Let’s face it—it’s time to retire the PlayStation 4. This 12-year-old console is on the verge of exploding if you try to run the next Unreal Engine 5 title. It simply can’t handle these games anymore. It deserves to rest.
For the past few months, more and more developers have explicitly told their consumers that they’re gradually ending support for the PlayStation 4 due to the technical limitations of modern video game standards.
This is especially true for major titles like The First Descendant, Nexon’s live-service looter shooter. Nexon recently announced that it is officially ending support for the PlayStation 4. Future updates will introduce more demanding content that could push the aging console beyond its limits.
However, thanks to cross-save functionality, they reassured PS4 players that they could transfer their data to other platforms, such as PC and PlayStation 5.
Many developers have also discontinued post-launch support for PS4 titles, even when the base game runs (barely) on the console. For example, Cyberpunk 2077’s Phantom Liberty expansion never made it to last-gen hardware because the PlayStation 4 couldn’t handle the seamless loading times and the condensed open world of Dogtown. It was also CD Projekt Red’s way of subtly pulling the plug on PS4 support, acknowledging that the system can no longer keep up with modern gaming demands. (Which ultimately caused the disaster of Cyberpunk 2077’s launch).
Some existing games are still playable on the PS4, but their performance is steadily deteriorating. Take Blizzard’s Diablo IV on a base PS4—players on the Diablo IV subreddit have reported frequent crashes, game-breaking bugs, and an overall frustrating experience that hampers their dungeon-crawling RPG sessions.
Even Sony has started distancing itself from the PlayStation 4. The company recently announced that PlayStation Plus Essential will no longer offer exclusive new titles for PS4.
That means PlayStation Plus subscribers on PS4 won’t receive free monthly games anymore, leaving them essentially paying just to maintain online multiplayer access.
It’s only a matter of time before more games pull the plug on this aging platform. Even 2K’s upcoming WWE 2K25 won’t include the new explorable hub Island Mode on PS4 due to technical constraints—disappointing news for WWE fans still holding onto the console.
Worst-case scenario for FPS enthusiasts? Titles like Warzone may soon follow suit, especially if Activision takes an approach similar to Ubisoft’s Rainbow Six Siege X, which completely drops support for old-gen consoles.
Let’s be honest—it’s time to acknowledge that the PlayStation 4 is now a retro console that simply can’t keep up with modern gaming. It’s time to move on and let it rest. Start saving for that PlayStation 5. And if that’s not an option right now, don’t worry—PS4 classics will always be timeless. (And at least it still has Bloodborne.)
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