There’s a glitch in the PlayStation Matrix that could cause you to lose access to games you’ve paid for. If you’ve bought the PS5 upgrade for any of your PS4 games, you should avoid installing those titles via Sony’s PS Plus subscription service. A Reddit user discovered that if you do this, you lose access to the PS5 upgrade entirely if your PS Plus subscription lapses.
What’s going on with PlayStation upgrades?
If you purchase a PS Plus subscription, it’s pretty tempting to claim the PS5 versions of games you already own on the service. After all, it’s free, and it means you can avoid using the game’s original PS4 disc in the first place. This creates the problem, however. Once you claim the PS Plus version of any game, it appears to override the purchased PS5 upgrade. If your subscription lapses at any point, you will lose access to the upgrade you paid for, and be stuck with the PS4 version only.
The PS Plus subscription service, which is like Netflix for PlayStation games, launched after Sony brought in the PS5 upgrade purchase option. This problem appears to be one of those edge cases that slipped through the cracks. Hopefully, Sony will update its PS5 software to fix the problem ASAP.
How to protect your purchased PlayStation upgrades
At the moment, the only solution to protect your upgrades is to avoid installing the PS Plus version of these games, and continue to play them via the PS5 upgrade you’ve already purchased. Most of us, including the aforementioned Reddit user, don’t enjoy repeatedly inserting the disc to access the PS5 upgrade. Even if you bought the PS5 upgrade to any game such as Gran Turismo 7, God of War Ragnarok, or Death Stranding, you’ll still have to insert the PS4 disc to access the upgraded version if you claim the game. You’ve been warned.
