An experiment to see if a PlayStaion 5 game disc could be read by PlayStation 4 has not ended well. As a result, gamers with both systems are being warned not to try this at home as it will likely end in the same way or potentially worse.
The backwards compatibility capabilities of the PlayStation 5 have been a major selling point for Assassin's Creed: Valhalla is the same as a PS5 version, but that is not the case from a technical perspective.
did not function properly and the disc was briefly trapped.
Luckily, the PS4 has a manual eject screw on the bottom of the console, which can be used to eject ornery discs (or disc-shaped objects) lodged in the disc drive. Having to use it is never a preferable option, however, and it wouldn't be a surprise if PS5 discs stuck in an infinite read loop inside of a PS4 like PSU's could easily result in a damaged disc.
At first glance, this experiment may seem bizarre to attempt in the first place as it is pretty common knowledge that games made for newer consoles do not work on older ones even in the same console line. However, with all the hype surrounding the PS5's capability to play PS4 games as well as its ability to use save files from the previous generation, the experiment seems somewhat logical. The game will ultimately be the same no matter which generation a player chooses to experience it on. However the old laws of gaming still apply for physical copies and should be strictly followed to prevent damage to discs and systems alike. To echo the sentiments of PSU: it is not wise to put your physical PlayStation 5 discs into your PlayStation 4, even if the game has a PS4 version.
The PlayStation 5 is available now in select countries and will launch globally on November 19, 2020.
Source: PSU
