If you’ve upgraded to a PS5 but still have friends stuck on PS4 who love grinding Overwatch matches, you’ve probably wondered can ps5 play overwatch with ps4 at least once. There’s nothing more frustrating than picking up a new console only to lose access to your regular group queues, especially when Overwatch’s fast-paced team gameplay is way more fun with people you know. We’ve tested cross-generation play across both the original Overwatch and current live version of the game to break down exactly what works, what doesn’t, and how to get your group running smoothly in minutes.
Can PS5 Play Overwatch with PS4? The Short Official Answer
The straight answer is yes, you absolutely can play Overwatch matches between PS5 and PS4 consoles without any extra paid subscriptions beyond your regular PlayStation Plus membership, if you’re playing online. Sony unlocked cross-generation play for all first-party and most third-party online games back when the PS5 launched, and Blizzard has fully supported the feature for Overwatch since the game’s next-gen console release. That means you don’t have to worry about being locked out of lobbies with your older-console friends just because you upgraded.
But there are a few small caveats you need to know before you queue up, mostly related to which version of the game you have installed on your PS5. If you accidentally install the PS5-native version of Overwatch, you might run into issues joining PS4 lobbies at first, but that’s an easy fix we’ll cover later. You don’t need to purchase a separate copy of Overwatch to play across PS4 and PS5 if you own a digital or physical copy of the game for PS4, so you won’t have to spend extra money just to play with your existing friend group.
How to Set Up Cross-Generation Overwatch Play Between PS5 and PS4
Setting up your group to play across PS4 and PS5 takes less than two minutes if you follow these simple steps, and you won’t have to adjust any complicated network settings for most home internet connections. First, make sure every player in your group has updated their Overwatch client to the latest live patch – out-of-date clients are the most common cause of cross-gen lobby errors. Then follow this step-by-step list for PS5 players specifically:
Why do you need to run the PS4 version on PS5? Because the native PS5 version of Overwatch runs on a separate server pool for next-gen only players, to preserve the higher frame rate and lower input lag benefits for people who want to play against other next-gen users. If you want to swap back to the PS5 native version later, just follow the same steps and select the PS5 option from the menu. You keep all your skins, progress, and rank across both versions of the game, so you don’t have to worry about losing anything when you swap between console versions.
Key Differences When Playing Overwatch Across PS5 and PS4
Even though you can play together seamlessly, there are a few noticeable differences between how the game runs on PS5 vs PS4 that you should be aware of before you queue for competitive matches. First, if you’re running the PS4 version of Overwatch on your PS5, you’ll still get a higher frame rate than native PS4 players, usually hitting 60fps consistently even in busy team fights, while PS4 players usually sit between 30 and 45fps depending on the map. Input lag is also significantly lower on PS5, even when running the PS4 version of the game, which can give you a small advantage in fast duels against Tracer or Genji players on PS4.
That said, Blizzard has disabled cross-gen play for high-skill competitive ranks above Master, to make sure no player has an unfair hardware advantage in high-stakes matches. If you or one of your friends is ranked Master or higher, you’ll only be able to play casual game modes, quick play, or arcade matches together. You also won’t be able to join custom games that are restricted to next-gen only consoles, but most public custom lobbies allow cross-gen players by default. Some players report occasional voice chat lag when playing across PS5 and PS4, but that’s usually fixed by leaving and re-joining the group chat, or resetting your router if the issue persists.
Common Cross-Gen Overwatch Play Issues and Fixes
Even with official support, you might run into a few small hiccups when playing across PS4 and PS5, but most of them have super simple fixes you can implement in 30 seconds or less. The most common issue is PS5 players getting an error message that says “unable to join lobby” when trying to connect to a PS4 group. That almost always means you’re running the native PS5 version of the game, so swapping to the PS4 version as we outlined earlier will fix it immediately. Another common issue is missing progress or skins when you swap between versions, but that’s usually because you’re logged into the wrong Battle.net account on your console. Double check that your linked Battle.net account is the same one you used on your PS4, and all your content will sync within a few minutes.
If you’re experiencing consistent lag during cross-gen matches, try turning off cross-play with other platforms like PC or Xbox in your Overwatch settings, as cross-platform connections can sometimes cause extra latency for console-only groups. The only issue that doesn’t have a quick fix is the rank lock for Master and above players – Blizzard has stated they have no plans to lift this lock for competitive play, as they want to keep high-rank matches as fair as possible for all players. If you want to climb ranked with your PS4 friends, you’ll need to make a new secondary account, but we don’t recommend that, as it ruins the match experience for lower-rank players who are still learning the game.
At the end of the day, if you were asking can ps5 play overwatch with ps4, you can rest easy knowing you won’t have to leave your old friend group behind just because you upgraded your console. The setup process is straightforward, the gameplay is almost identical for casual players, and the small drawbacks are easy to work around if you know what to expect. Next time you’re planning a group queue night, just make sure you have the right version of the game installed, and you’ll be scoring team kills and climbing quick play ranks with your friends in no time. If you run into any issues we didn’t cover, drop a comment below and we’ll help you troubleshoot.