The PS5 and Xbox Series X / S are still some of the most sought-after gadgets in the world, just over two months after their release. While getting your hands on a new console is still extremely difficult, those who do will be able to experience something unprecedented in modern gaming history. For the first time, next-gen console owners can take their current library—whether it’s physical, digital, or a combination of the two—and bring it to the next-gen platform.
This gives customers unprecedented control over where they want to play and which performance benefits are worth upgrading for. People will be able to play with their friends even if they don’t upgrade to the latest gaming hardware thanks to technologies like cross-platform play and now even cross-generation support.
Both the consoles have arrived within seven years of the last generation of console hardware. And while it’s possible that in the first year of both consoles, many of the hottest franchises will be released concurrently on the last-and-current-gen, there’s already a decent chunk of games that would be special titles that can only be enjoyed on PS5 or Xbox Series X/S.
Aside from 4K, solid-state drives, and other spec changes, Microsoft and Sony have promised to support nearly every title in the libraries of their current console platforms. Any Xbox, Xbox 360, and Xbox One game currently playable on existing Xbox One hardware (minus Kinect games) will be compatible on the X/S Series, while Sony supports the “massive majority” of PS4 games with a total of more than 4,000 titles. With both consoles still in their early stages of development, it’s easy for fans to fall back on older games to help bridge the gap between long waits for new titles to be added to each console’s library.
In 2021, there will be a slew of new releases and full optimizations of cross-gen games, broadening the scope of what you can play on your new system. To help you understand every game coming out during the first year of the PS5 and Xbox Series X / S, we’ve compiled the list below.
Game | Release Date | Xbox Series or PS5? | Cross-gen? | PC Compatible |
---|---|---|---|---|
MXGP 2020 | 01/14/2021 | PS5 only | No, PS5 exclusive | No |
Hitman 3 | 01/20/2021 | Both | Free upgrade from digital | Yes |
Ride 4 | 01/21/2021 | Both | No | No |
Atelier Ryza 2: Lost Legends & the Secret Fairy | 01/26/2021 | PS5 | No, PS5 exclusive | Yes |
Cyber Shadow | 01/26/2021 | PS5 only | No, PS5 exclusive | Yes |
The Medium | 1/28/2021 | Xbox only | No | Yes |
The Pedestrian | 1/29/2021 | PS5 only | No, PS5 exclusive | Yes |
Control: Ultimate Edition | 02/02/2021 | Both | Yes, upgrade only with Ultimate Edition | Yes |
Destruction AllStars | 02/02/2021 | PS5 only | No, PS5 exclusive | No |
Werewolf: The Apocalypse – Earthblood | 02/04/2021 | Both | Yes | Yes |
Nioh Remastered – The Complete Edition | 02/05/2021 | PS5 only | No, PS5 exclusive | No |
Nioh 2 Renastered – The Complete Edition | 02/05/2021 | PS5 only | No, PS5 exclusive | No |
Little Nightmares 2 | 02/11/2021 | Both | Yes | Yes |
Yakuza: Like a Dragon | 03/02/2021 (PS5) | Available now on Xbox, PS5 on 03/02/2021 | Yes | Yes |
Monster Energy Supercross: The Official Video Game 4 | 03/11/2021 | Both | Yes | Yes |
Crash Bandicoot 4: It’s About Time | 03/12/2021 | Both | Yes, free upgrade | Yes |
Samurai Spirits (aka Samurai Shodown) | 03/16/2021 | Xbox only | Yes | Yes |
Marvel’s Avengers | 03/18/2021 | Both | Yes, free upgrade | Yes |
Balan Wonderland | 03/26/2021 | Both | Yes | Yes |
It Takes Two | 03/26/2021 | Both | Yes | Yes |
Terminator: Resistance | 03/26/2021 | PS5 only | Yes | Yes |
Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1 + 2 | 03/26/2021 | Both | Free upgrade with Cross-Gen Digital Deluxe Edition | Yes |
Disco Elysium: The Final Cut | March 2021 (PS5) | PS5 on 03/031/2021; Xbox TBD | Yes | Yes |
Outriders | 04/01/2021 | Both | Yes | Yes |
Curse of the Sea Rats | 04/01/2021 | Both | Yes | Yes |
Oddworld: Soulstorm | 04/06/2021 | PS5 | Yes | Yes |
Guilty Gear Strive | 04/09/2021 | PS5 only | Yes | Yes |
MLB The Show 21 | 04/20/2021 | Both | Only with Collector’s Edition | No |
Judgement | 04/23/2021 | Both | No | No |
Returnal | 04/30/2021 | PS5 only | No, PS5 exclusive | No |
Resident Evil Village | 05/07/2021 | Both | Yes, free upgrade | Yes |
Hood: Outlaws & Legends | 05/10/2021 | Both | Yes | Yes |
Deathloop | 05/21/2021 | PS5 only | No, PS5 exclusive | Yes |
Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade | 06/10/2021 | PS5 only | Yes | No |
Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart | 06/11/2021 | PS5 only | No, PS5 exclusive | No |
Back 4 Blood | 06/22/2021 | Both | Yes | Yes |
Solar Ash | June 2021 | PS5 only | Yes | Yes |
Little Devil Inside | July 2021 | PS5 only | Yes | Yes |
Kena: Bridge of Spirits | 8/28/2021 | PS5 only | Yes | Yes |
Ghostwire: Tokyo | October 2021 | PS5 only | No | Yes |
12 Minutes | 2021 | Xbox only | Yes | Yes |
Adios | 2021 | Xbox only | No | Yes |
Aliens: Fireteam | 2021 | Both | No | Yes |
Aragami 2 | 2021 | Both | Yes | Yes |
Blood Bowl 3 | 2021 | Both | Yes | Yes |
Braid: Anniversary Edition | 2021 | Both | Yes | Yes |
Bright Memory Infinite | 2021 | Xbox only | No, Xbox exclusive | Yes |
Chernobylite | 2021 | Both | Yes | Yes |
Chivalry 2 | 2021 | Both | Yes | Yes |
Chorus | 2021 | Both | Yes | Yes |
Cris Tales | 2021 | Both | Yes | Yes |
CrossfireX | 2021 | Xbox only | Yes, free upgrade | Yes |
Cyberpunk 2077 | 2021 | Both | Yes, free upgrade | Yes |
CYGNI: All Guns Blazing | 2021 | Both | Yes | Yes |
DARQ: Complete Edition | 2021 | Both | Yes | No |
Dawn of the Monsters | 2021 | Both | Yes | Yes |
Dead Static Drive | 2021 | Xbox only | Yes | Yes |
Doom Eternal | 2021 | Both | Yes, free upgrade | Yes |
Dynasty Warriors 9: Empires | 2021 | Both | Yes | Yes |
Echo Generation | 2021 | Xbox only | Yes | Yes |
EcxoMecha | 2021 | Xbox only | Yes | Yes |
Exo One | 2021 | Xbox only | No | Yes |
Evil Dead: The Game | 2021 | Both | Yes | Yes |
Evil West | 2021 | Both | Yes | Yes |
Far Cry 6 | 2021 | Both | Yes | Yes |
Final Fantasy XIV | 2021 | PS5 | Yes, free upgrade | Yes |
F.I.S.T.: Forged in Shadow Torch | 2021 | PS5 only | Yes | Yes |
Five Nights at Freddy’s: Security Breach | 2021 | PS5 only | Yes | Yes |
Flea Madness | 2021 | Both | No | Yes |
Ghostrunner | 2021 | Both | Yes | Yes |
God of War: Ragnarok | 2021 | PS5 only | TBD | TBD |
Goodbye Volcano High | 2021 | PS5 only | Yes | Yes |
Gotham Knights | 2021 | Both | Yes | Yes |
Grand Theft Auto V | 2021 | Both | Yes | Yes |
Graven | 2021 | Both | Yes | Yes |
Guilty Gear Strive | 2021 | PS5 only | Yes | Yes |
Halo Infinite | 2021 | Xbox only | Yes | Yes |
Heavenly Bodies | 2021 | PS5 only | Yes | Yes |
Hello Neighbor 2 | 2021 | Xbox only | Yes | Yes |
Hellpoint | 2021 | Both | Yes | Yes |
Horizon Forbidden West | 2021 | PS5 only | Yes | Yes |
Hood: Outlaws and Legends | 2021 | Both | Yes | Yes |
In Sound Mind | 2021 | Both | No | Yes |
Insurgency: Sandstorm | 2021 | Both | Yes | Yes |
Jett: The Far Shore | 2021 | PS5 only | Yes | Yes |
King Arthur: Knight’s Tale | 2021 | Both | No | Yes |
Lake | 2021 | Xbox only | No | Yes |
Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga | 2021 | Both | Yes | Yes |
Little Witch in the Woods | 2021 | Xbox only | No | Yes |
Metro Exodus | 2021 | Both | Yes, free upgrade | Yes |
Microsoft Flight Simulator | 2021 | Xbox only | No | Yes |
Mundaun | 2021 | Both | Yes | Yes |
Neptunia ReVerse | 2021 | PS5 | No | No |
Party Crasher Simulator | 2021 | Both | Yes | Yes |
Phantasy Star Online 2: New Genesis | 2021 | Xbox only | Yes | Yes |
Praey for the Gods | 2021 | PS5 | Yes | Yes |
Psychonauts 2 | 2021 | Xbox only | Yes | Yes |
Riders Republic | 2021 | Both | Yes | Yes |
RPG Time | 2021 | Xbox only | No | Yes |
R-Type Final 2 | 2021 | Both | Yes | Yes |
Ruined King: A League of Legends Story | 2021 | Both | Yes | Yes |
Sable | 2021 | Xbox only | Yes | Yes |
Scarlet Nexus | 2021 | Both | Yes | Yes |
Scorn | 2021 | Xbox only | No | Yes |
Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II | 2021 | Xbox only | TBD | Yes |
She Dreams Elsewhere | 2021 | Xbox only | Yes | Yes |
Shredders | 2021 | Xbox only | No | Yes |
Sherlock Holmes: Chapter One | 2021 | Both | Yes | Yes |
Song of Iron | 2021 | Xbox only | Yes | Yes |
Stray | 2021 | PS5 only | Yes | Yes |
Subnautica / Subnautica: Below Zero | 2021 | Both | Yes, free upgrade | Yes |
S.T.A.L.E.R. 2 | 2021 | Xbox only | No | Yes |
Temtem | 2021 (Xbox) | PS5 and PC available now; Xbox in 2021 | Yes | Yes |
The Artful Escape | 2021 | Xbox only | Yes | Yes |
The Ascent | 2021 | Xbox only | Yes, free upgrade | Yes |
The Big Con | 2021 | Xbox only | No, Xbox exclusive | Yes |
The Dark Pictures: House of Ashes | 2021 | Both | Yes | Yes |
The Elder Scrolls Online | 2021 | Both | Yes | Yes |
The Gunk | 2021 | Xbox only | Yes | Yes |
The Last Stop | 2021 | Xbox only | No | Yes |
The Wild at Heart | 2021 | Xbox only | No | Yes |
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt | 2021 | Both | Yes, free upgrade | Yes |
Tribes of Midgard | 2021 | PS5 only | Yes | Yes |
Tunic | 2021 | Xbox only | No | Yes |
Unlimited Fishing Simulator 2 | 2021 | Both | Yes | Yes |
Unexplored 2: The Wayfarer’s Legacy | 2021 | Xbox only | No | Yes |
Vampire: The Masquerade – Swansong | 2021 | Both | No | Yes |
War Mongrels | 2021 | Both | Yes | Yes |
Warhammer 40,000: Darktide | 2021 | Xbox only | No | Yes |
Way to the Woods | 2021 | Xbox only | No | Yes |
Project Athia | January 2022 | PS5 only | No, PS5 exclusive | Yes |
Ark 2 | 2022 | Xbox only | No, Xbox exclusive | Yes |
Hogwarts Legacy | 2022 | Both | Yes | Yes |
Gran Turismo 7 | 2022 | PS5 only | No | No |
Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League | 2022 | Both | TBD | Yes |
The Callisto Protocol | 2022 | Both | No | Yes |
The Lord of the Rings: Gollum | 2022 | Both | Yes | Yes |
Pragmata | 2023 | Both | TBD | Yes |