Ghost of Tsushima's PS5 Upgrade Is Worthwhile But Not A Game Changer | Digital Foundry

When PlayStation 5 launched in November last year, two Sony first-party developers - Bend Studio and Sucker Punch - tapped into the early cross-generation SDK, allowing Days Gone and Ghost of Tsushima to run at 60 frames per second, dramatically improving the experience. Today, in concert with a Director's Cut edition that includes bonus content, Tsushima has been updated once more - no longer is it running under backwards compatibility, now it's a fully armed and operational PS5 title, able to tap into the full horsepower of the machine. So, what has changed and how good are the upgrades?

[darthv72]

I'm good with the PS4 version. It runs fantastic on the 5 but I can appreciate what they were going for with the DC and will likely pick up a PS5 version at some point.

[VenomUK]

I haven’t played it on PS4 so to me this is a brand new triple-A game which I missed out on because of 2020. I’ve been interested since the first reveal, and I have rental copy on its way to me in the post so I cant wait to play this.

[Snookies12]

I actually stopped my playthrough on PS4 after trying it on PS5... It runs so much better and is absolutely stunning to look at. I have plenty of stuff in my backlog to clear out in the meantime. But the moment I get a PS5 you better believe this is the first thing I'm going through. Really fun game, and wonderfully challenging on harder difficulties!

[RaiderNation]

You won't be disappointed. The game is phenomenal! I still can't believe it's only an 83 on metacritic. It should be sitting at 90 at least.

[CrimsonWing69]

This is like the “Remasters” of this gen. It’s like they though, “With backwards comparability how do we sell this game again to someone who owns the last-gen version and how do we sell it for more if someone didn’t buy the last-gen version? Director’s Cut!”

[GhostofHorizon]

You are wrong on both of those accounts, nobody is selling you the game again because there is an upgrade path and it certainly doesn't cost more now than it did before.

I don't know what narrative you're trying to spread but making these claims without any merrit just makes you look petty.

With that said, remasters are amazing for those who never had the chance to play them before.

[Tacoboto]

Wrong - It does cost more now because of the upgrade. The new Director's Cut is $60 on PS4, $70 on PS5.

The DC content upgrade itself for existing owners is $20 and the separate next-gen upgrade (that requires a full separate download) is $10. So if you spent $60 on the base PS4 game, that's now an $80 investment - $90 if you go all out and turn it into the PS5 version (just remember that you still need the stupid disc inserted even after paying the full $30, and you need the PS4 game installed so you can upload your save data to become a magical PS5 save)

[GhostofHorizon]

You are comparing a PS4 game to a PS5 game to make your point. Fact is that the PS4 version of the game that people already have is still exactly the same price as Director's Cut.

This is a completely different point than the one discussed in the first two post of this thread. There is a $10 difference between the PS4 and PS5 version that nobody is going to deny but it is also not mandatory to play Director's Cut so people can make their own decision on if it is worth it to them or not.

The second part you are arguing for is that the game comes to $90 total which I think is interesting because you are basically complaining that you have to pay for DLC as if this is the first game to ever come out with DLC.

Complaining for the sake of complaining.

[Tacoboto]

I'm comparing a PS4 game to a port of a PS4 game, in an era where the competition releases free upgrades that (1) don't need separate save files and (2) don't need separate dedicated installs. Why are you sticking up for a corporation that is actively exploiting its most loyal fans?

FFVII Remake - one pricing scheme (free upgrade because it's not Sony-published)
Ghost - another
Death Stranding - yet another one
Sackboy - the original $60 MSRP and next-gen upgrade included, yay
Spider-Man MM - $50 instead of $40 cuz Next-Gen but yay included upgrade
Spider-Man Remastered - you actually can only buy this through the MM Ultimate Edition, or through MM's main menu. There is no store listing for it. You're gonna defend that too, eh?

We already know where this is going with 2022's Horizon Forbidden West and God of War Ragnarok, both of which have PS4 prequels that don't have PS5 native apps yet. The 60fps God of War patch still means we're primed for a $10 upgrade, if not a $20 Remaster of a 2 year old game a la Spider-Man.

[GhostofHorizon]

I can only speak from my own experience here.
I have not had to use cross-save for a single game yet or multiple installs, things have just worked for me right out the gate.

Pricing is another thing I don't really have to deal with. The way I have always thought about this is that there is an early adopter tax. The person that gets the game on day one is getting the lowest possible quality of that game(since patches drop and usually improve stability and such.) I tend to buy the games down the road when they go on sale, my backlog is quite big and I absolutely hate having to go back into a game to finish DLC that came out 3 months after I was done with the game. I tend to wait and just get the game down the line.

That's where I come from, so I don't understand why people get upset that an upgraded version of the game comes down the line. Let's take Demon's Souls as an example here because that's a recent port, I have no desire to get it because I finished it on PS3, I got the platinum, I got everything out of that game I wanted to. I have no issues with the new version of the game going for $70. I am not forced to get it and people that didn't have PS3 get to enjoy it on their new console. There is nothing exploitative about that.

It gets a bit weird when talking about the upgrades because Ghost of Tsushima already got a PS5 patch that improves the frame rate for free, they are asking you for $10 for their implementation of Dual Sense and other improvements that most other games didn't bother with (not counting the PS5 launch games and onward), Tsushima came out before PS5 did so it's not really fair to compare it to Sackboy for example. Horizon, Days Gone and God of War for example got their patch for PS5 for free which was mostly just the frame rate improvements. If God of War comes out with a PS5 version for $10, I once again don't see an issue with this it is an option.

I just simply don't see how anyone is getting exploited.
Just a small correction on one of the previous points you made, you don't need the PS4 version installed to transfer your save file to PS5, it should do it automatically as long as the save file is on the system.

[Tacoboto]

Wrong again - it does require manual save transfer through in-game actions. Spider-Man is like this, as is FFVII Remake. The official Ghost of Tsushima Twitter even posted their in-game menu for transferring yesterday.

Horizon Zero Dawn also doesn't have any PS5-aware patch.

[neutralgamer1992]

Sorry i am coming across as rude but this nonsense fake rage has to stop. I care about games and Sony make some of the best games period end of story. Already sling your competition by more than 2-1

Tacoboto

Sure play games on Xbox since you seem to like that more. Who's stopping you? This is pure and utter nonsense. You are saying Ms have better policies yet they have no next generation games 10 months after launch of a new console

On topic

Get the expansion of someone doesn't want to pay for next gen upgrade. Dlc expansions haven't been free so we always had to pay for additional content

As far as next generation upgrade goes it should be free but it's not so it is what it is. For gamers like me who held back we will buy the PS5 version and let me say this I am fine with $70 price tag. Game prices have remained the same for decades now while development costs gave risen

If you think other publishers won't charge $70 moving forward and it's just a Sony thing that you are out of your mind. The blowback is coming from Xbox fanboys who don't but games that much to begin with. 93% of hades sales on playstation is a fact.

Game publishers are realizing that GP will not be beneficial for sale of games. GP is good for smaller titles that need exposure but bigger titles don't benefit at all from GP. Outriders developers missed on bonuses because the game didn't sell and why is that? It sold fine on playstation but Xbox gamers played it using GP and moved on

There is a thing called inflation and overtime things cost more because the coat of developing those things goes up

To all the playstation fans enjoy GHOST and to all the fake concerned Xbox fanboys ask Ms to match sony when it comes to game quality and quantity before spouting about features. Y'all can have the features I will take games

The last of us part 2
Ghost
Demon souls remake
Ratchet and clank
Returnal
Mlb the show
FF7 remake
FF7 dlc
Ghost dlc

And y'all want to bring up features

Best selling console in history
Fastest selling console in history
Selling most software
Generating more money than your competition

But I guess they need to listen to fake raging Xbox fanboys

[Tacoboto]

Fake rage? Lol, you're the one raging here - I'm pointing out unfair practices that exploit the consumer over things that others do for free *and* with much more ease.

It's obvious Sony has the better games output, and that's why you and others bend backwards to defend those practices. It's okay to acknowledge they have better games *and* at the same time point out that they're taking advantage of that (rather than excusing it as "it is what it is").

(93% of physical sales in the UK for Hades - a very specific framing for that useless anti-GP narrative that neglects worldwide sales and digital numbers and ignores how MS pays the publisher to get games on the service. For Outriders - Maybe People Can Fly should've accounted for that in their contractual agreement with Square, or maybe they could've made a compelling service game worth buying...)

I was actually wrong about the Ghost save situation. Should've watched this video, Sony's dev tools have matured - good to know now.

[Darkborn]

The game already got a free upgrade months ago that gave it 60 fps and bumped the res. They are unlocking new features for the ps5. SSD no loading screens, true 4k and 60 fps and duelsense/ 3D audio. There is a ps5 version that still is superior to the ps4 pro version for the ps5 and then there is this version that is superior to that. So technically there are 4 versions and you own 3 of them with the base game. The ps4 version, the ps4 pro version, the ps5 upscaled version which was free, and then this $10 version that unlocks new features. Everyone is screaming because the narrative is Sony is anti consumer, but making a next Gen console with next Gen features and actual games for that console is pro consumer.

[DaGR8JIBRALTAR]

I paid 19.99 for the ps5 upgrade.

[mkis007]

You paid 20 for the iki expansion. 10 is the upgrade which isnt available until 20th

[Tacoboto]

The PS4 60fps patch didn't up the resolution, it only increased the framerate. This PS5 version is also not native 4K because they are still utilizing checkerboard rendering at 4K as opposed to checkerboarded 1800p (which is still used for the game's framerate mode, though both seem to hit a consistent 60fps).

So $10 for sensitive triggers/rumble, a few seconds saved here-and-there, and it's a teensy bit sharper. Super necessary fee on a game that's been beyond profitable that already has a separate $20 fee for actual worthwhile content.

[mkis007]

If the features are not worth $10 to you just get the iki expac then...

[foker]

I mean if I did not have it on PS4 Id bite in a second,.. The problem is I am not sure upgrade path will work because I have disc from different region as my PSN account,.. Even had to get Multiplayer patch from UK store,.. So If it does not work,.. Then I will just wait for sale ,.. and get it sometimes later.

[iplay1up2]

What is coming out for Playstation 5 this fall, that is a 1st party title? Forbidden West isn't coming till Q1 2022.

[leejohnson222]

Guerilla confirm that now then? Or just BS insiders

[jznrpg]

Why would it be a game changer? It’s an upgrade of the base with an expansion , it’s still Ghost of Tsushima . I don’t want a game changer I want more GoT .

[Silly gameAr]

That's what I was thinking. Who said it was going to be a game changer, and why does it need to be? N4G letting dumb articles shine, as always.

[Agent75]

Not for £70 on PS5 it isn’t.

[leejohnson222]

These clowns who zoom in 400% on playstation games then say its not needed on a xb game, come on now. This outlet has not been balanced since they had the xb exclusive breakdown.

[RaiderNation]

I still feel like Ghost of Tsushima is underscored, considering the high quality of the game. 83 on Metacritic is ridiculous. This is easily a 90/100 game. Even the Directors Cut with all the improvements, IGN still only gave it an 8/10. I mean, WTF IGN?!? What more could Sucker Punch have possibly done to make this game any better??