Yes, you can play PS5 games on an external hard drive. However, there are certain limitations and requirements to consider. The PS5 console supports expanding its storage through an external USB drive. While you can store and play backward compatible PS4 games on the external hard drive, it cannot be used to directly play or store PS5 games.
PS5 games can only be played from the internal SSD (Solid State Drive) or the official PS5 expansion SSD, which is sold separately. This is because PS5 games are specifically designed to take advantage of the console's fast loading times and optimized performance, which require the high-speed capabilities of the internal storage or approved expansion SSD.
So, if you want to play PS5 games, you will need to install and store them either on the console's internal SSD or the official expansion SSD. The external hard drive can be useful for storing and playing backward compatible PS4 games or media files such as movies, music, or game backups.
Best PS5 Games to Play in December 2024
1
Rating is 5 out of 5
MARVEL’S SPIDER-MAN 2 – PS5 Launch Edition
-
Launch Edition Includes: Arachknight Suit for Peter early unlock (includes three color variants), Shadow-Spider Suit for Miles early unlock (includes three color variants), Web Grabber gadget early unlock, +3 Skill Points
-
Spider-Men, Peter Parker and Miles Morales, return for an exciting new adventure in the critically acclaimed Marvel’s Spider-Man franchise. Swing, jump, and utilize the new Web Wings to travel across Marvel’s New York, quickly switching between Peter Parker and Miles Morales to experience different stories and epic new powers, as the iconic villain Venom threatens to destroy their lives, their city, and the ones they love.
-
An evolution of the Spider-Man story: The incredible power of the symbiote forces Peter and Miles to face the ultimate test of strength, both inside and outside the mask, as they balance their lives, friendships, and their duty to protect those in need.
-
Experience two playable Spider-Men: Quickly swap between both Spider-Men as you explore an expanded Marvel’s New York. Experience Peter’s new symbiote abilities and Miles’ explosive bio-electric venom powers, and discover upgradeable, high-tech equipment that enhances the combat experience for extensive gameplay depth and variety.
-
Battle iconic Marvel Super Villains: Fight against a variety of new and iconic villains, including an original take on the monstrous Venom, the ruthless Kraven the Hunter, the volatile Lizard, and many more!
2
Rating is 4.9 out of 5
Madden NFL 24 - PlayStation 5
-
SAPIEN TECHNOLOGY – A leap forward in character technology introduces new anatomically accurate NFL player skeletons that are more responsive and true-to-life player motion.
-
INCREASED CONTROL AND REALISM – The newest iteration of FieldSENSE provides an enhanced gameplay foundation giving you greater control and delivering realism to all the ways you play.
-
YOUR STARDOM. YOUR STORY. – Achieve greatness in your NFL career with game-changing control. Select your position, body type and customize your Superstar and build your legacy.
-
AI ENHANCEMENTS – Smarter AI enables smoother and more realistic player action and reaction to the plays you call, providing more confidence your AI teammates will execute your gameplan the way you intend.
-
DUAL ENTITLEMENT - Madden NFL 24 includes Dual Entitlement, which lets you upgrade your copy of Madden NFL 24 from PlayStation 4 to PlayStation 5. *Conditions apply.
-
Some features may require an internet connection and an online subscription.
3
Rating is 4.8 out of 5
Hogwarts Legacy - PlayStation 5 | English | EU Import Region Free
-
EXPLORE AN OPEN WORLD. The wizarding world awaits you. Freely roam Hogwarts, Hogsmeade, the Forbidden Forest, and the surrounding Overland area.
-
BE THE WITCH OR WIZARD YOU WANT TO BE. Learn spells, brew potions, grow plants, and tend to magical beasts along your journey. Get sorted into your house, forge relationships, and master skills to become the witch or wizard you want to be.
-
EXPERIENCE A NEW WIZARDING WORLD ADVENTURE. Experience the wizarding world in an unexplored era to uncover a hidden truth from its past. Battle against trolls, Dark Wizards, goblins, and more as you face a dangerous villain threatening the fate of the wizarding world.
-
Import Region Free PEGI Version
4
Rating is 4.7 out of 5
ASSASSIN'S CREED MIRAGE - DELUXE EDITION, PLAYSTATION 5
-
Discover a tightly crafted, narrative-driven action-adventure experience that follows the transformation of a defiant young man into a refined Master Assassin.
-
Journey to Alamut, the legendary home of the Assassins who laid the foundations of the Creed in this heartfelt homage to the game that started it all.
-
Experience a modern take on the iconic features and gameplay that have defined a franchise for 15 years as you parkour seamlessly through the city and stealthily take down targets with more visceral assassinations than ever before.
-
Explore an incredibly dense and vibrant city whose inhabitants react to your every move, and uncover the secrets of four unique districts as you venture through the Golden Age of Baghdad.
-
Some features may require an internet connection and an online subscription.
5
Rating is 4.6 out of 5
Ghost of Tsushima Director's Cut - PlayStation 5
-
Beyond war, ancient beauty endures: Roam vast countryside and expansive terrain to encounter rich characters, discover ancient landmarks and uncover the hidden beauty of Tsushima.
-
The rise of the Ghost: Seek support from old friends and new unlikely allies to reclaim Tsushima.
-
Mud, Blood and steel: challenge opponents with your katana for an immersive Samurai combat experience.
-
Become legends together: play with friends or via online matchmaking in a series of two-player story missions or four-player wave-based survival missions in the legends online co-op
-
A whole new island to explore: Travel to Iki Island to investigate rumors of a Mongol presence in a brand-new story with deeply personal stakes.
6
Rating is 4.5 out of 5
Gran Turismo 7 Standard Edition - PlayStation 5
-
With the return of classic cars, iconic tracks, and fan-favourite modes like GT Simulation and Sport Mode - Gran Turismo 7 is the complete Real Driving Simulator, 25 years in the making.
-
Find your line. Whether you're a racer, collector, tuner, designer, photographer or arcade fan - immerse yourself in the facets of automotive culture that matter most to you.
-
Connect and compete. Join an international community of drivers to share race strategies, tuning tips, livery designs and photos, before taking to the track to go head-to-head.
7
Rating is 4.4 out of 5
Armored Core VI Fires of Rubicon - PlayStation 5
-
A new action experience from the makers of Dark Souls and Elden Ring
-
Assemble and pilot your own mech
-
3D maneuverability to move freely through three-dimensional fast-paced missions
-
Take on difficult challenges and overwhelm your enemies
-
Infiltrate Rubicon as an independent mercenary
8
Rating is 4.3 out of 5
Metal Gear Solid: Master Collection Vol.1 (PS5)
-
Pre-order bonus for physical and digital versions include newly recorded, live orchestra renditions of Metal Gear themes including “SNAKE EATER”
-
Title line up: Metal Gear, Metal Gear 2, Metal Gear Solid, Metal Gear Solid 2, Metal Gear Solid 3, Metal Gear (NES/FC version), and Snake’s Revenge
-
Digital books: Metal Gear Solid, Metal Gear Solid 2, Metal Gear Solid 3, Metal Gear, and Metal Gear; Screenplay and Master Books included
-
Video: Metal Gear Solid; Digital Graphic Novel and Metal Gear Solid 2; Digital Graphic Novel
-
Includes Metal Gear Solid: Digital Soundtrack
9
Rating is 4.2 out of 5
God of War Ragnarök - PlayStation 5
-
Feel your journey through the Norse realms, made possible by immersive haptic feedback and adaptive trigger functionality.
-
Take advantage of multidirectional 3D Audio; hear enemies approaching from any direction. (3D audio with stereo headphones (analog or USB))
-
Bask in the beautiful worlds you travel through, brought to life by precise art direction and arresting attention to detail.
-
Switch between full 4K resolution at a targeted 30 frames per second, or dynamic resolution upscaled to 4K at a targeted 60fps. (4K resolution requires a compatible 4K TV or display)
10
Rating is 4.1 out of 5
Mortal Kombat 1 - PlayStation5
-
A New Universe - Discover a new beginning, as crafted by the Keeper of Time and protector of Earthrealm, Fire God Liu Kang.
-
Origins Reimagined - Familiar characters return with all new intertwined histories, interacting in brand new ways.
-
New Kameo Fighters - Choose from a unique roster of Kameo fighting partners to assist you in battle.
-
Immersive Story Campaign - Fight through a brand new story featuring your favorite Mortal Kombat characters like you’ve never seen them before.
-
The Ultimate Fighting Franchise Returns - The Fight for Earthrealm is upon us. This is Mortal Kombat.
-
Some features may require an internet connection and an online subscription.
11
Rating is 4 out of 5
Call of Duty Modern Warfare III - PS5
-
Some features may require online subscription
-
Pre-Order and Receive Early access to the Open Beta - first on PlayStation*
-
ADAPT OR DIE IN A FIGHT AGAINST THE ULTIMATE THREAT
-
IT’S TIME TO SETTLE OLD SCORES AND START NEW ONES
-
ALL NEW OPEN WORLD ZOMBIES
12
Rating is 3.9 out of 5
Star Wars Jedi: Survivor - PlayStation 5
-
Continue Cal’s Journey - No longer a Padawan, Cal has come into his own and grown into a powerful Jedi Knight.
-
Go Beyond Your Training – The cinematic combat system returns with additional Force abilities and new lightsaber fighting styles.
-
Explore an Untamed Galaxy – Discover new planets and familiar frontiers in the Star Wars galaxy, each with unique challenges, and enemies.
-
The Dark Times are closing in – with enemies surrounding him, Cal will need to decide how far he’s willing to go to save those closest to him.
-
Some features may require an internet connection and an online subscription.
Is there a way to transfer game saves and progress between the internal SSD and an external hard drive?
Yes, you can transfer game saves and progress between the internal SSD and an external hard drive. The specific process may vary depending on the gaming platform or console you are using. However, here is a general guideline for a few popular platforms:
- PlayStation Consoles:
a. Connect the external hard drive to your PlayStation console.
b. Go to the "Settings" menu and select "Storage."
c. Choose "Console Storage" to view the games stored on the internal SSD.
d. Select the desired game, press the Options button on your controller, and choose "Move to Extended Storage" to transfer the game to the external hard drive.
e. To move the game back to the internal SSD, follow the same steps but choose "Move to System Storage" instead.
- Xbox Consoles:
a. Connect the external hard drive to your Xbox console.
b. Go to "My Games & Apps" in the dashboard.
c. Navigate to the "Full Library" section and highlight the game you want to move.
d. Press the Menu button on your controller and choose "Manage Game."
e. In the Manage Game menu, select "Move All" to transfer the entire game and its associated files to the external hard drive.
f. To move the game back to the internal SSD, follow the same steps but choose "Move All" to transfer it back.
- PC:
a. Locate the game saves and progress files on your computer. These are usually found in the Documents, AppData, or My Games folders of your user profile.
b. Copy the game saves or progress folder to the external hard drive.
c. Open the game on your PC and go to its settings or options menu.
d. Look for an option to change the save directory or load game saves. Sometimes, you may need to manually select the external hard drive as the save location.
e. Point the game to the location of the saved files on the external hard drive.
f. To transfer the game saves back to the internal SSD, copy the folder from the external hard drive back to the original save location on your PC.
It's important to note that the specific steps and options may differ for different games and platforms, but the general principle of transferring the save files to and from the external hard drive remains the same.
Is there a specific type or specification for the external hard drive that can be used with a PS5?
Yes, there are specific requirements for using an external hard drive with a PS5. The external hard drive must meet the following specifications:
- USB connection: The external hard drive needs to connect to the PS5 via USB 3.0 or later.
- Capacity: The hard drive should have a capacity of at least 250 GB and a maximum capacity of 8 TB.
- Form factor: It should be a standard external hard drive that can be connected externally to the PS5 and not an internal hard drive.
- File format: The external hard drive should be formatted as exFAT or FAT32. Note that the PS5 can reformat the hard drive to the appropriate format, but this will erase any existing data on it.
- Speed: While not a specific specification, it is recommended to use an external hard drive with a high transfer speed, preferably an SSD (solid-state drive), to ensure faster loading times and smoother gameplay.
Keep in mind that external hard drives can be used to store and play PlayStation 4 games on the PS5, but they cannot be used to store and play PS5 games. PS5 games must be stored and played from the internal SSD or an approved PS5-compatible SSD expansion.
Do all PS5 games support playing from an external hard drive?
No, not all PS5 games can be played directly from an external hard drive. While the PS5 does support external USB drives for storing and playing PS4 games, the internal SSD (Solid State Drive) is required to play PS5 games due to the faster data transfer speed required for the next-gen titles. PS5 games need to be installed on the internal SSD in order to take full advantage of the system's capabilities.
