How to upgrade your PS4 games to fancier PS5 versions for free

You can play most PlayStation 4 games on the PlayStation 5 thanks to the new Sony console's backward compatibility feature. But some publishers are letting you upgrade PS4 games to the PS5 versions for free. This lets you play many of them with 4K dynamic resolution at 60 frames per second and delivers shorter loading times, making for a better gaming experience.

One major game getting an update is last year's Final Fantasy 7 Remake. It's coming June 10 along with an expansion -- Episode INTERmission -- featuring awesome ninja Yuffie Kisaragi. The next-gen update is free for current owners, but not if they got the game via PlayStation Plus in March. The Yuffie content will also cost extra (the price hasn't been revealed) and is available only on PS5.

The PS5 is available now but has been going in and out of stock at retailers. The digital-only model costs $400, and the one with a disc drive is $500.

Your game upgrades won't happen automatically or through a typical game update, so it's easy to accidentally keep playing the PS4 version of a game on your new PS5. You have to go to the game page on the PlayStation Network and choose to upgrade to the PS5 version. That'll download the extra data needed for the next-gen features.

Read more: PS5 restocks: When to expect the console to appear

You can also upgrade to PS5 versions if you have a physical PS4 game, as long as you bought the PS5 with a disc drive. You'll always need to use the PS4 disc to play the PS5 version; upgrading doesn't get you a free digital copy of the game. You'll still download the PS5 update from the PSN, but you won't need a PS5-specific disc -- your PS4 one will become an authenticator.

If you opted for the digital-only PS5 and have a disc, you're out of luck. There are a few more limitations and caveats:

• Some PS5 versions of current PS4 games aren't out yet.
• Next-gen versions will be bigger files, so they'll take up more precious memory on the console's SSD.
• You'll end up with a fresh list of trophies (each version's list is separate).
• A few games' saves won't transfer. 
• Some game upgrades are available only in cross-gen bundles or special editions.

Free upgrades you can get right now

• Assassin's Creed Valhalla
• Atelier Ryza 2
  
• Borderlands 3
• Bugsnax
• Dead by Daylight
• Destiny 2
  
• DIRT 5
• FIFA 21
  
• Fortnite
• Hitman 3 (digital version only)
• Immortals Fenyx Rising
  
• King Oddball
• Madden NFL 21
  
• Maneater
• Marvel's Avengers
  
• Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales
• Mortal Kombat 11
• Nioh
• No Man's Sky
• Planet Coaster
• RIDE 4
  
• Sackboy: A Big Adventure
• The Pathless
• Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six: Siege
  
• Watch Dogs Legion
• WRC 9
• Yakuza: Like a Dragon
  

Some upgrades will require you to buy a specific (more expensive) version of the game:

• Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War is upgradable only if you buy the $70 cross-gen bundle or the $90 Ultimate Edition. The PS5 version costs $70; the PS4 version is $60. 
• Marvel's Spider-Man Remastered is available only with the $70 Miles Morales Ultimate Edition. It's not technically an upgrade, but you'll be able to transfer your save from the PS4 version.

Upcoming free upgrades

• Cyberpunk 2077 -- Second half of 2021.
• Doom Eternal -- To be announced.
• Far Cry 6 -- To be announced in 2021.
• Final Fantasy 7 Remake -- June 10, 2021.
• For Honor -- To be announced.
• Ghostrunner -- To be announced 2021.
• Guilty Gear Strive -- April 9, 2021.
• Horizon Forbidden West -- To be announced 2021.
• Kena: Bridge of Spirits -- First quarter of 2021.
• Little Nightmares 2 -- To be announced 2021.
• Metro Exodus -- To be announced.
• Monster Boy and the Cursed Kingdom -- To be announced.
• Outriders -- April 1, 2021.
• Praey for the Gods -- First quarter of 2021.
• Resident Evil Village -- May 7, 2021.
• Riders Republic -- To be announced 2021.
• The Elder Scrolls Online -- June 8.
• The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt -- To be announced 2021.

This list will be updated as more upgrades become available or are announced.