It's been over a year and a half since Horizon Forbidden West was officially revealed at Sony's big PlayStation 5 showcase in June 2020, but now that the game's release is right around the corner, consumers should to purchase the PS4 version. Current-gen games have fully adopted the new $70 price point. However, purchasing the cheaper last-gen version of Forbidden West entitles players to a free upgrade.
Horizon Forbidden West's free PS5 upgrade followed backlash that resulted from Guerrilla Games and Sony initially stating there would be no option to do so. Even though the new consoles have been out since late 2020, the industry and consumer shift to the latest generation has been incredibly gradual. Sony has notably had many high-profile first party exclusives release on both PS4 and PS5, including Forbidden West, God of War Ragnarök, and Gran Turismo 7. With more people constantly getting their hands on new hardware, it's become common practice for developers and publishers to offer either free or modestly priced upgrade paths between versions.
Sony had previously made a commitment to offering free upgrades on all of its PS5 launch titles, which Forbidden West was intended to be before significant delays. When each of Horizon Forbidden West's special editions were revealed, it came with the news that there was no upgrade path whatsoever - not even for a fee. This extremely anti-consumer move was immediately met with outcry from fans, and a free upgrade path was almost immediately implemented for all purchasers of any version of the game. PlayStation 5 owners now have the opportunity to get the game for $10 less at the traditional $60 price tag (before tax of course).
Horizon Forbidden West's PS5 Upgrade Can Be Digital Or Physical
After the initial fiasco, the upgrade options from PS4 to PS5 are appropriately lenient for Horizon Forbidden West. Whether players buy the game digitally or opt for a physical copy, a free upgrade will be available. Buying the PS4 version on the PlayStation Store will entitle purchasers to the PS5 version as well, which should appear as a separate file. It would probably be best for prospective buyers to do this through a web browser or the PlayStation mobile app; the built-in Store on the PS5 makes it incredibly difficult (maybe even impossible) to find the PS4 version.
This is likely a very subtle way for Sony to secure some additional profit, but with Forbidden West being just one of many big video games releasing in February 2022, players will need to save any way they can. Luckily the same upgrade path applies to physical purchases as well. Even a Forbidden West PS4 disc will grant players access to the PS5 version, the only caveat being that the PS4 disc has to be in the PS5 console to play the upgraded game. The only downside to this is for those who enjoy collecting physical media, since the PS4 box won't match its PS5 comrades on a shelf. Regardless, the best deal for getting Horizon Forbidden West around launch is to purchase any PlayStation 4 version, which will help save consumers about $10.
