman Go: Definitive Edition.

One caveat for owners of the PS5 version without a disc drive: to use PS4 discs, the console needs a drive. When in doubt, check your model's manual before counting on your old discs.

Xbox Series X and Series S: three generations

Xbox is the platform that took backward compatibility furthest. The Series X and Series S consoles run Xbox One games and also the Xbox 360 and original Xbox games that joined Microsoft's backward compatibility program. These older games can even run from an external USB drive.

That program, however, has ended: on November 15, 2021, during the Xbox 20th anniversary broadcast, Microsoft added more than 70 original Xbox and Xbox 360 games, the biggest batch in the program's history, and announced it would be the last. The company explained it had reached the limit of what it could bring over, due to licensing, legal and technical constraints. In other words: if an old game is not on the list today, it is unlikely to be added.

On Xbox, the question is not only which console a game came from, but whether it is on the official compatible list.

Nintendo Switch 2: the Switch library comes along

On Switch 2, the first Switch's digital library becomes available after you sign in and set up the new console, and the store keeps selling the original versions of games. Most physical Switch cartridges also work, but some games may not run because they use hardware features the new device lacks.

Nintendo also created Nintendo Switch 2 Editions, improved versions of existing games that take advantage of the new hardware. For some games, moving to the improved edition is paid; for others, there are free updates. For games from older Nintendo generations, the path is the Nintendo Switch Online classic libraries.

What about even older generations?

To play classics that current consoles do not run directly, the official paths are usually collections and remasters sold in stores and the classics catalogs in subscriptions, such as PlayStation Plus Premium and Nintendo Switch Online with the Expansion Pack. The game lists change over time, so check before subscribing.

Tips before switching consoles

• Make a list of the games you really want to keep playing.
• Look each one up in the platform's official compatibility list or on the game's store page.
• Put your progress in the cloud or transfer your save data before turning off the old device for the last time.
• Test the games on the new console before selling or giving away the old one.
• Check whether your new model has a disc drive, if your collection is physical.
• See whether there is a free enhanced version of your game for the new console. Sometimes downloading it again is enough to get improvements.
• Keep the old controllers until you are sure you will not need them.

Why it matters

Backward compatibility is not just convenience. It protects the money you have already spent on games, helps preserve titles that could disappear along with old devices and makes switching consoles less painful for people with a large collection. It also matters for families, where younger siblings can inherit their older siblings' games and play them on the console the household has now.

In short

All three platforms let you carry much of your previous-generation collection: PS5 runs nearly all of PS4, Xbox Series runs Xbox One plus a closed list of Xbox 360 and original Xbox games, and Switch 2 brings the Switch library with few exceptions. The secret is to check first, test afterwards and only then say goodbye to the old device.