The PS5 is an incredibly promising console. Though its launch library isn't of poor quality, Sony's current-gen flagship is lacking in games that make it a must-buy piece of hardware.
There were very few games available at launch, and Sony seems to have leaned on independent game developers quite significantly in order to bolster the selection of titles available early on.
That being said, it's exciting to think about what games can achieve with the PS5, and why 2025 could be the year that the PS5 boasts a gaming library that's truly its own.
What Constitutes a Strong PS5 Gaming Library?
First, are we saying you should wait until 2025 to get a PS5? Absolutely not. Sony might have PlayStation 6, with something ridiculous like 32K display capabilities, available by then, so we don't advise waiting that long.
Though you should probably wait until the end of 2021 to get a PS5, in order to play the latest games in all their glory, you're going to need either a powerful gaming PC or a current-gen console.
For a strong gaming library, it would comprise games that make the PS5 stand out from its rivals. This could be a collection of titles that you must buy a PS5 to play or games that are at their best when you play them on a PS5.
In this sense, cross-platform games (ie. games that you can play on a range of different gaming hardware) don't really contribute towards the PS5's gaming library as you could play those same games on an Xbox Series X or a gaming PC and experience a similar gaming experience.
A strong PS5 gaming library would consist of outstanding exclusives that shine on the PS5, besides remasters or remakes that are a truly novel experience on PS5 when compared to their original versions. Some more first party content wouldn't go amiss, either.
What About Cross-Generation Games?
Cross-generation games are games you can play on both the current-gen PS5 and the last-gen PS4 and PS4 Pro.
Now, do cross-gen games contribute toward the PS5's gaming library? It depends.
You'll find obvious improvements when playing the PS5 version of a game over its last-gen version, such as improved visuals, resolution, load times, and frame rate. The 60 fps target for PS5 games over the 30fps target for PS4 games alone could be enough to sway you.
But, if the game is essentially the same (i.e story, characters, gameplay systems) then you might not see it as a fully unique addition to the PS5 gaming library.
We've already got a taste of cross-gen titles with Marvel's Spiderman: Miles Morales and, despite boasting improvements such as ray-tracing and 60fps, the fundamentals of the game are the same on both versions.
However, there are some exceptions, where a cross-gen game completely transforms when played on its current-gen version.
Taking a cross-gen example from the PS3/PS4 transition, Middle Earth: Shadow of Mordor released with both a PS4 version and a PS3 version (as well as on Microsoft's consoles and PC).
Although, despite being cross-gen, the developers watered down the PS3 version of the game, with muddy visuals, choppy performance, and, most importantly, a scaled-back version of the game's defining feature: the Nemesis System, resulting in a vastly different gameplay experience than the PS4 version.
As the PS4 reaches the end of its support cycle, you might find similar drawbacks in PS4/PS5 cross-gen games, where the PS5 version resembles a completely different gaming experience.
When Did the PS4 Gaming Library Come Into Its Own?
Arguably, the year that PS4 boasted an incredible gaming library was 2018.
By the end of 2018, the PS4's gaming library was outstanding, with God of War, Detroit: Become Human, and Marvel's Spiderman coming in that year alone.
Alongside these (at the time) exclusives, the PS4 also had Uncharted 4, Uncharted: The Lost Legacy, Bloodborne, Until Dawn, and Horizon: Zero Dawn, amongst other gems.
These were all games that you couldn't play anywhere else (at the time) that showcased the power of the PS4 as well as the quality of Sony's first-party developers.
As the PS4 launched in November 2013 (February 2014 in Japan), that's five years for Sony's last-gen console to build a fantastic gaming library. Could the PS5 follow the same path?
The PS5 Could Have a Fantastic Selection of Games by 2025
Sony currently has 25 games in development with nearly half being new IP, which is incredibly exciting.
At that rate, you may think that a strong PS5 library could see fruition in perhaps two or three years, despite the release dates of most of these titles still pending.
Alongside eagerly anticipated games such as God of War: Ragnarok, could there be a future original title that cements its status as a PS5 standout, perhaps gaining the Greatest Hits label?
Games like Horizon Forbidden West will test how upcoming cross-gen titles stack up on the PS4 and PS5 and whether the PS5 version is that much better. Will we see more in-depth gameplay systems that make Horizon Forbidden West a unique game to PS5?
But, balancing out the vast amount games in development with unknown release dates, COVID restrictions, and delays, we could look at another four years till there's a PS5 gaming library that comprises several outstanding games that are its own.
A Promising Library for a Promising Console
The PS5 isn't a bad console, it's just lacking in games. With a mix of cross-platform and cross-gen titles, spearheaded by first-party exclusives, you might find ample reason to pick up a PS5 in a year or two.
However, for a gaming library that defines the PS5, you might have to wait a few more years, potentially till 2025—the same five-year span it took for the PS4 to amass a wonderful collection of games.
While you make your mind up about when to get a PS5, there are plenty of things you can do in the meantime, such as revisit the PS4's incredible gaming library.