If you‘re one of the over 13 million gamers who bought Cyberpunk 2077 for PS4 or Xbox One, I have great news for you – there is a completely free next-gen upgrade available right now for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S!
In this in-depth guide, I‘ll walk you through everything you need to know about upgrading to the superior PS5 and Xbox Series version of Cyberpunk 2077, what new improvements are included, and if it‘s worth revisiting Night City in 2024. Let‘s dive in!
How to Upgrade Cyberpunk 2077 from PS4 to PS5
I want to start by showing you just how easy it is to upgrade your PS4 copy of Cyberpunk 2077 to the awesome PS5 enhanced version. Follow these simple steps:
First, make sure your PS4 version of Cyberpunk 2077 is fully updated to the latest 1.5 patch. This unlocks the free PS5 entitlement.
On your PS5 console, go to your Game Library and find Cyberpunk 2077.
Select the 3 dots beside the Play button, then choose the PS5 upgrade option.
The enhanced PS5 version will download – it‘s around 70GB. Grab a coffee while you wait!
Once the PS5 download finishes, you can fire up Cyberpunk and enjoy Night City like never before! Your PS4 save progress seamlessly carries over.
And that‘s it! A few clicks and you‘ve upgraded to Cyberpunk 2077‘s superior next-gen experience for free. But what exactly does this PS5 version improve? Let‘s look at that…
What‘s New in the PS5 Version of Cyberpunk 2077?
Thanks to the PS5‘s fast SSD, powerful CPU/GPU hardware and advanced features like ray tracing and 3D audio, Cyberpunk 2077 receives some dramatic upgrades on next-gen.
Here are the biggest improvements:
4K Resolution – Crisp, ultra sharp image quality up to native 4K. Makes Night City‘s neon-drenched detail pop.
60 FPS Performance – Smoother, more responsive gameplay at up to 60 frames per second. Massive difference compared to the slideshow-like 15-25 FPS on PS4.
Ray Tracing – Realistic real-time lighting, reflections and shadows powered by PS5‘s hardware accelerated ray tracing. Especially striking at night.
3D Audio – With a headset on PS5, Sound is more directional and immersive. You can pinpoint enemy locations just by sound cues.
DualSense Haptics – PS5‘s advanced haptic feedback and adaptive triggers add physical immersion to gameplay. Feel weapon recoil, vehicle engines, different environment surfaces and more.
Faster Loading – Lightning fast loading thanks to PS5‘s custom SSD. Get back into action without long waits.
Cyberpunk 2077 was clearly built for next-gen hardware. All of Night City‘s cybernetic enhancements and augmented reality pop in ways not possible on old consoles. It feels like a totally new game.
But don‘t just take my word for it. Let‘s look at some data…
Cyberpunk 2077 PS4 vs PS5 – Performance Comparison
Thanks to the work of expert technical analysis sites like Digital Foundry and ElAnalistaDeBits, we can directly compare the performance of Cyberpunk 2077 on PS4 vs the upgraded PS5 version.
Here are some key stats:
| Version | Resolution | Frame Rate | Load Times |
|---|---|---|---|
| PS4 | 1080 – 1512p | 15 – 25 FPS | 1 min 4 secs (to load game) |
| PS5 | 1440 – 2160p | 30 – 60 FPS | 17 secs (to load game) |
As you can see, the PS5‘s hardware muscle boosts Cyberpunk‘s resolution up to native 4K, improves the frame rate by 2-4X for silky smoothness, and loads the game nearly 4X faster than PS4. Night City comes alive on PS5!
Now let‘s see how players and reviewers are reacting to these major improvements…
Overwhelming Praise for the PS5 Version of Cyberpunk 2077
Gamers and game critics universally agree – the next-gen upgrade completely transforms Cyberpunk 2077 into the immersive experience it was meant to be all along.
Here is a sample of the glowing reactions:
"This is what I wanted Cyberpunk 2077 to be all along. It feels like a different game on PS5. Night City is alive and the action plays smooth as butter at 60 FPS…this is now the definitive way to play Cyberpunk." – GameSpot Review
"If you bounced off Cyberpunk 2077‘s technical problems on old consoles, you will be amazed just how much the PS5 upgrade improves it. This is absolutely worth revisiting." – IGN
"With the specs to actually run it properly, Cyberpunk 2077 on PS5 affords the breathing room to appreciate the scope of its achievement…" – Washington Post
"STEP INTO THE NEXT GENERATION OF IMMERSION WITH THE CYBERPUNK 2077 PS5 UPGRADE! NIGHT CITY AWAITS!" – Enthusiastic Reddit user
Basically, the next-gen console hardware allows Cyberpunk 2077 to fully deliver on its ambitious open world promise. If you were let down playing on PS4 like I was, the PS5 upgrade is a night and day improvement.
Now let‘s look at what big new changes patch 1.5 and the PS5 upgrade brings to the overall gameplay experience…
New Improvements and Features in Cyberpunk 2077 Version 1.5
In February 2022, CD Projekt Red released the massive Cyberpunk 2077 version 1.5 update. Along with enabling the next-gen console upgrades, this patch also overhauled many aspects of the core game.
Here are some of the biggest improvements 1.5 brings:
Police and AI Overhaul – Smarter pedestrian and enemy behaviors and reactions, plus more logical police spawning and response.
Rebalanced Gameplay – All perks, items and abilities re-tuned for better balance and build diversity. Crafting also improved.
New Weapons – Badass new firearms like the explosive Kyubi rifle or rapid fire Neuen pistol add more gameplay variety.
Customizable Apartments – V can now customize their own pad with new decor, activities and a wardrobe to change style. Makes Night City feel more lived in.
Quality of Life Improvements – Hundreds of UI tweaks for faster looting, better driving controls, more readable subtitles and tons more.
Bug Fixes – Squashes the vast majority of lingering bugs and crashes left over from launch. Game is now highly stable.
1.5 makes Night City‘s inhabitants feel smarter and more alive. It also adds awesome new things to discover and collect in the world. Cyberpunk 2077 in 2024 plays like the deeper, more polished RPG we expected.
But that‘s not all – CD Projekt Red is committed to more updates and expansions in the future…
What‘s Still to Come for Cyberpunk 2077?
Excitingly, we know CD Projekt Red is nowhere near done improving and expanding on Cyberpunk 2077.
Here is a quick look at what additional content and features are still to come:
Phantom Liberty DLC – A major story expansion coming in 2024. Rumored to add 10+ hours of new narrative content.
Update 1.6 – Another big patch planned for late 2022 with more fixes, balance changes and new items.
Multiplayer – CDPR confirmed a standalone Cyberpunk online multiplayer experience is in the works. Likely years away though.
Cyberpunk 2077 Sequel – Thedeveloper teased that another singleplayer Cyberpunk game is possible after Phantom Liberty launches.
Given the developer‘s track record with continuously improving The Witcher 3 over many years, I‘m excited to follow Cyberpunk 2077‘s ongoing evolution.
Now let‘s wrap up with some common questions about upgrading to PS5…
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are quick answers to some of the most common questions about the process of upgrading Cyberpunk 2077 from PS4 to PS5:
Do I need the 1.5 patch installed before upgrading?
Yes! You must install the latest 1.5 patch on your PS4 copy first to get the free PS5 entitlement.
Does my PS4 game progress carry over?
Yes, your PS4 save files will transfer seamlessly when you boot up the PS5 version, letting you continue right where you left off.
Is the PS4 disk version upgrade free?
Yep, the physical PS4 disc edition still provides a free digital upgrade to PS5. Just insert the disc to verify ownership.
How big is the PS5 download?
Around 70GB. Make sure you have enough free space! The install size is smaller than downloading fresh.
Can I play PS4 and PS5 versions together?
You can freely go back and forth. Owning the PS4 disc lets you launch both versions on PS5 via backwards compatibility or native.
The Verdict – Absolutely Upgrade to the PS5 Version!
Cyberpunk 2077‘s PS5 upgrade marks a new beginning for the game after its notoriously rocky launch. Combining dramatically improved technical performance with loads of new gameplay content and fixes in version 1.5, Cyberpunk finally lives up to its massive potential.
If you own Cyberpunk 2077 on PS4, I couldn‘t recommend more strongly to take advantage of the completely free next-gen PS5 upgrade. It‘s like playing a whole new game built to shine on modern hardware.
For only $10, you can even upgrade the physical PS4 disk version. Considering the hundreds of hours Cyberpunk 2077 offers, that‘s an incredible value.
Trust me, you owe it to yourself to step back into Night City on PS5. With the 1.5 overhaul and buttery smooth next-gen enhancements, Cyberpunk 2077 is now the definitive way to experience this vast open world RPG classic – and one of the most compelling game upgrades ever. See you in Night City!
