Fact-Check: Can a PS5 and PS4 use the Same Account at the Same Time? (Article Source: TheGamer)

[Watchtower]

So I've been trying to keep up with the PS5 news with the console launching, and ran into this article from a few days ago:

You Can Play PS5 And PS4 On The Same PSN Account At The Same Time

If you have two PS4s and plan to get a PS5, I have some good news for you.

www.thegamer.com

If you have two PS4s in your house, you likely share your digital games with a kid or sibling. You do this by making your kid's PS4 your primary console, and that allows them to access your library while signed in on a different account. You can still access your library while signed into your account from the secondary console, as long as you have access to the internet to verify your account.

It's a way to share games in the same household, and that works the same on Xbox One if you have two of those in the same family. But what happens when you get a PS5 and you decide to pass your spare PS4 down to your other kid? So long as you don't mind them playing from your PlayStation Network account, they can still access your games and it won't kick them out when you boot up your account on PS5.

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I was trying to look around to see if there was more on this, but this seems to be the only article mentioning this as a feature and even then some of the comments do have me a bit skeptical. However, now that the console's out we can actually verify this ourselves. So to anyone who has kept their PS4 after bumping up to the PS5, have you tried this, and does it work? It'd be a big game-changer for me if it does.

(For the record I did post this in the OT but it's naturally getting lost in all the hubbub, and I figured this was worth its own thread anyway.)

 

[Hyun Sai]

Definitely interested in this, as I may keep my PS4 for fighting games until the additional input delay of the PS5 gets sorted out. I also don't know if I will like the Dpad of the Dual sense.

 

[supkid]

I'm pretty sure you can use a PS3 and PS4 at the same time on the same account, I would imagine it's the same on the PS4 and PS5

 

[Jorden1506]

Yes this is true. I used my ps4 to upload saves while playing on my Ps5

 

[KanameYuuki]

You could use the same account on Vita / PS3 / PS4 at the same time.

 

[endlessflood]

Nice, good to see journalists testing the stuff that we don't already know.

Has anyone run a PS4 Pro with SSD vs PS5 with same SSD loading time shootout yet (for BC titles)?

 

[dakun]

what about if the two consoles are not in the same house or network? will you get banned because they think you're sharing with a friend?

 

[Deleted member 11637]

Wondering about this too. Assuming my PS5 has a stable internet connection, can I keep my PS4 as my primary for now? I've already moved all my PS4 games to an external drive, but I don't want to plug it into my PS5 until the firmware situation is sorted out. And by leaving my PS4 as primary, my roommate can access all my PS+ games on his sub account.

 

[L.O.R.D]

so, it's just like the PS Vita
2 PS Vita and 1 PSTV.

 

[Kalel114]

Perfect! I'm giving the kiddos my PS4 when I get my PS5.

 

[NightShift]

I didn't even consider this could not be a thing. I even had the PS4 and PS5 running the same game on the same account without thinking about it.

 

[Yukiko]

If that's the case, how does this work with backwards compatible online games? Let's say I start Destiny 2 on the same account in both ps4 and ps5. Would the ps4 instance be able to join the ps5 one even if it's the same account?

 

[TitanicFall]

You can still have a primary PS4 and a primary PS5. The people playing on your primary PS4 don't need to be signed into your account to play your games.

 

[UglySofaGaming]

I've never really taken advantage of this but intend to moving forward. Not long ago I made my wife's PS4 my primary one so she can download my games, and I intend to do vice versa.

Guessing the same feature is on PS5? So I should make her PS5 my primary and vice versa?

 

[Skeff]

So my assumption would be if I buy a game on account A it can have a primary PS5 & PS4 and can also play games on secondary ps4 or ps5.

So I could buy a game on account A and account B could play on the primary PS5. Account C could play on Primary PS4 and account A could play on any PS4 or ps5 right?

Or instead of a primary PS4 and primary PS5 do you simply have a primary PS?

 

[PLASTICA-MAN]

So if you are not selling your P¨S4, you can still have your PS4 activated as primary and use your account on PS5 too?

 

[jman1954goat]

I actually can't test for a few hours.

 

[Man-is-Obsolete]

I don't think this works, at least not when playing PS4 games at the same time on both. I tried last night and it kept suspending Ghost of Tsushima on my PS5 when the kids were playing Minecraft dungeons on PS4. PS4 is set as primary console.

What did work was simply disconnecting the PS4 from internet. So then the kids can play their games offline and the PS5 wouldn't be any wiser.

If someone figures out how both can be online and play PS4 games at the same time let me know.

 

[TitanicFall]

PS5 Console Sharing and Offline Play limits
You can enable Console Sharing and Offline Play on one PS5 console at a time. If you enable the setting on a new PS5 console, the Console Sharing and Offline Play setting on your other PS5 console will be disabled. Other users on the disabled console won't be able to play your games and media.

PS5 Console Sharing and Offline Play does not affect your primary PS4 activation limit.

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https://www.playstation.com/en-us/support/account/ps5-console-sharing-offline-play/

 

[TripaSeca]

It would be bananas if you were forced to deactivate a ps4 for a ps5

Honestly, it doesn't make any sense! Good that they tested but to me it seems like a "water is wet" research.

 

[dallow_bg]

Works fine locally and remotely. Already did both.
But yeah. This was a given pretty much.

 

[GazRB]

I don't think this works, at least not when playing PS4 games at the same time on both. I tried last night and it kept suspending Ghost of Tsushima on my PS5 when the kids were playing Minecraft dungeons on PS4. PS4 is set as primary console.

What did work was simply disconnecting the PS4 from internet. So then the kids can play their games offline and the PS5 wouldn't be any wiser.

If someone figures out how both can be online and play PS4 games at the same time let me know.

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We're the kids playing on a different PSN ID? That's the key.
You can't have two of the same PSNs logged in at the same time, but other PSNs on the same console get PS+ benefits.
Long story short if you make your kids their own account, they can play your games on PS4 while you play on Ps5

 

[DevilMayGuy]

So, does game sharing work the same way on ps5 where I can make my brother's ps5 my primary and he can play all my games? Or did they change it

 

[GazRB]

So, does game sharing work the same way on ps5 where I can make my brother's ps5 my primary and he can play all my games? Or did they change it

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Yes it works the same.

 

[Man-is-Obsolete]

We're the kids playing on a different PSN ID? That's the key.
You can't have two of the same PSNs logged in at the same time, but other PSNs on the same console get PS+ benefits.
Long story short if you make your kids their own account, they can play your games on PS4 while you play on Ps5

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same account. They ain't about to lose all of their progress in the games they've started. Going forward I made them an account that they can use. It's not a big deal, most of the games they play are not online. Occasionally my oldest (8) will play rocket league but even then he likes playing against bots.

 

[BBboy20]

I accidentally turned on my PS4 but upon trying to shut it down, I did seem to notice I was also logged in.

 

[tomsawing]

Nice, good to see journalists testing the stuff that we don't already know.

Has anyone run a PS4 Pro with SSD vs PS5 with same SSD loading time shootout yet (for BC titles)?

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I have a relatively fast SSD in my PS4 Pro and I can tell you that the backwards compatibility actually feels to me like a bit of a downgrade in loading sometimes. Notably Destiny 2 seems to have more "Loading..." freezes than I encountered on PS4 Pro. That jibes with reports that the system doesn't perform with the full power of the hardware in back compat though, and native PS5 games are and will be much faster at loading than last gen with a SATA SSD.

ETA: Should also mention this is not true of all games. Some I've tried to load felt like they had dramatic improvements at loading. Don't remember precisely which ones though. Maybe Wolfenstein II which I was trying out for a bit?

 

[Watchtower]

Works fine locally and remotely. Already did both.
But yeah. This was a given pretty much.

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We're the kids playing on a different PSN ID? That's the key.
You can't have two of the same PSNs logged in at the same time, but other PSNs on the same console get PS+ benefits.
Long story short if you make your kids their own account, they can play your games on PS4 while you play on Ps5

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When we say "remotely" are we talking within the same network or on different networks?

And I know it sounds like a "no duh" sort of thing especially if you've already dipped into multiple PS4s like the article writer but I figure there's a lot of other people like myself that stuck with a single PS4 this whole gen and so this is the first real kind of experience with PS Plus console sharing. Especially for the more casual audience that are not as likely to sell the older console and games.

 

[Thiago]

Yeah, it was the same thing with PS3, you could connect with the same user at the same time on PS4.

I'd be really disappointed if they had changed this. Thankfully, they didn't.

 

[GazRB]

When we say "remotely" are we talking within the same network or on different networks?

And I know it sounds like a "no duh" sort of thing especially if you've already dipped into multiple PS4s like the article writer but I figure there's a lot of other people like myself that stuck with a single PS4 this whole gen and so this is the first real kind of experience with PS Plus console sharing. Especially for the more casual audience that are not as likely to sell the older console and games.

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Don't need to be in the same network.

 

[AndyD]

I didn't even consider this could not be a thing. I even had the PS4 and PS5 running the same game on the same account without thinking about it.

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This. Kids play off my account on the ps4 while I play the ps5.

Speaking of, can I create them psn accounts even if they are under 13? They have local machine accounts, but not psn ones.

 

[GFP_RYU]

Works fine locally and remotely. Already did both.
But yeah. This was a given pretty much.

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So to be clear,

Scenario: ps4 and ps5 console is offline. Both are playing a digital ps4 game (Street Fighter V or Sekiro) on the PS4 and ps5 console. Will that work without any issues of drm notification?

 

[The Shape]

Definitely interested in this, as I may keep my PS4 for fighting games until the additional input delay of the PS5 gets sorted out. I also don't know if I will like the Dpad of the Dual sense.

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Care to elaborate? I'm out of the loop on that.

 

[Cornbread78]

Yes. I was playing Dedtiny 2 on my PS4 while my PS5 was being set up and downloading updates at the same time.


I've done the same with PS3/4

 

[Japanmanx3]

The fact that they put the PS5 remote play app on the PS4 proves this to be true. I set my PS4 up.in my bedroom now and the PS5 is in the Living Room now. I was using both to transfer stuff and setup the remote play.

 

[Crashnburn85]

My buddy and I game shared on PS4. I just got a PS5 and he still had a PS4. In the process of trading in my PS4, I set my PS4 back to primary and deactivated it to be safe, essentially cutting him off of my games.

Last night though we went to play Borderlands 3 and we reactivated his PS4 with my PSN as Primary and he was able to use Borderlands 3 again (which was tied to my PSN). I was simultaneously logged in on PSN on my PS5 through the reactivation process and never got booted. I was able to play the PS5 version of Borderlands 3 in my PS5 while he played it simultaneously played on his PS4.

Take that for what you will. Need to add his PSN to my PS5 and see if I can access his PS4 PSN games.

 

[Toli08]

Yesterday I was on my ps5 and ps4 at the same time on the same account. Streamed the football game on my ps4, while playing Ghost of Tsushima on my ps5.

 

[Zim]

It doesn't work when trying the same game at the same time. Fall Guys was booted up on the PS5 in the living room and my son was trying to boot it on his (family) account on the PS4 in the guest room. It would kick off the other person off saying "I signed on onto another console" or something like that. Oh well.

 

[HardRojo]

What about BC digital games? I suppose there'd be some restrictions as it'd be weird to be playing SFV online at the same time on the same account.

It doesn't work when trying the same game at the same time. Fall Guys was booted up on the PS5 in the living room and my son was trying to boot it on his (family) account on the PS4 in the guest room. It would kick off the other person off saying "I signed on onto another console" or something like that. Oh well.

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Oh ok, now that makes sense. The other thing to test would be if secondary accounts can take advantage of the same primary account in both consoles (for BC titles).

 

[Yuuber]

Wonderful news! I've sharing an account with a cousin, and he uses his system as primary. I'll finally be able to activate it again as primary and enjoy downloading stuff from the app.

 

[The Last One]

My PS4 is the main console of a friend's account while his Ps4 is the main console of my main account. So all I need to do is the same with the PS5?

 

[Hyun Sai]

Care to elaborate? I'm out of the loop on that.

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Fighting Games Era |OT| Two-Button Dashes Are Great

Do we have any return on the input lag of the PS5 ? I heard some concerns.

www.resetera.com

 

[Rai_11]

I've asked this question a few times over this year, but now that the console is in people's hands I wonder if this can be properly answered:

I wonder if you could possibly have up to 4 instances of the same ps4 digital game running simultaneously using two ps4s and two ps5s.

Since when you purchase a digital game, you are in fact getting a primary console (offline) license and a license attached to your account (online) license.

But now that Sony is allowing you to set up both a primary PS4 AND primary PS5, this may work. Or at least 2 offline instances running and then one online license running simultaneously. Or like I said previously, perhaps even 4 simultaneous instances running if the PS4 and PS5 don't cancel each other out.

Thoughts?

 

[Huey]

You could use the same account on Vita / PS3 / PS4 at the same time.

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Yeah not clear why this was a question, it's always been this way

 

[xem]

Perfect! I'm giving the kiddos my PS4 when I get my PS5.

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lol in my case mine are playing on PS5 and dad took the sacrifice and playing on the Pro.... #DadOfTheYear

 

[JediTimeBoy]

Wait, I'm positive that I read on a thread here, that you can AS LONG, as the PS5 isn't playing PS4 games in bc mode???

 

[AndyD]

I've asked this question a few times over this year, but now that the console is in people's hands I wonder if this can be properly answered:

I wonder if you could possibly have up to 4 instances of the same ps4 digital game running simultaneously using two ps4s and two ps5s.

Since when you purchase a digital game, you are in fact getting a primary console (offline) license and a license attached to your account (online) license.

But now that Sony is allowing you to set up both a primary PS4 AND primary PS5, this may work. Or at least 2 offline instances running and then one online license running simultaneously. Or like I said previously, perhaps even 4 simultaneous instances running if the PS4 and PS5 don't cancel each other out.

Thoughts?

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Read a bit above, someone tried fall guys and it kicked ps4 of when logging into ps5 and vice versa.

With online games at least. With offline games I'm sure your scenario would be just fine, the console does not connect to network to verify license every time you boot.

 

[Chippy13]

You can play games on both systems at the same time on the same account. Only hiccup I have run into are games like Call of Duty that have their own online account for playing. You can't have two systems signing into their account at the same time.

 

[brb]

If both PS4 and PS5 are connected to the internet and using the same account you CANNOT play at the same time.

I was playing Genshin Impact on my PS5 while my bro booted up Downwell on our PS4 and it kicked me out of my Genshin game saying another game was started using my profile.

We had to take the PS4 offline for us to play at the same time. Pretty annoying of we wanted to play online games at the same time. Any way to do this?

[EDIT] It's because we were both trying to play PS4 games! Playing a PS5 and a PS4 game at the same time works.

 

[SamuelBeckwit]

Nevermind.