You just upgraded to a PS5, downloaded Overwatch 2, and all your old squad still plays on PS4. You’re probably wondering can PS5 Overwatch 2 play with PS4 without jumping through a dozen hoops. I’ve been in that exact spot last year when I got my PS5, and spent half an hour fumbling with settings before I could queue for a Quick Play match with my PS4-using roommate. This guide breaks down everything you need to know about cross-gen play between the two consoles, from setup steps to what you can expect from performance and matchmaking.
Can PS5 Overwatch 2 Play With PS4? The Short Answer
The short answer to can PS5 Overwatch 2 play with PS4 is a resounding yes, with no hidden paywalls or restrictions. Cross-gen play between PS5 and PS4 versions of Overwatch 2 is fully supported by Blizzard, no extra purchases or subscriptions required beyond your normal PlayStation Plus membership for online play. But there are a few small caveats you need to know first.
If you bought the Overwatch 2 Watchpoint Pack or any in-game skins on your PS4, they’ll carry over to your PS5 automatically as long as you’re logged into the same Battle.net and PlayStation Network accounts. You don’t have to buy the game twice to play on both consoles, either, since Overwatch 2 is free-to-play for all users. Cross-gen play works for all game modes, including Quick Play, Competitive, Arcade, and even the new Overwatch Rush limited-time modes.
How to Set Up Cross-Gen Play Between PS5 and PS4 Overwatch 2
Setting up cross-gen play is way simpler than most people think, but there are a couple of settings you need to double-check first to avoid connection errors. I’ve walked three of my friends through this process in the last month, so these steps are tried and tested. First, make sure both you and your friend are logged into the correct Battle.net accounts linked to your PlayStation profiles. If you made a new Battle.net account for your PS5, you won’t be able to see your PS4 friends who are on your old account, so double-check that first.
Next, confirm that crossplay is enabled in your in-game settings using these steps:
Once those settings are turned on, you can add your friend either through their PlayStation Network ID or their Battle.net tag, and send a group invite directly. If you still can’t see your friend in your friends list, make sure both of you have updated Overwatch 2 to the latest patch version — outdated game files are the most common cause of cross-gen connection issues. You don’t need to change any PlayStation system settings to enable cross-gen play, all controls are located directly in the Overwatch 2 in-game menu. Once you complete these steps, you’ll be able to answer can PS5 Overwatch 2 play with PS4 with a confident yes as you queue for your first match together.
Key Differences Between PS5 and PS4 Overwatch 2 When Playing Together
Even though you can play together seamlessly, there are a few noticeable differences between the PS5 and PS4 versions of the game that might impact your experience. First, performance: The PS5 version of Overwatch 2 runs at a smooth 120 frames per second at 4K resolution if you have a compatible TV, while the PS4 version caps at 60 FPS at 1080p for the base model, and 60 FPS at 1440p for the PS4 Pro. These performance differences don’t give PS5 players an unfair advantage in competitive play, though, since Blizzard balances matchmaking to account for hardware differences as much as possible.
You might also notice faster load times on PS5, so you’ll get into the match a few seconds earlier than your PS4 teammates, but that’s the only real functional difference during gameplay. Another thing to note: If you’re playing the PS4 version of Overwatch 2 on your PS5 via backward compatibility, you won’t get access to the PS5-exclusive performance features, and you’ll be playing the same version as your PS4 friends. I made that mistake the first week I had my PS5, and couldn’t figure out why my game was running at 60 FPS instead of 120 until I realized I downloaded the wrong version. If you want the full PS5 experience, make sure you download the native PS5 version of Overwatch 2 from the PlayStation Store, not the backward compatible PS4 version.
Common Cross-Gen Play Issues and How to Fix Them
Even with the correct settings, you might run into a few small issues when playing with friends across PS5 and PS4. I’ve encountered most of these myself, so these fixes work 9 times out of 10. First, if you can’t send or receive group invites, the most common fix is to restart your game and your console. Temporary server glitches often block invites, and a quick restart usually clears that up. If that doesn’t work, check if your PlayStation Network status is online, and make sure Blizzard’s Overwatch 2 servers are not down for maintenance.
Another common issue is being put in separate matches even when you’re in the same group. That usually happens if one of you has a much higher or lower competitive rank than the rest of the group, or if you have different game mode filters selected. Make sure all group members have the same game modes selected in their quick play or competitive filters to avoid being split up during matchmaking. If you’re experiencing lag when playing cross-gen, try connecting your console to the internet via an ethernet cable instead of Wi-Fi. Cross-gen play uses a tiny bit more bandwidth than same-console play, so a wired connection will eliminate most lag spikes and connection drops.
At the end of the day, you don’t have to worry about missing out on playing with your old squad just because you upgraded your console. We’ve confirmed that can PS5 Overwatch 2 play with PS4 with zero major barriers, as long as you have your crossplay settings enabled and you’re all on updated game versions. Next time you log on, send your friends an invite, queue up for a match of Overwatch Rush, and don’t forget to tease your PS4 friends about your faster load times if you’re on PS5. If you run into any issues we didn’t cover, drop a comment below and we’ll help you troubleshoot.