The next console generation is finally here with theXbox Series XandPS5having launched in the fall/winter season of 2020. The launch of a new cycle of course means, though, that the current generation is almost over. The PS4, in particular, has enjoyed a strong lifespan; its combination of incredible exclusives, such asGod of War,Marvel’s Spider-Man, andBloodborne, and strong marketing helped it sell very well over the last seven years.
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One of the system’s faults, though, is its lack of backward-compatibility. Sure, remasters (likeThe Last of Us RemasteredandUncharted: The Nathan Drake Collection)have helped bridge this gap, but there are still several games that have no reason not to be on the PS4 and now the PS5. Here’s 15 we hope to see before the console goes gently into that good night.
Updated on July 26, 2025 by Juliet Childers:The PlaySation 3 definitely wasn’t as much of a literal game-changer as itspreceding console. But the improved hardware capabilities produced better fidelity for some of the pretty choice games that debuted on the system. Unfortunately, onlyDemon’s SoulsandMass Effectgames have received remasters for console (released or announced). Other games like the originalRed Dead Redemptionare simply hanging in PS3 limbo. With the dissolution of thePSP, PS Vita, and PS3 stores, these remasters must be on the horizon….right?
15Metal Gear Solid Legacy Collection
This one might be cheating a bit considering it’s actuallyseveralgames rolled into one, but that doesn’t diminish the fact that there’s a severeMetal Geardrought on the PS4. TheMetal Gear Solid Legacy Collectioncontains every mainline game up toMetal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots.
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Having these games in concert withMetal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Painand, uh,Metal Gear Survive,would be a great experience. Gamers would finally be able to chart the saga of Big Boss and Solid Snake from their respective beginnings all the way to its end all on one console in a crisp 1080p.
14Portal 2
Portal 2is often rightly regarded as one of the best games of its generation. The mind-bending sequel to one of Valve’s biggest hits boasts a fun story, wonderful puzzles, and J.K. Simmons. So why hasn’t it been ported to PS4 by now?
Online infrastructure has only improved since its release in 2011, which could breathe new life into its great co-op mode, and its single-player campaign still holds up after all these years. Obviously, they’ve got a lot on their mind with the PS5, but maybe it’s time for Sony to start thinking with portals.
13Mass Effect Trilogy (REMASTERED)
Despite their best intentions, no:Mass Effect: Andromedais not the substitute for having theMass Effect Collectionon PS4 Bioware probably hoped it was. TheMass Effecttrilogy has such a hold on the gaming zeitgeist, and it’s a shame current PS4 owners don’t have the chance to play it on that console.
A fresh port would give fans a reinvigoration of classicMass Effectconversations: Who did you romance? Did you let thatentirespecies die? Which game in the series is the best? (Easy: it’sMass Effect 2.)
Update: It finally happened! Bioware officially announced the Mass Effect remaster release date shortly after Casey Hudson, the long-time creative mind behind the series, announced his departure. But no matter who’s at the helm, fans of the series can relive the epic trilogy all over again.
12Demon’s Souls (REMASTERED)
Ah, the game that broke a thousand controllers. FromSoftware’sDemon’s Soulskicked off the entire Soulsborne genre and led to gamers getting to play classic difficulty machines likeDark Souls,Bloodborne, and, most recently,Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice. Shouldn’t fans be able to play the one that started it all on their current console?
While other games on this list might not have any real chance of a console remaster,Demon’s Soulshas been sparking rumors of a remaster for a while now. Maybe it’s possible that it shows up on the PS5! Just be prepared for anger, frustration, and confusion if it doesn’t happen. You know, like a Soulsborne game.
Update: Another one on the books! As a foundation title for the PS5 launch, Demon’s Souls lured in fans who might have been floundering about whether or not to buy the pricey console. Many feel it’s worth it just for this game alone and they aren’t totally wrong.
11Grand Theft Auto IV
Even thoughGrand Theft Auto V, and, by extension,Grand Theft Auto Onlinecontinues to top sales charts just about every month, it would be such a pleasure to take a break from Los Santos and get back behind the wheel in Liberty City again.GTA IV’s single-player takes just about as long asGTA V’s, so players would definitely have something to sink their teeth into.
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GTA IValso boasts some cool DLC like"The Ballad of Gay Tony"that, when bundled in with the main game, would add even more content. This is a PlayStation remaster for folks who love long, engrossing single-player experiences with that signature flavor of Rockstar chaos.
10The Sly Collection
This one is kind of a weird one, but still no less viable.The Sly Collectionbundled together 3 classic PS2 games and scaled them up for the PS3. Sucker Punch’s stealth-adventure games were synonymous with PlayStation iconography for a long time, and it would be fun to bring that sort of mascot-clout back to the modern-day.
Sucker Punch has been hard at work onGhost of Tsushima, so they probably won’t be making aSlygame anytime soon.Rumors have been circulatingof aSly 5in the works, though, so if that’s a reality we may see a remaster soon after!
9Ratchet & Clank Collection
This one is in the same boat asThe Sly Collection. The difference here? PS4 owners already have a taste of the Insomniac magic that isRatchet & Clank! 2016’s soft-reboot/sorta remake/movie tie-in game was a critical success and brought the wonderfulR&Cformula to modern audiences.
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Wouldn’t it be wonderful to have past entries on a modern console? Working to grab a platinum trophy inUp Your Arsenal,Going Commando, or the very first game would be a great way to spend your time. TheRatchet & Clankseries is wild, wacky, and (most importantly) fun!
8God of War Saga
There’s a reason there are so many bundles on this list, and theGod of WarSagais the poster child for it. It takes 5God of Wartitles from 3 different systems and packages them together in one convenient package.
And even if the olderGod of Wargames aren’t quite the same as the incredible 2018 PS4 title, they’re still bloody good brawlers in their own right. Porting this collection to new consoles would introduce the classic Kratos to fans of the new Kratos. They could get the full picture of the story and finally figure out what a jump button feels like.
7inFamous Collection
inFamous: Second Sonlaunched after the release of the PS4 and brought the signature destruction and morality of the previous twoinFamousgames to a new console generation. Many hoped that its prequels would eventually find their way to the system as well, but as of yet, no such luck.
Which is a shame! Being able to chart Cole’s path over those early entries is a wonderful experience of super [heroics/villany], and the games lend themselves to replayability. As withSly, Sucker Punch is currently occupied, so it’s hard to say if we’ll see a new entry in the series any time soon. Hopefully, a remaster of this collection would bridge that gap.
6Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell: Blacklist
Speaking of sequels we may never get, what’s been going on withSplinter Cell? Minus a special mission inGhost Recon: Wildlands, the stealth-action series from Ubisoft has been dormant.Blacklistwas a great entry in the series and came out a mere 3 months before the launch of the PS4. Not only is it wild that it wasn’t a cross-gen game, but the fact that nothing has been announced about a new entry is baffling.
Weird timing and optics aside,Blacklistis a great game in its own right. It has some wonderful adaptive gameplay and a solid story, and it would make a great remaster on the modern PlayStation consoles.
