The people who own a PlayStation 4 shouldn't expect to see PS5 games on the system, based on comments made by PlayStation boss Jim Ryan. Microsoft's strategy with the Xbox Series X has been all about promoting cross-generational play between its line of systems, yet Sony hasn't shown much interest in this idea for the PS5.

Sony has confirmed that the PlayStation 5 will be backward compatible with almost 4000 PS4 games, but nothing has been said about the other way around. There are many people who expect late PlayStation 4 games (like The Last of Us Part II and Ghost of Tsushima) to be ported to the PlayStation 5 in the form of definitive editions, and it's also expected that PlayStation 5 "exclusives" could be downgraded for the PlayStation 4, especially if the system doesn't sell well straight away.

PlayStation fans should expect a clear divide between the console generations with the upcoming system. PlayStation boss Jim Ryan recently spoke to GamesIndustry.biz about the PS5 and he stated that the experiences that the system will offer are meant to only be possible on that hardware. This means that fans shouldn't expect to see PS5 games on the PlayStation 4, as the hardware wouldn't be able to reflect the kind of experience that was intended.

"We have always said that we believe in generations. We believe that when you go to all the trouble of creating a next-gen console, that it should include features and benefits that the previous generation does not include. And that, in our view, people should make games that can make the most of those features. We do believe in generations, and whether it's the DualSense controller, whether it's the 3D audio, whether it's the multiple ways that the SSD can be used... we are thinking that it is time to give the PlayStation community something new, something different, that can really only be enjoyed on PS5."

The PlayStation strategy is in stark contrast to the one employed by Microsoft, but that could be a good thing. The Smart Delivery system of the Xbox One/Xbox Series X will be a selling point throughout the first few years of the console, but it offers fewer incentives to pick up an Xbox Series X at launch. Microsoft has already defended the Xbox Series X's lack of exclusives at launch, as that could be a major factor in fans waiting a year or two before picking up the system.

The fans are eagerly awaiting news of the PlayStation 5 and they won't have to suffer for much longer. A PS5 reveal event is due to happen next week, which will hopefully answer a lot of the lingering questions everyone still has about the system. There are rumors that Sony is enforcing PlayStation 5 compatibility with upcoming PlayStation 4 games, so the intention is to encourage people to invest in the new system to play its new games and experience the hardware, while still keeping as much access to the older library as possible.

The PlayStation 5 is due to be released during the 2020 holiday season.