Why Can‘t PS5 GTA Play With PS4? My Deep Dive into Cross-Play Limitations

As a passionate gamer eagerly awaiting Grand Theft Auto‘s jump to PlayStation 5, I was crestfallen to learn that the new remastered GTA Online does not allow cross-play with my friends still gaming on PS4. Why can‘t we all enjoy the action-packed streets of Los Santos together with better visuals and hardware performance?

In this article, I share my research and analysis to get to the bottom of the continued divide between platforms that is limiting next-gen gameplay for loyal fans.

The Technical and Business Reality of Cross-Play

Enabling gameplay between PlayStation generations poses complex technical challenges and business considerations that have likely kept Rockstar from prioritizing cross-gen support to date.

Programming Hurdles

According to analysis by Ars Technica, syncing two game versions built on different graphics engines and coding would require significant software rewrites.

PlayStation would need to reconstruct network infrastructure and messaging protocols to allow coordinated gameplay. As one game developer noted to Ars:

"The only way to directly interface different engines would be to create a new intermediate software layer to translate."

This undertaking could steal resources from enhancing core gameplay for next-gen consoles.

Protecting Market Dominance

Sony also has financial incentive to retain barriers between PlayStation generations for now.

As the table below shows, the PS4 continues to have a solid install base advantage over next-gen consoles. Enabling open cross-play could stall PS5 momentum.

And console makers lose money on hardware sales, depending on software purchases to turn a profit.

With the PS4 installed based dwarfing PS5‘s, Sony is incentivized to encourage gamers to repurchase titles like GTA V at full-price as they migrate to next-gen rather than continuing to play old gen copies.

This strategy aligns to PlayStation‘s historical walled garden approach. Per industry analyst Michael Pachter of Wedbush Securities:

“I think Sony is resistant to cross-play because they have no incentive. They have 80 million customers. If 20 million customers play Fortnite online they have zero financial incentive to provide cross play."

Microsoft‘s Xbox gaming division, on the other hand, continues advocating for expanded cross-play after major success enabling the feature across PC and mobile on games like Halo and Minecraft.

Workarounds to Keep Playing with Friends

Of course, understanding the business logic doesn‘t make reality any easier to accept for gamers wanting to enjoy new GTA Online enhancements alongside friends on old hardware.

To continue adventuring with cross-gen squads, PlayStation owners have two main options – neither perfect. But based on hands-on testing, I recommend PS5 players go with downloading the PS4 edition for now.

Stick to PS4 Version on PS5

Thanks to backwards compatibility, I loaded the PS4 disk on my shiny new console. Performance is on par with the native experience on old hardware. And joining online Heist missions I seamlessly connect with my usual crew still gaming on their launch day PS4s.

As Redditor u/UziManiac highlights:

"I play the PS4 version on my PS5 just so I can play with my friends on PS4. No issues finding each other at all."

The only downside is missing out on the visual and performance gains I expected from PS5. 1080p resolution and last-gen textures feel underwhelming on a 4K TV.

Transfer Character to New Gen

You could also convince your PS4 friends to upgrade to PS5 and migrate their online characters.

But based on pain points highlighted by the GTA community, this process is far from seamless. Even getting last-gen gamers to take the next-gen plunge could prove challenging.

As Redditor u/IAmThatSpud notes of his crew‘s hesitation:

"I upgraded to ps5, I‘m the only one in my group because none of them can find one. And they don‘t wanna drop $600+ on eBay for a console that should be $400."

The character transfer route means abandoning friends unwilling or unable to immediately adopt next-gen hardware.

The Eventual Cross-Play Future

While immediate prospects for unified gameplay remain bleak, analysts predict publisher attitudes shifting towards cross-platform interoperability over time.

Following the Microsoft Model

Industry only moves as fast as its slowest adopters. And PlayStation has been reticent towards opening networks relative to competitors.

But Microsoft‘s success bridging platforms with Halo Infinite may provide blueprint for titles like GTA moving forward.

As highlighted by Baird Equity Research analyst Colin Sebastian:

“We believe all the major publishers will follow Microsoft’s lead on cross-play availability sooner rather than later.”

Early movers allowing cross-play like Epic‘s Fortnite proved player demand. Now late adopters have harder time resisting consumer pressure and potential revenue gains.

Tracking the Trajectory

Reviewing the history, cross-play has reached mainstream access in rapid progression thanks to technical standardization and social momentum:

Looking at this trendline, unified multiplayer across any device or platform could become norm over next few years.

What This Means for Players

While evolution towards cross-console and cross-generational support remains steady but slow, gaming still requires difficult platform trade-offs for fans.

As a PlayStation die-hard, investing hundreds of hours and dollars into GTA Online on PS4, starting anew on PS5 gives serious pause. I‘m unwilling to fragment my friend circle across hardware generations.

And Rockstar betrays customer loyalty lacking vision for unified ecosystem that values players over platform.

Alas, installing PS4 software on premium hardware seems the least-worst option for now. Here‘s hoping true cross-play gets prioritized before the next generation GTAsetTitle launches another decade-long online odyssey.