Will PS4 save files work with upgraded PS5 games? It's a thorny question, but the best answer we know so far is "sometimes." Maneater does not support save transfers. Neither does "Yakuza: Like a Dragon" support it. Spider-Man: Miles Morales" will be supported, but the core "Spider-Man" game will not.

It appears that each developer will decide independently whether to make PS4 save files compatible with PS5. If you plan to finish all your PS4 games before upgrading your console, this is not a problem, but if not, it could be a hassle.

This information comes from a series of tweets compiled by PlayStation fan site Push Square. The confusion began with a tweet that read, "Yakuza: save data does not transfer between the PS4 and PS5 versions."

Many PS4 games, including Yakuza, offer free upgrades to the PS5 version, but those upgrades do not guarantee save data compatibility. Last week, it was discovered that save files from the PS4 version of "Spider-Man" would not transfer to the remastered PS5 version. However, save files from the PS4 version of "Spider-Man: Miles Morales" will carry over to the upgraded PS5 version. Even for the same game, save file situations can vary widely.

Frustratingly, it is not clear how players should expect a "standard" approach. Gene Park, a journalist for the Washington Post, stated, "I've heard from a number of different developers that PS4 save data won't work on PS5. However, it is clear that some developers will offer cross-save functionality, and the question is which developers, for which games, and in what pattern.

For many cross-platform launch window titles, it is not an academic question: players who purchased games such as "Assassin's Creed Valhalla," "Watch Dogs Legion," and "Cyberpunk 2077" on PS4 in November may find that in January these PS5 before they finish playing these titles in January. If save files cannot be brought to the new console, the free upgrade for the PS5 version comes with the unfortunate caveat that the game must be restarted.

If this isn't enough, the PS5 is even more tricky because it is backward compatible with most PS4 games. Does this mean, for example, that we will be able to choose between backward compatible and upgraded versions of "Assassin's Creed Valhalla" on the PS5? If so, how much of a difference will there be in graphics and gameplay? And will the save data dilemma be resolved?

It is a confusing situation and probably won't be resolved until we see the actual PS5. But be aware that if you plan to start a large, expansive game on PS4 and finish it on PS5, you may have to change your plans.