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Freedom251 › Blog › PlayStation 5

Do you need PlayStation Plus to download or play a PS5 remaster upgrade?

By Freedom251 Team · · 8 min read

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Usually, no. If you own an eligible PS4 game, PlayStation Plus is not a general requirement to download its PS5 remaster or upgrade. Sign in to the same PlayStation account on your PS5, open the game’s hub, choose the upgrade offer, and download the PS5 version or pay the listed upgrade price. You do need an internet connection. If your PS4 entitlement is on a disc, the PS4 disc must remain inserted whenever you play the downloaded PS5 version.

The short answer depends on how you own the game

For a normally purchased, eligible PS4 game, the ownership entitlement—not a PlayStation Plus membership—controls access to the PS5 upgrade. Sony describes the process this way: “Certain PlayStation®4 games can be upgraded to the digital PlayStation®5 version of the game on a PS5® console.” The individual title determines whether that upgrade is free, discounted, or sold at a stated price.

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PlayStation Plus changes the answer in three specific situations: you are downloading the game from the Plus Game Catalog, you originally redeemed the PS4 game as a Plus benefit, or you want to use online multiplayer in a paid game. Those are separate rules from the basic upgrade download.

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How you access the PS4 game Can you normally obtain the PS5 upgrade without Plus? What to check
You purchased the PS4 digital edition Usually yes Use the same PlayStation account and review the title’s upgrade offer.
You own the PS4 disc Usually yes Insert the disc during the upgrade process and every time you play the PS5 digital version.
You are downloading through the Plus Game Catalog No; the qualifying Plus plan is required Membership must remain active and the game must remain in the catalog.
You redeemed the PS4 game as a Plus benefit Generally no Sony says these games are not eligible unless Sony or the publisher specifically indicates otherwise.
You only need online multiplayer Usually Plus is required for paid games Some games are exempt; check the game’s PlayStation Store listing.

What entitlement the PS5 upgrade uses

A PS4 game you bought digitally

A purchased digital PS4 copy is tied to the PlayStation account that bought it. On the PS5, sign in to that same account, open the game hub, and look for the upgrade offer. If the publisher offers a free upgrade, the download can be started without Plus. If the offer is paid or discounted, the store will show the amount before you confirm the transaction.

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Having the PS4 game installed is not the key requirement. The account must hold the eligible license, and the title must be one of the PS4 games for which a PS5 version or upgrade is offered. Sony’s terms vary by game, so the offer displayed in the game hub is more authoritative than a general assumption about remasters.

A PS4 game on disc

A disc owner can generally claim the digital PS5 upgrade without a Plus membership when the title supports that option. The disc acts as proof of ownership. After the PS5 version downloads, the disc is still required as a license check: insert it whenever you start the PS5 digital version. If you sell, lend, or otherwise remove the disc, the downloaded PS5 copy will not remain playable on that console.

This requirement applies even though the PS5 version itself is downloaded rather than read from the disc. A PS5 console without a disc drive cannot validate a physical PS4 entitlement, so disc-based upgrade eligibility depends on using a compatible disc-drive setup.

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A game obtained from the Plus Game Catalog

The Game Catalog is a membership benefit, not a permanent purchase. Downloading a title from it requires the PlayStation Plus plan that includes that catalog. Access continues only while the membership is active and the game remains in the catalog. If either condition ends, the catalog license no longer authorizes play.

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That catalog rule is separate from whether a particular title has a PS5 upgrade. If the PS5 edition is offered through the catalog, you still need the applicable plan to download and use it. If you later purchase the game outright, the ownership basis changes to the purchased license, and the title’s normal upgrade terms then apply.

A PS4 game redeemed as a Plus benefit

Sony states that PS4 games redeemed as a PlayStation Plus benefit are not eligible for a PS5 upgrade unless otherwise indicated. This is different from buying the game and later using Plus for online play. A redemption claim is a membership benefit, so it does not automatically convert into the paid ownership entitlement required by many upgrade programs.

Check the specific game’s hub and store listing for an exception. Sony or the publisher may explicitly make an upgrade available, but you should not assume that a PS4 title claimed through Plus qualifies simply because the same title has an upgrade for purchasers.

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How to download an eligible PS5 upgrade

Use this sequence for a purchased digital game or a qualifying disc entitlement:

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  1. Connect the PS5 to the internet. An online connection is required to verify the entitlement, display the offer, and download the PS5 content.
  2. Sign in to the account that owns the PS4 game. A different account may not see the upgrade even if another user on the console owns the game.
  3. For a disc copy, insert the original PS4 disc. Keep it available; it will be needed again when you play the PS5 version.
  4. Open the PS5 game hub. From the game’s tile or library entry, select the game and review the available version or upgrade offer.
  5. Select the upgrade option. Choose Download when the offer is free. If the offer is paid or discounted, confirm the displayed purchase price to continue.
  6. Choose the PS5 version rather than the PS4 version. The hub can present both editions; verify that the download is labeled for PS5 before starting it.
  7. Wait for installation to finish. The required storage space and download time depend on the game and are not specified by Sony’s general upgrade guidance.
  8. Start the installed game. Disc owners must leave the PS4 disc inserted each time they launch and play the PS5 digital edition.

PlayStation Plus is not listed as a prerequisite anywhere in this ordinary upgrade flow. The store may still display Plus-related features, such as multiplayer access or a catalog entitlement, but those do not replace the game’s ownership check.

When PlayStation Plus is required after the upgrade

Online multiplayer in a paid game

Downloading or owning the PS5 upgrade and playing its campaign are different from using online multiplayer. Most paid PS4 and PS5 games require PlayStation Plus for online multiplayer. Some games are exempt, so the game’s PlayStation Store listing is the final check for that title. A Plus requirement for multiplayer does not mean Plus was needed to download the upgrade.

Catalog access and continued play

If your copy comes from the Game Catalog, Plus is part of the license. You need the correct plan to download the game, and you can continue playing only while the membership is active and the title remains listed. This remains true even if the download is labeled as a PS5 edition or remaster.

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Other membership features

Plus can provide benefits unrelated to the upgrade entitlement, such as online services or access to catalog software. None of those benefits should be read as a blanket requirement for every PS5 remaster download. Decide which license you are using—purchased game, disc, catalog access, or redeemed benefit—before troubleshooting a Plus prompt.

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Free, paid, and discounted upgrade offers

There is no universal price rule for PS5 remasters. A title may offer a free conversion, a paid upgrade, or a discount for owners of a particular PS4 edition. The amount and eligibility are set for the individual game. The relevant offer appears in the PS5 game hub or PlayStation Store listing after the console recognizes your license.

Do not purchase a second copy solely because you do not subscribe to Plus. First verify that you are signed in to the account that purchased the PS4 game, or insert the disc if it is a physical entitlement. If the offer still requires payment, that can be the publisher’s stated upgrade policy rather than a membership problem.

Why the upgrade offer may not appear

The wrong account is active

Sign out mentally from the assumption that the console itself owns the game. Digital licenses belong to the purchasing account. Return to the account that bought the PS4 edition and open the game hub there. A shared console does not make every account the owner of every digital title.

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The disc is not inserted

For a disc-based entitlement, insert the original PS4 disc before checking the hub. The PS5 needs to read that entitlement to present the applicable offer, and the disc must remain available for later play.

The copy was a Plus redemption

If the game was claimed as a monthly or other Plus benefit rather than purchased, the normal purchaser upgrade may not apply. Sony’s general rule excludes these PS4 games unless a specific exception is announced. Look for a title-specific indication before paying for or expecting an upgrade.

You are viewing a catalog license

A catalog download can disappear when the title leaves the catalog or when the membership ends. Confirm that the plan is active and that the game is still included. Buying the game outright is a different transaction and may have different upgrade rights.

The title has different upgrade terms

Upgrade programs are not identical across games. Some offers are free, while others are paid or discounted; some editions may be excluded. Read the exact text in the game hub and store listing instead of relying on another game’s policy.

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A decision checklist for a specific remaster

Answer these questions in order:

  1. Did you purchase the PS4 copy? If yes, continue with the purchased-license path. If no, determine whether it came from the Game Catalog or was redeemed as a Plus benefit.
  2. Is the entitlement physical or digital? A disc requires the disc for verification and for every play session; a digital purchase requires the purchasing account.
  3. What does the PS5 game hub offer? It may say Download, show a price, or provide a discount. That screen defines the title’s current upgrade terms.
  4. Is the game being accessed through the catalog? If so, the qualifying Plus plan and continued catalog availability are necessary.
  5. Will you use online multiplayer? Check the store listing. Most paid games require Plus for that mode, while some games are exempt.

This checklist separates four issues that are often confused: ownership, the upgrade transaction, catalog licensing, and online multiplayer. A Plus prompt in one area does not automatically apply to the others.

What you can play without Plus

When you own an eligible PS4 game and complete its PS5 upgrade, Plus is not generally required simply to download the PS5 files or play the game’s offline content. The practical requirements are the account or disc entitlement, an internet connection for the upgrade process, and—when using a disc—the original disc inserted during play.

Plus becomes relevant when the game’s license comes from the Game Catalog, when the PS4 copy was redeemed as a Plus benefit that lacks upgrade eligibility, or when you enter online multiplayer in a paid title. Checking those conditions against the individual game’s listing gives a reliable answer for a particular remaster.

Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.

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PlayStation 5PlayStation PlusPS4 gamesPS5 upgradesremasters

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