PS5 Share Play Now Lets PS4 Players Join In On the Fun

Share Play has gotten a serious upgrade that allows PS4 and PS5 gamers to play together over the Internet.


Published: June 16, 2021 2:10 PM /

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PS5 Share Play PS4 cross-gen cover

The PS4 and PS5 Share Play feature has been upgraded to allow the two console generations to play together over the Internet — that is, of course, as long as both parties have PlayStation Plus.

"Share Play" is a feature that debuted for the PS4 back in the mid-2010s. It was a pretty novel idea at the time: you could let any of your online friends watch you playing a game (or vice versa) and you could even let them take over your gameplay (or join you in local multiplayer). Now, this feature has been upgraded to allow gamers on PS5 and PS4 to play together across console generations.

PS5 Share Play PS4 cross-gen slice

How PS4 and PS5 Share Play Works Across Console Generations

PS4 and PS5 Share Play works pretty much like it already did with the PlayStation 4: either party can watch the other's screen (and join in on the fun) as long as both players have an active PlayStation Plus membership.

"PS5 and PS4 players can now Share Play together," read a tweet from PlayStation support. "Use Share Play to let a friend watch your gameplay, or even pass controllers virtually so they can try the game out."

As the Share Play support page notes, Share Play sessions are limited to 60 minutes at a time. (You can simply start a brand new session right away if you're having fun.) The key thing changing in this new update is the breaking down of barriers between console generations.

Share Play isn't perfect, mind; the support page warns that some game elements may not work perfectly. What this does mean, however, is that you might want to give a call to that lucky friend of yours who managed to buy a PlayStation 5 — you might just be able to finally play the console for a bit, albeit virtually.

What do you think of this upgrade to PS4 and PS5 Share Play? Do you think the time limit on the Share Play feature should be increased or removed altogether? Let us know in the comments below!

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A photograph of TechRaptor Senior Writer Robert N. Adams.
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One of my earliest memories is playing Super Mario Bros. on the Nintendo Entertainment System. I've had a controller in my hand since I was 4 and I… More about Robert N