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The latest PS5 firmware update is here, and you can see the full patch notes through the link. While the headline features bring Discord integration and other improvements to the forefront, one smaller change has flown a little under the radar, but it's worth highlighting.

It's a tough thing to summarise, but basically, Sony has altered the way installed games are handled, essentially making digital and physical games more unified. There are two sides to it, as outlined in the official patch notes:

  • If your PS5 has the download version of a game that you haven't purchased (such as those that other users on your PS5 have purchased), and if you have the disc version, you can now play the installed download version by inserting the disc (without installing the disc version).
  • Similarly, if you've installed a game using the disc, and you've purchased the download version of the game, you can now play the installed disc version of the game without inserting the disc.

So, say one user on your PS5 has bought a digital game, and you haven't. If you then insert the disc version of that same game, you can play it on your profile without any further installation.

On the flip side, if you have a game installed on your PS5 via a disc, and subsequently purchase the download version of the same game, you can then play it without inserting the disc into your console. This also works for games claimed via PS Plus subscriptions.

It's a small change but one that makes things a touch more convenient. With the latter point, it means you can play your disc games without needing to use the discs themselves. More than that, you could potentially sell the physical copies on without losing access to the games. Obviously in some cases, you'll need to pay up for this added convenience, but with so many games on PS Plus Extra, odds are you can render a fair bit of your physical collection obsolete.

Will you be taking advantage of this change? Go digital in the comments section below.