A PS5 is essentially a mid-range gaming computer at best. It has all the bells and whistles that you’d find in a typical PC such as an AMD CPU a graphics card, SSD, PCIe lanes, etc.
As such, it is only natural to ask, can you play PC games on PS5 since PS5 is nothing short of a computer?
Unfortunately, the answer to that question is a big NO. You cannot play PC games on PS5. The architecture of both systems is vastly different.
In the following text, we’ll examine the complexities behind this topic and provide you with a comprehensive and clear answer.
PC and PS5 are Two Distinct Worlds
PC and PS5, while they both have similar hardware, are completely different in terms of architecture. Consider them as two separate ecosystems, each with its own set of rules and characteristics.
PC games are versatile, and PS5 games are bespoke.
- PC games: Adaptable to various computer systems with unique hardware and software configurations.
- PS5 games: Custom-built for the PlayStation 5, leveraging its specific hardware capabilities and features.
Having established the fundamental distinctions, let’s tackle the burning question head-on: Can you play PC games on a PS5?
Can You Play PC Games on PS5?
The inconvenient truth is simply a NO. You cannot play PC Games on PS5. and here’s why:
- Incompatibility of Software: The programming languages and software development kits used for PC games and PS5 games are NOT the same, making them incompatible with each other.
- Hardware Constraints: The disparity between the hardware components of a PC and a PS5 means that even if you could overcome the software incompatibility, the games would most likely struggle to perform or even fail to function on the PS5.
When developers design games for both systems, they have completely different tools to work with. With PS5, they have restrictions to work with. They have to maintain 30 or 60 FPS and thus have to optimize all the game scenes.
With a PC, not so much. PC is an open-ended platform and game developers have a lot of leeway to work with.
The different toolsets make it impossible for developers to design a game that would work on both PC and PS5 using the same code.
What About Your Steam Games on PC?
Another burning question that many PS5 gamers are whether they can transfer their PC games bought on Steam to PS5 to save themselves from spending on the game again.
Unfortunately, the answer to this question too is a big NO. You cannot transfer the games you bought on Steam to your PS5’s library.
So for instance, if you bought GTA 5 on Steam, you would not be able to access it on PS5. You will need to buy the game again on PS5.
What About CrossPlay With PC?
So we have established that you CANNOT play PC games on PS5. But if you want to compete with your friends that are on PC using your PS5, would that be possible?
Well, that depends upon the game in question. Many games do not support cross-platform support between PS5 and PC. However, there the majority of the popular ones do.
Here is a list of all the cross-platform games that you can play between PS5 and PC.
- Back 4 Blood
- COD: Modern Warfare 2
- COD: Warzone
- COD: Warzone 2
- COD: Vanguard
- Chivalry 2
- Destiny 2
- Evil Dead: The Game
- F1 22
- Farming Simulator 22
- Fortnite
- For Honor
- Ghostbusters Spirits Unleashed
- Grid Legends
- Hood: Outlaws and Legends
- Madden NFL 22
- Matchpoint Tennis Championships
- MLB The Show 23
- Monster Hunter: Rise
- MultiVersus
- Nerf Legends
- Overcooked: All You Can Eat
- Overwatch 2
- PGA Tour 2k23
- Quake
- Rainbow Six Extraction
- Resident Evil Re:Verse
- Riders Republic
- Splitgate
- Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League
- Super Animal Royale
- The Ascent
- Them’s Fightin’ Herds
- Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands
- Warframe
- Wild Hearts
- Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty
- Worms: Rumble
So while the answer to the question “can you play PC games on PS5?” is a big no. You CAN still enjoy certain PS5 games with your PC gamer friends.
