Playing my old games on a new PS4

December 21, 2018 8:25 AM

We're getting a second PS4. Can I use play games on the new console that we bought for the first console, without having to repurchase?

Westwood Jr. and myself have been sharing a PS4. "Sharing" in the sense that he's the main user and I occasionally have a mess around on it. Now I'd like to waste some time on the console, mainly in Red Dead Redemption 2 and PS VR, but maybe in some other games too.

We've got RDR2 and GTA5 on physical disk. I've purchased Superhot VR as a download from the PlayStation Store.

Me and Westwood Jr. each have our own account.

Can I buy a new PS4 and use the above games without having to purchase them again? Are they locked to the old PS4 in some way?

posted by Beverley Westwood to Technology (4 answers total)

Best answer: Once you login to your PSN account on the new console, you'll be able to go into the store and download anything you'd previously bought on the same account. Anything on disk will work on the new PS4 as well - those aren't linked to specific accounts.
posted by augustimagination at 8:55 AM on December 21, 2018

I'm on PC and my Switch and outside of my old Vita (which is too often neglected), I don't really have much insight into the way that Playstation locks games to consoles.

This article may be helpful, though it is from a few months back, I think the information should be relevant.

• PS4: How Digital Sharing Works [IGN]

“Registering your PS4 as your primary system will allow other users who play on the same console with different accounts access to any games you've downloaded without you having to log in. Additionally, if you have PS Plus and register a PS4 as your primary console, then every account that plays on that system will be able to make use of certain benefits like online multiplayer even without their own PS Plus subscription.

If you want to play on another PS4 that isn't your primary console, you can download any game you've bought on the PS Store as long as you sign into PSN. Only you'll be able to start the games you've downloaded, and you can only be logged into two consoles at any one time: your primary PS4 and one other secondary one (like a friend's). The good news is there's no limit on the number of systems you can download your games to. You have to be logged in in order to play, but from the sounds of things this means you can share digital games with as many mates as you like, though only one of these secondary consoles will be able to play a title at any given time and you'll have to tell them your password so they can log in.”

posted by Fizz at 8:55 AM on December 21, 2018 [1 favorite]

Fizz's answer is 100% correct. This applies to Xbox as well if anyone had that question.

The tl;dr:
1. Each account has a "Home PS4" all games bought via this account are ALWAYS playable. Home PS4 is transferrable.
2. If Account A bought a game, that game is playable by all if Account A is signed in at the moment.

Additionally, your game saves should be in the cloud and transfer over if you have a PS+ subscription.
posted by OnTheLastCastle at 9:55 AM on December 21, 2018 [1 favorite]

The discs aren't locked at all, though any purchased DLC for them will be
posted by GCU Sweet and Full of Grace at 5:27 PM on December 21, 2018