I’m fine with Nintendo Switch 2 charging for game upgrades

A reader argues that, while confusing, Sony’s approach to charging for game upgrades is fair and something Nintendo should look to copy.

As a Switch owner I await the news about Switch 2 backwards compatibility and upgrade paths. I’m pretty sure it will be backwards compatible but really don’t know if Nintendo will offer upgrade paths or charge full price for native Switch 2 versions of Switch games or provide free boosts to Switch games running through backwards compatibility.

But looking back, I’d say Sony has struck a pretty good balance, even though they have got some stick for upgrade paths or lack off. I think the biggest problem has been how confusing it all is.

Most first party native PlayStation 4 games running through backwards compatibility on PlayStation 5 have received a free patch that gives a transformative, for me, 60 fps mode. Baffling to most though, the most requested one – Bloodborne – hasn’t yet.

Where a native PlayStation 5 version has released with additional work carried out either in the graphical assets or new modes a not too egregious £10 upgrade path has been offered. They also had a launch window grace period, where you got both PlayStation 4 and 5 versions for the PlayStation 4 price.

Horizon Forbidden West was part of that but when it slipped out of the PlayStation 5 launch window Sony tried to charge the upgrade fee. The pushback caused them to apologies and honour the original launch window criteria.

Full remakes like Demon’s Souls are perfectly reasonably full price releases. The only time I think they misjudged it, and the work didn’t reflect a full price release or not offering an upgrade path, was The Last Of Us Part 1.

They also delisted Uncharted 4 on PSN just prior to the native PlayStation 5 Uncharted: Legacy Of Thieves Collection releasing, which was a bit ugh. But I think you still have the option of buying the PlayStation 4 disc version and accessing the PlayStation 5 digital £10 upgrade that way. The PlayStation 5 version also had the DLC and sensibly retailed not at full price. I think it was £45. But at this stage you’ll find the PlayStation 5 version in PSN sales and is probably the cheapest way of getting it.

Personally, I’ve not taken the upgrade option on most games, as all I’m really interested in 60 fps and most have received a free patch. The PlayStation 4 The Last of Us Remastered already runs at 60 fps, so I’m not going to bother with The Last Of Us Part 1 either. I did pick up the £10 upgrade path for Uncharted 4 though, as I didn’t own the well-received DLC and the upgrade path gave you that.

I could be wrong, but I also think PlayStation 4 Uncharted 4 didn’t receive a free 60 fps patch, as they probably want you to upgrade to the PlayStation 5 version. Which once again was a bit ugh, but as the DLC was thrown in with it, and I didn’t own that, it was a good price for me. I wonder if this is the reason Bloodborne hasn’t got a 60 fps patch, because a PlayStation 5 remaster/remake is being considered.

Could be wrong again, but I think cross-gen games like God Of War Ragnarök also haven’t received free backwards compatible patches to make the 30 fps PlayStation 4 version 60 fps on PlayStation 5 and you have to get the £10 upgrade path to PlayStation 5 to access that.

Overall though I can play most of my bought PlayStation 4 era Sony first party games at 60 fps with a free patch on PlayStation 5. Games like Ghost Of Tsushima, Days Gone, God Of War, The Last of Us Part 2, and Horizon Zero Dawn. And where I can’t, the £10 upgrade path is not too bad. But as I said earlier, it’s an ungodly mess knowing what has received what.

By reader Simundo