One of the best and most convenient features of many consoles today is the ability to download games to the console. Not only do digital game downloads allow you to get games without having to go to the store or order them online, but there are often sales to take advantage of.
The PlayStation 5, Sony’s latest video game console, has a solid state drive (SSD) that allows it to download games. However, there are two types of PS5s available: the disc version and the discless version. Since you cannot use disc-based games on the discless version, does this mean that you cannot download games on the disc version?
Can You Download Games on PS5 Disc Version?
Despite the discless limitation, the disc version of the PS5 is capable of downloading digital games to it. Both versions have an SSD, each with 825GB of storage (though not all of it is usable).
So the answer is yes, you can definitely download games if you own a Disc version of the PS5. The disc-based version of the PS5 is basically the better choice in every way. The discless version is roughly the same size and shape as well, with the only major visual difference being the lack of a disc drive on the front of the PS5.
Why would you even buy the discless PS5 if the disc-based version does everything it can do (and more)? Well, the advantage of discless is the price. In the US, the digital edition costs $400, and the disc-based one costs $500 (though with scalpers, good luck finding it at MSRP). Additionally, the discless PS5 weighs about 1.1 pounds less, making it easier to move when you need to move it.
A wide variety of video games can be downloaded on your PS5, including most games that are released at retail. There are many more games available on the PlayStation Store than you can find at retail.
Can you download a game by installing it from a disc?
If you are a big fan of your games being digital, you may be wondering whether it is possible to insert a PS5 game disc and install its contents to the SSD. Unfortunately, it is not possible to play a PS5 disc by installing it, meaning that you will need to have the game in the disc drive to play it. This also means that you cannot use a roundabout way to make a disc-based game to work on a discless PS5.
Can you download PS4 games on the disc-only PS5?
While you can download PS5 games to your PS5, it begs the question: can you also download PS4 games on a disc-only PS5? The PS5 is backwards compatible with the PS4, allowing you to not only play your physical PS4 games, but also download digital PS4 games from your library to your PS5’s hard drive. Additionally, you can purchase PS4 games on the PlayStation Store on your PS5.
Are there any PS5 games that are digital only?
Digital games on consoles actually go back quite a ways, although they did not enter the mainstream for decades after their advent. For instance, even the Atari 2600 had the ability to download games using a special cartridge. However, the first major example of this was the original Xbox, which all following major consoles emulated, starting with the PlayStation 3 and Wii for Sony and Nintendo respectively.
On the PS5, many games are only playable digitally, much more than there are physical-only games. Some of these digital games may eventually go on to receive physical releases through publishers such as Limited Run Games. Additionally, there are some PS1, PS2, PS3, and PS4 games that can only possibly be played digitally on your PS5, and many may require you to first have a subscription to Sony’s PlayStation Plus service. The PS+ service has different tiers, each which provides more content than the others.
Why can’t I download games on the disc version of the PS5?
If you are unable to download games to a disc-based PS5, there are multiple things that could be causing this problem. The most common problem is that your Internet connection is not working. Check to see that the password is correct. If you recently changed your Wi-Fi router’s password, you will have to update it on your PS5 as well.
If the network information is correct, your Internet may be experiencing issues. Go to your Wi-Fi router and unplug it to begin a power cycle. Wait a few seconds, and then plug it back in. If your Internet service provider is experiencing issues, then the only thing you can do is wait until the issues are resolved (or, at best, inform them that there is a problem).
Another problem may be that your PS5’s drive is too full to download any more digital games. The PS5 is capable of having only so many games downloaded to it at once, and since PS5 games are so large, it is not difficult for the drive to fill up quickly. In this case, you either have to delete certain content in order to make room, or you need to expand the size of your solid state drive (SSD) by swapping it out for one with a larger capacity.
Another solution would be to use an external storage device. For example, you can attach an external hard or solid state drive to your PS5 using a USB port to have an easy method of upgrading your storage capacity. Additionally, you can add a USB flash drive to your PS5. A USB flash drive or an external hard drive will have slower performance than the SSD included with the PS5, so try to install the games you care about on the SSD before you download any to either of the secondary storage solutions.
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