PS4’s Massive Multiplayer Game Closing, Free PS5 Upgrade Available

As the PlayStation 5 takes center stage as the go-to console for PlayStation enthusiasts, we’re beginning to see support for the trusty old PS4 starting to wane. A good example of this shift is a well-loved MMORPG no longer backing its previous-generation platform, but on the bright side, players can upgrade to the latest version at no extra cost.

In a recent announcement, Pearl Abyss revealed its decision to pull the plug on the PS4 and Xbox One iterations of Black Desert Online. Players are still in for a few more months of adventuring until the game transitions fully to the current-gen consoles. Mark your calendars for June 26, as this will be the day when the game’s earlier versions on PS4 and Xbox One will officially bow out, coinciding with scheduled maintenance. The plus side? Players can hop onto the upgraded version without any charges, and thankfully, all account details and in-game purchases will come along for the ride.

Brian Choi, the Black Desert Console Live Service Manager, reassures players, “Rest easy, your game data is secure. All your account details and Black Desert entitlements will be waiting for you when you’re ready to make the leap to the PlayStation 5 or Xbox Series versions. We totally get that this might feel like a bummer for many of you, but know that we’ve been constantly updating Black Desert to better the experience for all adventurers.”

Choi further elaborates, “In one of our recent videos, we noted that despite our best efforts to keep optimizing older consoles with fresh content, hardware limits are starting to interfere with delivering the latest content as smoothly as we’d like. After much thought, we’ve concluded it’s time to focus on the PS5 and Xbox Series versions to ensure a more stable and enhanced service.”

When Black Desert Online made its U.S. debut back in 2016, it garnered a mix of reactions. According to Metacritic, an online review aggregator, it snagged an average score of 73 from 35 critics. It made its PS4 and Xbox One debut in 2019, further extending its reach across gaming platforms.