PlayStation 5 Hack Stops Your Console Running Out Of Space
While the launch of the PlayStation 5 last December has largely gone without a hitch, that hasn't stopped the next-gen console from having a few teething problems along the way. As well as Sony struggling to keep up with demand - and sold out signs stocking windows and virtual storefronts around the world - the early days had problems with the PS5 randomly shutting down. Despite taking games into a whole new era, there have also been complaints the PS5 is lacking in the storage department.
With games getting increasingly chonky in download size (we're looking at you Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War), it's no secret that the PS5 is filling up too quickly. When comparing the PS5 to rival the Xbox Series X, Sony's offering is dwarfed by the storage capabilities of its Microsoft counterpart. Thankfully, PS5 players have discovered a handy hack that can hopefully squeeze out a little more storage from your console.
How does the PlayStation 5 storage hack work?
PSA: If you install from PlayStation phone app, double check it didn't install both ps4 & ps5 versions. from r/PS5
Posting on the official PS5 Reddit, u/DavidEdgrrr explained how some PlayStation 5's are missing out on valuable storage due to an annoying feature where games are being installed twice through the PlayStation app. In the PSA, the poster revealed how it's easy to install both the PS5 version of a game and the backward compatible PS4 version. While it's great news that you can play PS4 favourites like Ghost of Tsushima, God of War, and The Last of Us Part 2 on the PS5, you don't need to have both the PS4 and the PS5 version installed on your hard drive.
In the thread, the author said they'd deleted the PS4 versions of 2020 games including Crash Bandicoot 4: It's About Time and Yakuza: Like a Dragon, while still being able to play their souped-up PS5 versions. The issue is an annoying one considering most games bridge the gap between old and new. Although the PS4 is at the end of its life cycle, that doesn't mean Sony is ready to toss its current-gen console on the scrapheap just yet. Pretty much everything being released right now is cross-gen, with upcoming titles like God of War: Ragnarok also tipped to make the most of both systems.
Should you make the most of the PlayStation 5 storage hack?
Finding duplicates is relatively easy. Just head into your console's storage and find the game(s) you want to check. There will be either a PS4 or PS5 symbol by the side. Unless you want to flip between both versions to spot the difference, we'd suggest deleting the PS4 versions. Another perk of the hack is the compressed file size of next-gen games. Sony is clearly moving into a more compressed future, with the likes of Crash 4 taking up 45GB for its PS4 version and just 20GB for PS5. Sorry though, Black Ops Cold War is still going to take a sizeable chunk of your storage.
In terms of the future of PS5 storage, Sony's storage solution is hopefully just over the horizon. According to Bloomberg, the PS5 will finally embrace internal storage options this summer. Supporting additional drives also comes with a firmware update that will unlock higher cooling fan speeds to make sure your console doesn't overheat. With the PS5 stocking just 667GB of storage for game installs, it's great news we'll finally be able to lift the plastic cover and attach our own storage. Considering a 17GB Call of Duty: Warzone update required gamers to clear 100GB of storage, it's great news that a solution is on the way. In the meantime, make the most of the PlayStation 5 storage hack and make sure you delete those duplicates.
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