Hello to all our Sony die-hards; are you also one of the many wanting to play PS2 games on PS5? Well, wonder no longer, as we’ll get into the specifics and give you the answer to the burning question. The way we see it, there are two primary reasons people want retro games functioning on the PS5: nostalgia and originality.
For most gamers, the PS2 era is perhaps the most ground-breaking period in PlayStation’s history. Don’t get us wrong, the PS5 is excellent and everything, but it doesn’t compare to the PS2 days. The plethora of games, both in genre diversity and creativity standpoint, still hold up.
Hell, even the sound effect of the PS2 start-up is a classic compared to the generic starting of PS5.
How Do PS2 Games Compare To PS5 Titles?
The PS2 games may not be visually appealing to today’s PS5 gamers, but it’s not even close in gameplay. Implementing innovative game mechanics and excellent replay value, where unnecessary bloating wasn’t a thing, makes PS2 games far superior to PlayStation 5 ones.
You have instant classics like the fantastic first-party games like Ratchet and Clank, Jak and Daxter, as well as the Sly Cooper franchise. A host of PS2 JRPGs, Kingdom Hearts games, and even the excellent PS2 Spiderman and X-Men Legends games. Not to mention the classic fighting games, plus the mega-popular GTA games. There’s no end to the choices on PS2 games in comparison to PS5.
Is it Possible to Play PS2 Games on PS5?
Right then, getting into the meat of the matter, let’s answer the titular question. In short, the PS2 games directly cannot run on the PlayStation 5. If you own a PS2 disk and put it in the drive of your PS5, the game won’t run.
We know that’s a huge bummer for many gamers, especially the OG PS2 gamers. However, all is not lost. You see, there is a way to play the massive PS2 library of games on your PlayStation 5. There are a few caveats, but if you’re willing to swallow a few bitter pills, playing PS2 games on the PS5 is possible.
Another hard to digest revelation is that the PS2 games you get to play on PS5 are actually not downloadable. They’ll be only streamable. Basically, you can’t claim ownership, and if your internet is down, say goodbye to those games. Anyway, if you’re okay with those two things, let’s get into how you can get access to PS2 games.
How to Play the PS2 Games on the PS5?
Sony’s well aware of the feedback and demand for the classic catalog of games. For this purpose, PlayStation’s subscription service, the PlayStation Plus, received a massive revamp.
Alright, here’s what you need to do to play those excellent PS2 games on the PS5. We’ll break down each step to make it easier to follow:
1. Get A PlayStation Plus Premium Subscription
- After booting up your PS5, you must log in to your PSN account and purchase the PlayStation Plus Premium service. If you’re a user already with a PlayStation Plus Premium subscription, then ignore this first step.
- Once you locate the PlayStation Plus logo on the dashboard, select it, and head toward the Collection tab.
2. Select Your Favorite Game from the Classic Collection
- Next up, you can decide which game you want to play from the PS2 selection. Hover the cursor over your PS2 game of choice that you want to play on the PS5, and hit X.
- You’ll see the logo of the game you picked; select the Stream option, as you can’t purchase these games. You’re all set now.
3. Enjoy Your Game
- If you’ve gone through the steps properly, your game will begin. Enjoy playing till your heart’s content or when the timer runs out, as the roster of games changes every month.
Drawbacks of PS Plus Premium
Before we wrap things up, we need to disclose everything so readers can make an informed decision. PS Plus Premium is the genuine way of accessing the PS2 games. If you want a similar guide, we have one about playing PS3 games on PS5 through PlayStation Plus Premium you can check out.
Unfortunately, the fact that you can’t own classic games is a real bummer. Also, the games require a constant and fast internet connection to stream them. It can be a real problem if your internet in unreliable.
Oh and let’s not forget, the PS Plus Premium is expensive as hell, costing around a whooping 120$ a year, or 18$ a month. The cherry on top of is that you have no idea which games will stay in the classic collection, and which will get removed. It’s a race against the clock. Still, there’s always a chance policies can change to become pro-consumer, but we don’t recommend holding your breath.
Final Thoughts About Playing PS2 Games on PS5
And that’s a wrap, folks, we hope our guide has proven useful to our readers. There is a roundabout way to play your PS2 games on the PS5, but no direct methods. Let us know if you have any questions, and thoughts in the comments below about it.
Which PS2 games are you favorites that you love playing on the PS5? We eagerly await your responses. If you enjoy retro games like us, you’ll love to see our ranking of the best 32 game gear games of all time. Until next time, take care everyone, and happy gaming!
