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There have been many awesome PlayStation-exclusive games released throughout the years, with more coming in 2023. For those of us that are curious, can we play PS4/ PS5 disc games when inserted into a computer’s disc drive?
No, we can’t play PS4/ PS5 disc games on the computer. PlayStation game discs are created in a format that is specifically designed for their gaming consoles, both the PS4 and PS5 respectively.
Unlike console games, PC games need to be installed onto the computer first, before we can play them accordingly. This is why a large storage drive is more important to a gaming PC than its console alternatives, among other reasons why a gaming computer costs more than a video game console.
So, if we’ve bought a PS4/ PS5 game disc but have yet to purchase a PS4/ PS5 console, then we will need to either buy one right away or repurchase the same game for a PC instead. That’s why it’s recommended that we stick to a particular gaming platform before buying our favorite games.
Still, almost every major console game will eventually find its way to PC, either on release day or subsequent ports in the future. In my opinion, gaming on a PC is a much safer investment in the long run.
Can a PC Read a PS4/ PS5 Disc?
Even though a computer isn’t capable of running a PS4/ PS5 game disc, can it recognize the contents that are inside it?
No, a PC can’t read the contents of a PS4/ PS5 game disc. Regardless of how many times we put the disc inside the disc drive, nothing will be shown on the computer.
Here’s Final Jam Gaming’s demonstration of a PS4 game disc being inserted into a laptop:
This might be attributed to PS4/ PS5 game discs being in the form of Blu-Ray, something that isn’t supported by PCs, even today. Physical game copies continue to be released in DVD format for computers, and that might be the primary reason why PS4/ PS5 discs can’t be read on PCs.
Noting the cheaper costs of DVDs, this benefits us PC gamers because many of us prefer playing our games without needing to be connected to the Internet constantly.
Although this isn’t the same for online-only games, like Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn, it can be quite a hassle for PS4/ PS5 owners who have the disc version of their consoles, requiring both the disc and Internet connection to play multiplayer games.
What Happens When I Put a PS4/ PS5 Disc Inside a PC?
What would happen if we proceed to put a PS4/ PS5 game disc inside a computer?
Well, the PS4/ PS5 disc will be ejected after the PC fails to read it. This probably occurs because the computer can’t identify what’s inserted inside the disc drive, prompting it to remove the disc after failing to scan it for a while.
This is shown by spllitz here despite owning a supremely powerful gaming machine:
Don’t take his gaming rig as a benchmark to play games, though, because not every PC game requires a beastly gaming PC to play them. This is purely for demonstration purposes, proving that even the most high-end computers can’t read PS4/ PS5 discs, no matter what we do.
In the end, if we want to play physical copies of PS4/ PS5 games, we might as well buy the corresponding gaming console instead. We can opt for the digital version too, downloading the games via the Internet, which usually takes less time than doing so for PC games.
It might also be best to play PS4/ PS5 games on their consoles because subsequent PC ports tend to be unoptimized, such is the case for The Last of Us Part I. At least, that’s the impression that I get, most of the time.
Is it Possible to Play PS4/ PS5 Games on PC?
Since physical copies of PS4/ PS5 games can’t be run on PC, can we still play PS4/ PS5 games on the computer?
Yes, we can still play PS4/ PS5 games on PC by way of the PlayStation Plus Premium subscription (only available in selected regions). We will be streaming the PS4/ PS5 games through cloud servers, just like how Xbox Game Pass’s cloud gaming works.
As shared by ETA PRIME, even the most basic laptops can run PS4/ PS5 games using this method:
Still, for those looking to play classic PS2 games, the only alternative right now is to do so by installing emulators on the computer. The same can be said for PS Vita games too, for those that are thinking about it.
One advantage of playing PS4/ PS5 games through PlayStation Plus is the official support for the DualShock 4/ DualSense controller’s ‘rumble’ effect, something that is somewhat lacking on PC.
That being said, cloud gaming/ streaming does have its drawbacks as well, most notably its dependency on a speedy and stable Internet connection. This might not be possible for some of us around the world, justifying why the cloud gaming feature isn’t available for PlayStation Plus packages in certain countries.
How Do I Play PS4/ PS5 Games on PC?
As mentioned earlier, to play PS4/ PS5 games on PC, we need to have:
- A PlayStation Plus Premium account (only available in certain regions)
- A stable and fast Internet connection (minimum 5 Mbps, according to PlayStation’s support page)
- A PlayStation-compatible gamepad
Once we have everything that’s required, the overall process is straightforward:
- Launch the PlayStation Plus app on PC.
- Choose the preferred PS4/ PS5 game to play (stream via cloud servers).
- Enjoy!
Zach Davin prepared a robust video covering this, so it might be useful:
On the other hand, PS4 emulations exist too, but the setup process can be a bit more complex and risky. Nevertheless, if anyone’s looking for one, here’s Mr. Sujano’s proposed solution:
Since we can now play current-gen PS games on our PCs, it might be time for us to consider buying the latest DualSense controller to play them, which is usable with PC games as well. It can even last for a long time too, considering that next-gen PC games might still support it, in the next few years.
By streaming games using PlayStation Plus, we save up our computer’s internal memory by utilizing cloud saves instead, similar to Xbox’s proven PC Game Pass. Ideally, this makes playing games much more convenient on the PC, in my view.
