New reports indicate that multiple live service game developers could stop supporting the PlayStation 4 in 2026. While this change would not be entirely surprising, considering that the PS5 was released five years ago, this will certainly feel like a bloodbath to PS4 owners if it does happen.
The PlayStation 4 was released in 2013, and it sold over 117 million units as of 2022, becoming the second best-selling Sony console, behind only the PS2. However, as the years since the PS5’s release passed, the newer console sold over 80.2 million units, reaching a wide audience. Earlier this year, it was revealed that the PS5 currently has more active players than the PS4.
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Multiple Developers Could Stop Supporting PS4 in 2026
Now, a new report from GamesIndustry.biz has painted a possible grim future for the once-popular PS4. While the report is mostly focused on PlayStation’s place in the game industry, it does signal that many "operators of major online and live service titles" are "eyeing up the timeline for dropping PS4 support.” The report comes on the heels of HoyoVerse’s decision to end support for Genshin Impact on PS4. At the time, HoyoVerse explained that technical concerns such as the slow hard drive of the PS4 made it difficult to run Genshin Impact as the game got larger, and install bases on new consoles are getting larger than ever.
Despite these indications, it’s still too early to tell for sure how big the impact will be, as the reports do not name any companies that will stop offering live service games on the PS4. Popular live service titles such as Fortnite and Call of Duty are still available on PS4 at the time of this report, for example.
However, the signs of major companies finally abandoning the PS4 are already visible. Grand Theft Auto 6 will only be available on PS5 and Xbox Series X/S, which will lock many gamers out of its rumored online mode. It’s not known how long the current GTA Online will be maintained, too, as keeping both services active could cannibalize the user base of the new game.
Another noteworthy game to skip on the PS4 is the upcoming Battlefield 6. Battlefield 6 promises to be one of the biggest shooters of 2025, and it’s significant that EA decided to skip last-gen consoles for its release. In any case, time will tell if 2026 will really mark the year that major live service games move away from the PS4.
- Brand
- Sony
- Original Release Date
- November 15, 2013
- Original MSRP (USD)
- $399.99, €399.99, £349.99
- Operating System
- Orbis OS
- Processor
- Semi-custom 8-core AMD x86-64 Jaguar APU
- Resolution
- 480p - 4K UHD