The PlayStation 4 was launched almost 13 years in the past. On this planet of video video games, it’s a dinosaur. And but, in 2025, throughout Summer season Sport Fest’s many reveals and directs, new PS4 video games had been being introduced alongside PS5 and Change 2 video games. Seems this outdated machine nonetheless has some life left in it, although that is perhaps a horrible signal for the online game trade.
Whereas watching Summer season Sport Fest 2025, and begging for the rancid occasion to finish, I noticed one thing odd. A newly revealed LEGO co-op puzzle recreation was going to get a PS4 port. Then, one other LEGO recreation in the identical showcase was confirmed to be getting a PS4 launch as properly. By the top of Geoff Keighley’s Not-E3 occasion, three new PS4 video games had been introduced. Bizarre.
So, I watched carefully in the course of the Xbox occasion on Sunday to see if this pattern continued. And I noticed two extra video games that had been introduced that day and had been headed to PS4. Sure, in the course of the huge Xbox showcase, two video games had been revealed which can be additionally coming to PS4. Considered one of them you may need heard of: Name of Obligation: Black Ops 7 is coming to PS4 and Xbox One, but it isn’t confirmed to be launching on Change 2 later this yr.
After the mud had settled, I skimmed via all of the showcases and occasions over the previous couple of days and located at the least 11 upcoming video video games that appeared throughout Summer season Sport Fest and are additionally arriving on PS4.
Right here’s that checklist, with brand-new video games marked with an asterisk:
- Sonic Racing Cross Worlds
- *LEGO Voyagers
- *LEGO Social gathering
- Marvel Cosmic Invasion
- Mouse PI For Rent
- *Scott Pilgrim EX
- *Planet of Lana 2
- Tony Hawk’s Professional Skater 4
- *Name of Obligation Black Ops 7
- Monument Valley 3
- Dying Mild: The Beast (after the launch of the PS5/XSX variations)
It’s very probably that I missed a couple of PS4 video games that appeared in a few of the many occasions that occurred over everything of Summer season Sport Fest final week. Nonetheless, 11 video games touchdown on a virtually 13-year-old console is unusual. That will be like Activision placing out a PS2 model of Name of Obligation: Ghosts alongside the launch of the PS4 in 2013. Or EA placing out a online game on PS1 and PS3 in 2006.
The rationale PS4 video games are nonetheless being made in 2025
So, what’s happening? Effectively, a part of the explanation we’re seeing video games nonetheless launching on PS4 is that video video games aren’t visually evolving as quickly and massively as they as soon as did. The distinction between a PS4 and PS5 recreation is nowhere close to as notable as earlier generational leaps, that means numerous video games, particularly smaller initiatives and indie titles, can run completely high quality on the older machines.
And lots of people are nonetheless, 5 years after the launch of PS5, gaming on the older Sony dwelling console. That’s why EA spent cash to backport Star Wars Jedi: Survivor to PS4 and Xbox One after it launched as a “next-gen” unique. If persons are nonetheless shopping for new video games on PS4 (and Xbox One), and porting stuff to those older machines isn’t that rather more work, then why not launch a brand new LEGO recreation on the older gadgets?
To be clear, I don’t assume it’s a foul factor that publishers are supporting older {hardware} for this lengthy. Video video games are costly. And as a result of tariffs and different components, video games and consoles are all getting costlier. The PS5 prices extra at present than it did at launch in 2020, which is simply as bizarre as devs nonetheless making video games for a 13-year-old machine.
We’re in unusual, unprecedented, and never nice instances for the trade. So, I assume I shouldn’t be stunned that the subsequent huge Name of Obligation is arriving on PS4 and Xbox One, regardless of these consoles being over a decade outdated. It’s not a foul factor, however it’s a signal of the larger issues going through the trade and the remainder of the world.
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