Developers Are Having Trouble Getting PS4 Saves Working on PS5

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Image: Sony

One of the perks of the upcoming console generation is that users will be able to upgrade certain games (e.g., Cyberpunk 2077, Far Cry 6) to their shinier, faster-loading PlayStation 5 and/or Xbox Series X versions at no additional cost. There’s a problem steadily brewing from the Sony side of the camp, however: more and more developers are admitting that PS4 saves will not carry over to the PS5 versions.

One such party is Codemasters, which recently took to Twitter to confirm that PS4 saves for Dirt 5 won’t be fully supported for the PS5 version. Only content from the racer’s “Playgrounds” mode (a mode that lets players design, create, edit, and race in custom areans) will carry over.

“Currently on Xbox, all progress can be carried over between generations,” the developer tweeted. “On PlayStation, your Playgrounds creations can be carried over, but other game progress (Career, currency, saved liveries) cannot. If that changes, we’ll let you know!”

Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio commented on a similar problem this week, stating that PS4 saves of Yakuza: Like a Dragon would not be compatible with the PS5 version of the Japanese role-playing game.

“To clarify, physical owners of Yakuza: Like a Dragon on PS4 can also use the original disc to upgrade to the PS5 version when it releases on March 2, 2021,” RGG tweeted.

“Save data will not be transferable between the PS4 and PS5 versions of the game.”

On the contrary, Insomniac Games tweeted that Spider-Man players will be able to transfer their PS4 saves to the PS5 version just fine. It isn’t clear why other developers haven’t been able to figure it out (one theory deals with the way PS4 saves are encrypted), but prospective PS5 owners may have to replay certain titles all over again.

Microsoft has taken the opportunity to sneak a jab at Sony, reassuring Xbox fans that this isn’t something they’ll have to deal with. “Cloud saves and four generations of compatibility means I pick up right where I left off in Fallout 4 from the comfort of my Xbox Series X,” Major Nelson noted.

Tsing Mui
News poster at The FPS Review.

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