Technologies

The Witcher 3’s Next-Gen Update: How to Upgrade PS4 Games to PS5 Versions

Geralt of Rivia’s Wild Hunt makes the generational leap.

This story is part of 12 Days of Tips, helping you make the most of your tech, home and health during the holiday season.

You can play most PlayStation 4 games on the PlayStation 5 thanks to the Sony console’s excellent backward compatibility feature. But a few publishers allow you to upgrade PS4 games to the PS5 versions for free. This lets you play with 4K dynamic resolution at 60 frames per second and delivers shorter loading times, making for a smoother gaming experience with less waiting around.

The most recent major title to get the upgrade treatment is the classic 2015 role-playing game The Witcher 3: The Wild Hunt, which added ray tracing and 60 frames per second performance modes (it’s also available for the Xbox Series X|S and PC versions). This came after developer CD Projekt Red announced a remake of the first game, and before TV prequel spinoff Blood Origin is due to hit Netflix on Dec. 25.

The developer’s other major game, Cyberpunk 2077, got its next-gen update earlier this year after stirring up controversy when it was released in 2020, due to major performance issues.

Getting to next-gen

The PS5 has been going in and out of stock at retailers since it launched in 2020. The digital-only model costs $400, and the one with a disc drive is $500.

Your game upgrades won’t happen automatically or through a typical game update, so it’s easy to accidentally keep playing the PS4 version of a game on your new PS5. You have to go to the game page on the PlayStation Network and choose to upgrade to the PS5 version. That’ll download the extra data needed for the next-gen features.

You can also upgrade to PS5 versions if you have a physical PS4 game, as long as you bought the PS5 with a disc drive. You’ll always need to use the PS4 disc to play the PS5 version; upgrading doesn’t get you a free digital copy of the game. You’ll still download the PS5 update from the PSN, but you won’t need a PS5-specific disc — your PS4 one will become an authenticator.

If you opted for the digital-only PS5 and have a disc, you’re out of luck. There are a few more limitations and caveats:

Some PS5 versions of current PS4 games aren’t out yet.
Next-gen versions will be bigger files, so they’ll take up more precious memory on the console’s SSD.
You’ll end up with a fresh list of trophies (each version’s list is separate).
A few games’ saves won’t transfer, and some require you to upload your save manually from the PS4 version before you can access it on PS5.
Some game upgrades are available only in cross-gen bundles or special editions.

First-party policy change

Sony initially said 2022 exclusive Horizon Forbidden West wouldn’t let you upgrade from the PS4 to the PS5 version for free unless you bought the more expensive Digital Deluxe, Collector’s or Regalla Edition. It later reversed course, saying anyone who bought the PS4 version would be entitled to a free PS5 upgrade.

However, PlayStation boss Jim Ryan also confirmed that upgrading future first-party games will come at a price.

«Moving forward, PlayStation first-party exclusive cross-gen titles (newly releasing on PS4 & PS5)-both digital and physical*-will offer a $10 digital upgrade option from PS4 to PS5,» he wrote a blog post. «This will apply to the next God of War and Gran Turismo 7, and any other exclusive cross-gen PS4 & PS5 title published by Sony Interactive Entertainment.»

Free upgrades you can get now

Assassin’s Creed Valhalla
Atelier Ryza 2
Borderlands 3
Bugsnax
Cyberpunk 2077 (PS4 save doesn’t transfer)
Dead by Daylight
Destiny 2
DIRT 5
Doom Eternal (save doesn’t transfer)
Far Cry 6
FIFA 21
Final Fantasy 7 Remake
Fortnite
Ghostrunner
Guilty Gear Strive
Hitman 3 (digital version only)
Horizon Forbidden West
Immortals Fenyx Rising
Kena: Bridge of Spirits
King Oddball
Little Nightmares 2
Madden NFL 21
Maneater
Marvel’s Avengers
Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales
Metro Exodus
Mortal Kombat 11
Nioh
No Man’s Sky
Outriders
Planet Coaster
Praey for the Gods
Resident Evil 2
Resident Evil 3
Resident Evil 7
Resident Evil Village
RIDE 4
Riders Republic
Sackboy: A Big Adventure
Star Wars: Jedi Fallen Order
The Pathless
The Elder Scrolls Online
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six: Siege
Watch Dogs Legion
WRC 9
Yakuza: Like a Dragon

Some upgrades will require you to pay or buy a specific (more expensive) version of the game:

Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War is upgradable only if you buy the $70 cross-gen bundle or the $90 Ultimate Edition. The PS5 version costs $70; the PS4 version is $60.
Death Stranding Director’s Cut costs $10 if you upgrade from the PS4 version.
Ghost of Tsushima Director’s Cut costs $30 if you upgrade from the original PS4 version.
Marvel’s Spider-Man Remastered is available only with the $70 Miles Morales Ultimate Edition. It’s not technically an upgrade, but you’ll be able to transfer your save from the PS4 version.

Technologies

Resident Evil Requiem Revealed, but Where’s Leon Kennedy?

The Resident Evil 9 trailer showed off a new character, but not the much-rumored return of Leon.

After a fake-out earlier in Summer Game Fest on Friday, Resident Evil Requiem, or Resident Evil 9, was shown for the first time.

The new title is the first mainline entry since Capcom released Resident Evil Village in 2021, and is rumored to feature series stalwart Leon Kennedy. In the trailer, the only person we saw was a character named Grace Ashcroft, who works for the FBI and appears to have ties to Raccoon City.

For the most hardcore Resident Evil fans, the name Ashcroft will ring a bell. Alyssa Ashcroft was one of the survivors of the online-only title, Resident Evil Outbreak for the PS2. Alyssa was a journalist who was trapped in Raccoon City during the events of Resident Evil 2, and she, along with other survivors, had to escape the city before it was destroyed.

Grace is Alyssa’s daughter, and in the trailer, she is going to visit the Remwood Hotel, where Alyssa was murdered. Later in the trailer, images from what appears to be the remnants of a destroyed Raccoon City are shown — including the police department from RE2 — so it appears Resident Evil 9 will return to where the series started.

Leon’s (rumored) return is a big deal for the series, which has made some of its best games with him in the starring role. He first showed up as a rookie cop in Resident Evil 2, which built on the original game’s success with more story and improved monsters and level design.

He showed up again in Resident Evil 4, which took the series in a new direction by introducing an over-the-shoulder perspective, instead of the usual static camera angles and tank controls. Leon was also one of several playable protagonists in Resident Evil 6, a game that seemed to forget about its survival horror roots. We mostly don’t talk about that one.

But the 2019 remake of Resident Evil 2 was an excellent return to form, bringing RE4’s gameplay and much better graphics to a fan-favorite entry. The RE4 remake was a similar success.

Resident Evil Requiem is set to drop Feb. 27, 2026, for PC, PS5 and Xbox Series consoles, but we’re hoping to get our hands on it this weekend. If you want to catch up on older Resident Evil games, Capcom is having a sale that includes basically all the games, including Village and the three remakes.

Technologies

The Switch 2 Is Here, and I’ve Scoured the Internet for Every Accessory Available Right Now

Technologies

T-Mobile’s Free Premium iPhone 16 Pro Deal Explained. Learn Exactly How It Works

Along with a free iPhone, you can get an extra $800 to pay off your old device.

If you’re starting a new cell phone plan, most major mobile carriers require a multiyear commitment so it’s a big decision you need to consider carefully. First, think about the plan and provider itself: What’s the best coverage in your area and how many lines do you want to add? Next, compare the best mobile phone plan deals to save yourself the most money

T-Mobile has some fantastic deals right now you can take advantage of that make it a pretty competitive pick — especially for Apple fans looking to upgrade.

T-Mobile’s incentives include free lines and streaming services but one huge highlight is the chance to snag the top-rated iPhone 16 Pro free. The language on some of these offers can be a little confusing so we’ve broken down how T-Mobile’s current deals work below. Note that there aren’t any set expirations for these offers so they could vanish at any moment. We wouldn’t wait too long if you’re hoping to take advantage of these savings.

Why these deals matter

You more or less need a phone with reliable coverage these days but costs can add up quickly. Whether you’re looking to upgrade your mobile device or shopping for the best family plans, these T-Mobile deals can help save you some serious cash each month.