PlayStation 5

Play PS3 games on PS5: How to do it?

Q: How to transfer your PS3 game saves to the PS5?

It is not possible to directly transfer your PS3 game saves to the PS5 . On the other hand, it is possible to transfer your saves to the cloud if you have a PlayStation Plus subscription. All you have to do is connect to the same PlayStation Network account on the PS5 and the PlayStation Now service to find your saves in the cloud and continue your progress in the games. If you want to play with your PS3 controller on your PC, you can use SCP Server software to play with your PS3 controller on PC . This software allows you to connect your PS3 controller via USB or Bluetooth to your computer and configure it as an Xbox 360 controller compatible with most PC games.

Q: What is the difference between backwards compatibility and remaster?

Backwards compatibility is the ability of a console to play games designed for an earlier console. The remaster is an improved version of an existing game, which generally benefits from better resolution, a better framerate, a better soundtrack or even additional content.

Q: What are the PS3 games most requested by players for backwards compatibility on PS5?

There is no official list of the PS3 games most requested by players for backward compatibility on PS5 , but we can rely on opinions and surveys from specialized sites or discussion forums. Here are some examples of PS3 games that players often want: Demon's Souls : the action-RPG game that launched the Souls saga, and which saw a remake on PS5. Metal Gear Solid 4 : Guns of the Patriots: the infiltration and espionage game that concludes the saga of Solid Snake, a legendary soldier who must face his former mentor and his genetic brother in a world war. Red Dead Redemption : the open-world action-adventure game that immerses the player in the world of the Wild West at the end of the 19th century. The Elder Scrolls V : Skyrim: the open-world role-playing game that allows the player to explore a vast medieval-fantasy kingdom, populated by dragons, vampires and werewolves. Mass Effect 2 : the action role-playing game that follows the adventures of Commander Shepard, a galactic hero who must recruit an elite team to face an extraterrestrial threat.

Francis

The PS5 is Sony's latest console , released in November 2020. It offers impressive performance , an innovative controller and a varied catalog of games. But can you play PS3 games on PS5 ? The question arises, because the PS3 is a console that marked its era, with titles like Uncharted, God of War, The Last of Us and even GTA V. If you want to find these games on your PS5, here's what you need to know.

Is PS5 backwards compatible with PS3 games?

The short answer is no. The PS5 is not backwards compatible with PS3 games, unlike PS4 games, which can be played on the new console . This means you can't insert a PS3 disc into your PS5 , nor can you download a PS3 game from the PS5's PlayStation Store . The main reason is that the architecture of the PS3 is very different from that of the PS5 , making it difficult to emulate PS3 games on the new console.

How to play PS3 games on PS5 then?

There is, however, a solution to playing PS3 games on PS5 : cloud streaming . This is a technology that allows you to play games without downloading or installing them, streaming them from remote servers. To do this, you must have a stable and fast internet connection, and a subscription to a streaming service .

Sony's official streaming service is called PlayStation Now . It provides access to more than 800 PS2, PS3 and PS4 games , which can be played streaming on PS4, PS5 or PC . The subscription price is €9.99 per month, €24.99 for three months or €59.99 for one year . Among the PS3 games available on PlayStation Now, we can cite for example Red Dead Redemption, Bioshock Infinite, Batman Arkham City or Heavy Rain.

To play PS3 games on PS5 via PlayStation Now, simply follow these steps:

Connect your PS5 to the internet and create a PlayStation Network account if you haven't already.
Download the PlayStation Now app from the PS5 PlayStation Store.
Launch the app and choose the PS3 game you want to play.
Enjoy streaming the game on your screen.

What are the advantages and disadvantages of streaming?

Streaming has several advantages for playing PS3 games on PS5 :

It allows access to a large catalog of games without the need to purchase or store them.
It avoids compatibility issues between different generations of consoles.
It offers the possibility of playing games optimized for the PS5, with better resolution and better framerate.

Streaming also has some disadvantages :

It requires a constant, high-performance internet connection, which can be a problem if you have poor network coverage or if you have a limited data plan.
It can cause latency or image quality issues if the throughput is not sufficient or if the server is saturated.
It does not allow you to take advantage of the specific features of the PS5 DualSense controller, such as haptic feedback or adaptive triggers.

Are there other solutions to play PS3 games on PS5?

If streaming isn't for you or you want to play PS3 games that aren't available on PlayStation Now, there are other alternatives for playing PS3 games on PS5 . However, they are less official and more complex to implement.

One of them is to use an emulator . An emulator is software that allows you to simulate the operation of a console on another device, such as a PC or a smartphone. There are PS3 emulators, like RPCS3 , that allow you to play some PS3 games on PC. However, you must have a powerful PC and a copy of the PS3 game, either on disc or in ISO file . You should also know that PS3 emulation is not perfect and not all games are compatible or playable.

Another solution is to use an adapter . An adapter is a device that allows you to connect one console to another , using HDMI or USB cables.

There are PS3 to PS5 adapters, like the HD Link Cable for PlayStation 3, that allow you to connect a PS3 to a PS5 and play PS3 games on the PS5 screen. However, you must have a PS3 and PS3 games on disc, as well as an adapter compatible with the PS5 . You should also know that the adapter does not improve the graphics or sound quality of PS3 games.

FAQs

Here are some frequently asked questions on the subject:

What are the best PS3 games to play on PS5?

There is no universal answer to this question, as it depends on individual tastes and preferences. Nevertheless, here are some examples of PS3 games that marked their generation and are worth replaying on PS5:

The Last of Us : a narrative and visual masterpiece that tells the story of a man and a young girl trying to survive in a post-apocalyptic world ravaged by a pandemic.
Uncharted 2 : Among Thieves: an action-adventure game that follows the adventures of Nathan Drake, a treasure hunter who finds himself embroiled in a conspiracy involving Marco Polo and the lost kingdom of Shambhala.
God of War III : a mythological action game that features Kratos, a Spartan warrior who faces the gods of Olympus in a quest for bloody vengeance.
GTA V : an open-world action-adventure game that follows the adventures of three criminals who team up to carry out heists in the fictional city of Los Santos.

Metal Gear Solid 4 : Guns of the Patriots: a stealth and espionage game that concludes the saga of Solid Snake, a legendary soldier who must face his former mentor and his genetic brother in a world war.

How to transfer your PS3 game saves to the PS5?

It is not possible to directly transfer your PS3 game saves to the PS5 . On the other hand, it is possible to transfer your saves to the cloud if you have a PlayStation Plus subscription. All you have to do is connect to the same PlayStation Network account on the PS5 and the PlayStation Now service to find your saves in the cloud and continue your progress in the games.

If you want to play with your PS3 controller on your PC, you can use SCP Server software to play with your PS3 controller on PC . This software allows you to connect your PS3 controller via USB or Bluetooth to your computer and configure it as an Xbox 360 controller compatible with most PC games.

What is the difference between backwards compatibility and remaster?

Backwards compatibility is the ability of a console to play games designed for an earlier console. The remaster is an improved version of an existing game, which generally benefits from better resolution, a better framerate, a better soundtrack or even additional content.

What are the PS3 games most requested by players for backwards compatibility on PS5?

There is no official list of the PS3 games most requested by players for backward compatibility on PS5 , but we can rely on opinions and surveys from specialized sites or discussion forums. Here are some examples of PS3 games that players often want:

Demon's Souls : the action-RPG game that launched the Souls saga, and which saw a remake on PS5.
Metal Gear Solid 4 : Guns of the Patriots: the infiltration and espionage game that concludes the saga of Solid Snake, a legendary soldier who must face his former mentor and his genetic brother in a world war.
Red Dead Redemption : the open-world action-adventure game that immerses the player in the world of the Wild West at the end of the 19th century.
The Elder Scrolls V : Skyrim: the open-world role-playing game that allows the player to explore a vast medieval-fantasy kingdom, populated by dragons, vampires and werewolves.
Mass Effect 2 : the action role-playing game that follows the adventures of Commander Shepard, a galactic hero who must recruit an elite team to face an extraterrestrial threat.

What are the rumors about backward compatibility of PS3 games on PS5?

Rumors about backward compatibility of PS3 games on PS5 are many and varied, but they are not confirmed by Sony. Here are some examples of rumors circulating on the web:

Sony is reportedly preparing a new subscription service called Spartacus , which would combine the PlayStation Plus and PlayStation Now services, and which would allow players to access PS1, PS2 and PS3 games via full backwards compatibility.
Sony has reportedly filed a patent regarding backwards compatibility , which would describe a system for running older games on the PS5, using cloud computing and artificial intelligence technology.
Sony has reportedly made PS3 games appear on the PS5 PlayStation Store , with prices and purchase options, which could indicate that the Japanese firm is preparing the arrival of backwards compatibility for PS3 games on the new console.

Conclusion

In conclusion, it is possible to play PS3 games on PS5, but not directly. The simplest and most official solution is to use the PlayStation Now streaming service , which provides access to over 800 PS2, PS3 and PS4 games for a monthly or annual subscription. Streaming has advantages, such as ease of access and game optimization, but also disadvantages, such as internet dependency and loss of certain features. There are also other alternative solutions, such as emulation or adaptation, but they are less recommended and more difficult to implement.