Gaming

Can the PlayStation 4 play PlayStation 1 games?

You’re not going to like the answer.

by
Josiah Motley
October 10, 2019

playstation 4 on table playstation 1 games

Image: Unsplash

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The PlayStation 4 is a great console, full of awesome, memorable games, but past iterations of the console also had so many classics worth playing, including the system that started it all – the original PlayStation.

I mean, you had Tenchu, Final Fantasy VII, Twisted Metal, and many other great games that hold up to the test of time. Which begs the question:

Can the PlayStation 4 play PlayStation 1 games?

Short answer: No

I hate to tell you, but no, the PlayStation 4 is not compatible with your PlayStation 1 games. The backward compatibility functionality was not included with the PS4. It’s possible the PlayStation 5 will include the functionality, however.

If you are looking to enjoy some classic PlayStation 1 games, your options are limited:

The PlayStation Now service is a great way to play a bunch of awesome PS4, PS3, and PS2 games, but sadly no PS1 games are available through the subscription service.

You could buy a PlayStation 3, which is backward compatible with both PS2 and PS1 games. But make sure you are getting one of the first two releases on the PlayStation 3, as newer models do not include the functionality. The 20GB version is backwards compatible, as is the launch 60GB version. The Playstation 3 Slim will not play your older games. Another issue with this is that original models have become expensive to buy.

Another option is using a downloadable emulator or browser emulator to play classic PS1 games. This option isn’t recommended nor do we endorse it, but felt it important to include here.

So, there it is – no, the PlayStation 4 is not backward compatible with PlayStation 1 games. Sorry, friends.

Surprised that your PS4 can’t play PlayStation 3 games? Plan on trying out PlayStation Now? Let us know down below in the comments or carry the discussion over to our Twitter or Facebook.