How Many Games Can Be Open on PS5? The Straight Answer and Deep Dive
The PlayStation 5 is a powerhouse, but it has its limitations. The short answer to the question “How many games can be open on PS5?” is: only one. The PS5 architecture is designed to run a single PS5 game at a time. While you might be able to suspend that game and jump into a PS5 entertainment app (like Netflix or Spotify), you cannot have multiple PS5 games running in the background simultaneously or switch between them instantaneously like you might on a PC. This design choice impacts everything from how you manage your storage to how you share your gaming experiences with friends. Let’s unpack why this is the case and explore other related questions you might have about game management and usage on Sony’s flagship console.
Understanding the PS5’s Architecture and Limitations
Unlike a high-end PC with multiple processors and ample RAM designed for multitasking, the PS5’s architecture is finely tuned to prioritize a single gaming experience. This focus allows developers to push the boundaries of graphical fidelity, processing power, and overall performance. Running multiple demanding PS5 games concurrently would severely strain the system’s resources, resulting in a compromised experience for all titles involved. Think of it like trying to drive five race cars on the same track at the same time – chaos would ensue!
The decision to limit the console to one active PS5 game is not a technological oversight, but a calculated design choice geared toward optimizing the player’s experience. This focus allows the PS5 to deliver stunning visuals, incredibly fast load times, and a consistent and stable gameplay experience.
Navigating the Single-Game Limit
While you can only have one PS5 game actively running, you can suspend your current game and switch to a PS5 entertainment app (like Netflix, Spotify, or YouTube) without fully closing the game. This is a helpful feature when you want to take a break or listen to music while browsing the PSN store, for example. However, jumping back into the game requires it to resume from its suspended state, which can take a few seconds, depending on the game.
It’s important to note that this “suspend” functionality isn’t equivalent to having multiple games fully loaded and ready to be played instantly. The PS5 essentially saves the game’s state to memory, allowing you to pick up where you left off quickly. But the resources are still primarily dedicated to that single, suspended game. To get the most out of the PS5, we recommend visiting GamesLearningSociety.org, for more information.
PS5: Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Here’s a comprehensive collection of frequently asked questions related to the PS5’s game management, storage, and sharing capabilities:
How many games can I realistically store on my PS5’s internal storage?
With the PS5’s 825GB SSD (of which only about 667GB is actually usable), you can realistically store between 10 and 15 PS5 games. This number depends heavily on the individual game sizes. Some titles, especially AAA games with high-resolution textures and extensive content, can easily exceed 100GB. Smaller indie games or older PS4 titles take up considerably less space.
How many games can a 2TB SSD hold on the PS5?
A 2TB SSD can significantly expand your PS5’s storage capacity. You can expect to store around 50 games, depending on their size, providing you with much more flexibility and reducing the need to constantly delete and re-download titles.
Can I play PS5 games directly from an external hard drive?
No, you cannot play PS5 games directly from an external hard drive. PS5 games must reside on the internal SSD or an officially supported internal M.2 SSD expansion to take advantage of the console’s high-speed data transfer capabilities. You can, however, store PS4 games on an external drive and play them directly from there.
How many people can I game share with on PS5?
You can only gameshare with one other person at a time on the PS5. This feature allows you and a friend to share your digital game libraries, effectively allowing both of you to play each other’s games.
Can I gameshare with multiple people sequentially?
While you can only gameshare with one person at a time, you can disable gamesharing with the current person and then enable it with someone else. However, be cautious, as there might be limitations or cooldown periods associated with frequently changing your gamesharing partner.
Can 3 PS5s share games?
No, the gamesharing feature on PS5 is strictly limited to two consoles: your primary console and one secondary console.
Is 1TB enough extra storage for PS5?
A 1TB SSD is a worthwhile upgrade if you find yourself constantly juggling games due to storage limitations. It will approximately double the storage capacity of your PS5, allowing you to keep more games installed and ready to play.
How many PS5 games can a 5TB external hard drive hold?
Keep in mind that while you can’t play PS5 games from an external hard drive, a 5TB external drive could store a large library of PS4 games, potentially holding up to 125 games or more depending on their individual sizes.
Can I play my games on multiple PS5 consoles simultaneously?
You can be logged into your PSN account on multiple PS5 consoles, but you cannot play the same game simultaneously on more than two consoles (your primary console and one secondary console using the gameshare feature).
Why are my games locked on PS5?
A locked game icon typically indicates that your account does not have the necessary license to play the game. This can be due to several reasons: you haven’t purchased the game, your PlayStation Plus subscription has expired (if the game was acquired through PS Plus), or there are issues with your account verification.
Can multiple users play downloaded games on my PS5?
Yes, when you enable console sharing and offline play on your PS5, anyone who uses your console can play your downloaded games, even when the console is offline. They can also enjoy some of the benefits of your PlayStation Plus membership, such as online multiplayer (if the game supports it).
Is there a limit to how many PS5 consoles I can buy?
Sony has implemented measures to limit the purchase of PS5 consoles, typically allowing only one version of the console (Disc or Digital) per customer to combat scalping and ensure fair distribution.
Is there a limit to game sharing on PlayStation?
While there’s no limit to the number of consoles you can download a game on, you can only play the game concurrently on two consoles: your primary console and a secondary console where you are logged in with your account.
Can I add more internal storage to my PS5?
Yes, you can add an officially supported PCIe Gen 4 M.2 SSD to your PS5 using the internal expansion slot. This is the recommended method for increasing your PS5’s internal storage capacity.
Why can’t I move PS5 games to external storage for playing?
PS5 games are designed to leverage the incredibly fast data transfer speeds of the internal SSD. External hard drives, even SSDs connected via USB, do not offer the same performance, and therefore PS5 games cannot be played directly from external storage. The external storage can only be used to keep archived PS4 games.