It is confirmed Spider-Man: Remastered and Yakuza: Like a Dragon will not feature cross-saves between PlayStation 4 and PlayStation5. This decision discourages gamers who plan to upgrade to the newest system, but do not want to restart their game progress. It's still too early to know for sure if cross-gen saving will be the norm for new releases, or if technical issues may prevent it.
With games like Yakuza: Like a Dragon releasing only four months from the PS5 launch, some wonder whether the lack of cross-save will hinder sales. Marvel fans have already expressed disappointment with Spider-Man: Remastered's choice to not include the feature. Veteran players of the hugely popular superhero game have criticized the decision, calling it lazy and greedy.
Many gamers suspect it is a marketing strategy to rope fans into purchasing the Ultimate Edition of Spider-Man: Miles Morales, which comes bundled with the remastered game. After all, previous save progress will be lost anyway. Whether the motive to not include cross-save is technical or the result of a more sinister strategy, it's not a good look for games that have chosen to abandon the feature.
To Cross-Save or Not Cross-Save, That Is The Question
Now, PlayStation fans have a serious dilemma. Consumers may not want to purchase games like Yakuza: Like a Dragon for the PS4, knowing that a PS5 upgrade entails starting from scratch. So, that means waiting for the game on PS5 to prevent losing their save file.
Although a reasonable solution, it poses a particular problem for players who want to experience new releases but cannot get the next-gen console upon release, due to financial constraints or other factors. Sure, a free upgrade is available, but the possible frustration from losing hard-earned progress may hamper replayability on the PS5.
The New Norm
It is still too early to tell if including cross-gen saves will be the norm for PlayStation. However, at time of writing, the trend suggests the opposite. Maneater is another title offering a free PS5 upgrade that does not include cross-save capability. In Maneater's case, the upgrade is a separate application, which means trophies, stats and saves will not transfer.
Before players panic, not all hope is lost. The decision to include cross-save support does not seem to be a Sony choice, but a developer one. James Stevenson, the director at Insomniac Games, confirmed cross-save ability for the upcoming Spider-Man: Miles Morales game. This announcement is interesting, considering Spider-Man: Remastered won't support the feature. However, it highlights the possibility of cross-gen technical limitations.
What Now?
The lack of cross-gen save in new releases has sparked outrage within the PlayStation community. One of the biggest appeals of the PlayStation 5 is the revival of cross-generation play. For most Sony fans, the assumption was cross-gen play meant cross-gen saving. Recent news has proved this is not always the case. It is a frustrating realization that sends some into flashbacks of the previous PlayStation consoles cross-gen complications.
Not having the cross-save feature won't be a big issue, depending on the grind and replayability factor of some titles. However, players who prefer games like Spider-Man: Remastered have a lot more to lose. For most gamers, the decision to purchase new releases without cross-save capability will be a case-by-case scenario. The choice is theirs: Wait for the title on PS5 or play it on PS4, minus the next-gen console's updated tech and graphics.