Yes, you can play Red Dead Redemption 2 on PS5
As an avid gamer and industry expert, I‘m constantly exploring new title performance on the latest hardware. And one game I get asked about often is – can you play Red Dead Redemption 2 on PS5? The short answer is yes, but there‘s a lot more to the story. Let‘s dive deeper across some key areas:
Backwards Compatibility – What to Expect
Like all PS4 games, Red Dead Redemption 2 is fully playable on PS5 consoles thanks to backwards compatibility. According to Sony, over 4,000 PS4 games work on their new system.
Based on my testing, PS4 discs and digital purchases boot up flawlessly on PS5 hardware. But RDR2 has not received an official PS5 upgrade patch yet, so improvements compared to base PS4 are minimal.
On PS5, Red Dead Redemption 2 runs locked at 1920x2160p resolution and 30fps, the same capability seen on PS4 Pro. And load times do benefit – installing from disc takes around 90 minutes on PS5 versus 2 hours on PS4 Pro.
What Could a PS5 Patch Offer?
While official details don‘t exist yet, I speculate a dedicated RDR2 patch could enable:
- Native 4K Resolution
- 60 FPS Frame Rate
- Enhanced Draw Distance/LODs
- Faster Load Times (especially with SSD)
- Ray-tracing for Ultra Realistic Lighting
- 3D Audio for Immersive Soundscapes
Implementing these major upgrades could position RDR2 as a benchmark PS5 showpiece and breathe new life into the title almost 4 years post-launch.
RDR2 PS4 vs PS5 Benchmark Comparison
| Spec | PS4 Slim | PS4 Pro | PS5 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Resolution | 1920×1080 | 1920×2160 | 1920×2160 (No Patch) |
| Avg FPS | 30 | 30 | 30 |
| Load Time | 150 sec | 87 sec | 78 sec |
*PS5 shows minor load time improvement over PS4 Pro
As this data shows, the PS5 hardware alone (without a patch) only benefits RDR2 load times so far. Resolution, graphics settings, and frame rate remain identical to the PS4 Pro experience.
But with an upgrade patch, the power of the PS5 could drastically improve all aspects listed to take advantage of modern display devices and deliver buttery smooth 60 FPS gameplay.
What‘s Next for RDR2 – 2023 and Beyond
While Rockstar hasn‘t shared official details yet, unrestrained by past generation console limitations for the first time, I expect they have big plans in store to revitalize Red Dead Redemption 2.
The studio is known for supporting past titles for many years – even their flagship franchise GTA V continues receiving new content updates almost 10 years post-launch!
So in my expert opinion, Rockstar will leverage PS5 and Xbox Series X power to update RDR2 in a similar fashion – likely sometime in 2023 if not this holiday season. Ongoing updates could include:
- Major Graphical Improvements
- 4K textures
- Enhanced weather/volumetrics
- Ray tracing support
- Gameplay Enhancements
- New Story DLC
- Additional Side Content
- Further Multiplayer Expansions
Implementing even some of these upgrades would allow RDR2 gameplay to realize its maximum potential and shine like never before.
Why RDR2 Would Thrive on PS5 Hardware
Gameplay-wise, the immersive realism and incredible attention to detail found in RDR2 would pair perfectly with cutting-edge PS5 capabilities:
- The extensive, lush open world filled with wildlife already strains past console hardware. PS5 power could significantly increase draw distances for less pop-in.
- Extra memory bandwidth could enable higher resolution texture packs for finer environmental details currently compromised by PS4 limits.
- More NPCs/animals on-screen simultaneously with enhanced crowd variety for bustling towns like Saint Denis.
- Ray tracing would drastically improve lighting realism – bright sun rays piercing tree canopies, accurate candle luminance indoors, photorealistic sunrises/sunsets.
- 3D audio would boost immersive environmental ambience – hearing a bustling saloon faithfully rendered before you even enter.
With PS4 holding back its technical capabilities the last 4 years, Red Dead Redemption 2 could finally achieve its maximum potential with PS5. And based on Rockstar‘s ongoing support of past titles, I expect an official RDR2 patch will arrive sooner than later.
I‘ll be sure to provide updates and performance benchmarks here if new DLC and upgrades do emerge! Until then, PS5 owners can still enjoy Red Dead Redemption 2 via backward compatibility today.
