UPDATE:
Over the weekend, Jim Ryan has retracted the business decision of the current upgrade model of Horizon: Forbidden West. Other publications pointed out the SIE CEO’s inconsistency based on what was posted last year about the game having a free upgrade to PS5 for the PS4 version.
Currently, Sony will uphold its promise last year to give a free PS5 upgrade for the PS4 version. However, future cross-gen first-party games such as God of War Ragnarok and Gran Turismo 7 will require a $10 upgrade fee to PS5.
ORIGINAL STORY
There is some unfortunate news for those who haven’t yet had the chance to get their hands on a PlayStation 5. When it releases, Horizon: Forbidden West will not be offering a free upgrade, or even an opportunity to pay a small fee for an upgrade to your next-generation console, at least on the Standard or Special Editions.
What this means is that you’ll only receive both a PlayStation 4 and PS5 copy should you opt to buy for the pricier Digital Deluxe, Collector, or the Regala Editions. Only owners of these editions have dual entitlement. All of this is according to Sony’s FAQ page for Horizon: Forbidden West.
The Horizon: Forbidden West PS4 to PS5 upgrade is not free. You will have to either buy the Digital Deluxe Edition to get both PS4 and PS5 versions of the game. Or, if you bought the PS4 standard edition, you will need to purchase the PS5 version separately for $69.99.
Can you still play Horizon: Forbidden West on the PS5 with a PS4 copy?
Yes, you may still be able to play on the PS5 with a standard or special copy. However, you are only able to do so via backwards compatibility. This means that all the graphical and performance upgrades will not be carried over.
Also noted on the FAQ, there aren’t any plans at the moment to offer players the chance to pay for an upgrade.
So the question is right now: is it worth it to pre-order a standard PlayStation 4 copy of Horizon: Forbidden West if you’re planning on upgrading to a next gen console?
Pre-Order Bonuses
There are incentives to pre-ordering Forbidden West. If you plan on purchasing a physical or digital copy of the game, you will receive a Legacy Outfit and Spear to use inside the game. These items are redeemable on the PlayStation Store.
The deadline for pre-order is on February 18, 2021. So there isn’t much fear in missing out, as you still have quite a bit of time to decide if you’re getting a PS4 or PS5 version if you’re only going for the standard or special edition.
Collector’s and Regalla Edition
Thinking of buying the pricier editions? Be warned that they do not come with a physical disk. Instead, you’ll receive a voucher code to redeem the game for both PS4 and PS5. Save games are transferrable.
If you’re interested in details regarding these editions, click here.