Xbox Series X|S vs PS5 Backward Compatibility: Supported Games, Discs and Limitations

The short version​

• Xbox Series X|S plays most Xbox One games, plus a selected set of Xbox 360 and original Xbox titles. Windows Central describes this as spanning three generations of past consoles.
• PS5 plays the overwhelming majority of PS4 games. It does not play PS3 discs, and it has no native path for PS1 or PS2 discs.
• Neither console promises that every older game works. Both have title-level exceptions.

What Xbox actually offers​

Microsoft's compatibility page says Series X|S backward compatibility is free for games you already own. It covers select Xbox 360 and original Xbox games, plus Xbox One games.

How you get at the games depends on how you bought them:

1. Digital purchases that are in the compatibility catalog show up in the "Ready to Install" section.
2. Disc games work differently. Inserting the disc starts a download to the hard drive. You then have to keep the disc in the drive to play.
3. Series S can't use discs at all. Microsoft labels it digital-only.

Microsoft also lists enhancements, which vary by title:

• Auto HDR on older SDR games.
• Resolution increases of up to 4K on select games.
• FPS Boost, which Microsoft says can raise frame rates to nearly double the original on supported titles.

Microsoft cites more than 500,000 hours of testing behind the program. Treat the enhancements as per-game extras, not guarantees.

The catches on older games​

Original Xbox titles carry the biggest limits. These are Microsoft's own caveats:

• Original Xbox Live services, such as online multiplayer and in-game marketplaces, are not available.
• Offline co-op, split-screen and system-link play work where the original game supported them.
• Original Xbox games have no achievements.
• Old saves don't transfer to Xbox One or Series X|S. Saves created on those newer consoles can move between them through the cloud.

Purexbox put the original Xbox list at just 63 supported titles in all, in a 2021 guide. Microsoft has added to the list since then. TechRadar reported that Microsoft added more than 70 Xbox 360 and original Xbox games, including over 20 original Xbox titles. The original Xbox contribution is real but small next to the Xbox 360 and Xbox One catalogs. Engadget concedes that most of the older titles are 360 and One games.

What PlayStation offers​

Sony's support page says PS5 is backward compatible with the overwhelming majority of PS4 games. The page cites more than 4,000 PS4 titles. Some benefit from Game Boost, which can give a smoother frame rate.

Sony's own caveats:

• Some PS4 functions may be unavailable on PS5.
• Some games may show errors or unexpected behavior.
• PS4 discs need a PS5 with a disc drive, and the disc must stay inserted. They can't be used with the Digital Edition.
• The page states that PS5 consoles do not support PS3 discs.
• The PS4 tournaments feature, In-Game Live, and the Second Screen and companion apps aren't supported.
• The SHARE menu is replaced by the PS5 create menu.

So the claim that PS5 has no backward compatibility is wrong. It is broad but shallow: one generation deep.

Why Sony stopped at PS4​

Engadget points to a 2020 interview that then-Sony Interactive Entertainment CEO Jim Ryan gave Famitsu. As Famitsu's interview reports it, Sony designed the PS5 around PS5-specific engineering. It also wanted PS4 players to keep their games on the new console, so it built PS4 compatibility. Alongside that, it put its effort into the fast SSD and the DualSense controller. Ryan said compatibility with PS1, PS2 and PS3 games was not achieved. He also said Sony had tested all PS4 games released at that point and confirmed 99% compatibility.

Two limits apply to that account:

• It is Ryan's explanation of Sony's priorities. It doesn't show that new technology made older compatibility impossible.
• The 99% figure is a 2020 statement about the games on the market then. It is not a current measured rate.

Where Engadget's piece needs a grain of salt​

• "Nearly 4,000 games." Engadget's figure for Xbox's older-game selection doesn't match anything I could confirm in Microsoft's catalog page. Microsoft says "thousands" of games across the three generations. Treat the exact count as Engadget's.
• PlayStation Plus Classics. Engadget says pre-PS4 games on PS5 mostly come through re-releases or the Plus Premium Classics catalog, at $20 a month or $160 a year. That is Engadget's account of the pricing. Check Sony's current store before relying on it.
• Sales, GTA VI and next-gen predictions. The console-sales ranking, the GTA VI release and the forecasts for next-generation consoles are Engadget's framing. None of it affects the compatibility comparison. The predictions about future hardware are speculation.
• Windows PC angle. Engadget says some of Xbox's older games can also be played on Windows PCs. That claim wasn't checked here, so verify it for any specific title.

Practical advice for buyers​

1. Check the game, not the generation. Xbox 360 and original Xbox support is catalog-based. Look your title up on Microsoft's compatibility list and its exclusions list.
2. Check your disc drive. Series S and PS5 Digital Edition can't run discs, so physical libraries need a disc-drive console.
3. Expect to keep discs in the drive. On both platforms, a compatible disc game needs the disc present to play.
4. Don't sell your PS3 or original Xbox yet if online play or saves matter. Original Xbox online services are gone on Series X|S, and old saves don't carry over.

Bottom line​

Xbox's advantage is real: its curated catalog reaches back two generations beyond the current one, and its enhancements can make older games look better. PS5's advantage is that its PS4 coverage is broad and nearly complete. The gap shows up for anyone with a shelf of PS3-era discs or Xbox 360 favorites. Anyone with a mostly PS4 library will find that PS5 handles it fine.