New PlayStation Now Releases Only Include PS4 Versions, Not PS5 Upgrades

This month, PlayStation Now subscribers are able to play Borderlands 3 and Marvel's Avengers, but only the PlayStation 4 versions are available. While both of these games have received free upgrades on PlayStation 5, subscribers playing on PS5 cannot download the next-gen upgrades with the PS Now versions. Some had assumed this must be a mistake, but Push Square has received confirmation from Sony that players will have to purchase either of these games in order to enjoy the next-gen features. It's a baffling decision on PlayStation's part, and one that will likely lead to some frustration from PlayStation Now subscribers.

PlayStation Now does not include any PS5 games at the moment, which might be the reason for the issue. That said, it doesn't make much sense why the next-gen upgrades aren't available. Marvel's Avengers is available as part of the service through July and Borderlands 3 is available through September. It seems like it would make more sense to offer these upgrades to PS Now subscribers so they would have the opportunity to experience the games the way other PS5 owners can. It might even convince some to purchase the games when they leave the service!

While next-gen upgrades are a great perk for older games, they've also caused a few headaches for PS5 owners. The next-gen upgrade for Marvel's Avengers was accompanied by a frustrating save migration process, which received a lot of negative feedback from players. Similarly, Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War players seemed to have issues with the correct version of the game playing on their console. In the grand scheme of things, these are relatively minor issues, but they highlight just how needlessly complex things have been when it comes to next-gen upgrades on PS5. The PlayStation Now issue for Borderlands 3 and Marvel's Avengers is just another example.

Unfortunately, it seems like this is just something that PlayStation Now subscribers are going to have to accept. If subscribers do end up enjoying Marvel's Avengers or Borderlands 3, at least they know that they'll be able to play superior versions on PS5 should they decide to purchase them.

Are you frustrated that only the PS4 versions of these games are available? Should PS Now subscribers have access to the next-gen upgrades for both games? Let us know in the comments or share your thoughts directly on Twitter at @Marcdachamp to talk all things gaming!