Although the PlayStation 5 is approaching its fifth birthday, countless gamers are still holding tight to theirPS4s. There are a number of possible explanations for this, of course: economic hardship impacts discretionary spending on things like new gaming consoles, theleap from PS4 to PS5is less impressive relative to previous generations, and some people simply don’t care much about new gaming tech, exclusive games be damned.
It’s worth analyzing how such next-gen exclusives impact how consumers engage with intergenerational gaming hardware. Indeed, a lot of PlayStation 5 owners likely only purchased the console because of their desire to play heavy-hitters that weren’t released for thePS4. This is something of a touchy subject as, on the one hand, next-gen exclusives have always been the main selling point for new consoles, but the incremental difference between the PS4 and PS5, which are virtually meaningless for more non-demanding games, makes this exclusivity feel artificial and purely profit-driven. Regardless, many game publishers are still losing their releases on last-generation tech, and July 2025 will see a handful of such titles coming to the PlayStation 4.
New Games Coming to the PS4 in July 2025
Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4 - July 11
Gamers entrenched in the PS1 era were ecstatic to learn of theoriginalTony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1 +2remasterbundle back in 2020: this double-feature reinterprets the iconic gameplay of the 1999 and 2000 classics within a contemporary context, depicting them with stunning visuals, better performance, and a number of clever new features. Remarkably, these remasters remain faithful to their progenitors, with no corner-cutting or egregious creative liberties in sight.
Turns out, this remaster duo was only the beginning, asActivision announcedTony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4this March. Now, just a few months later, the game’s release is imminent, coming to the PlayStation 4 as well as PC and other current-gen platforms. This is perhaps the most high-profile PS4 game launching in July, but it’s joined by some promising smaller titles as well.
Monument Valley 3 - July 22
The third entry in the cult-classic, visually stunning puzzle franchise was actually released in December 2024, butexclusively on Netflix Games. This means that players can only enjoyMonument Valley 3on their mobile devices, but it also means that it requires an active Netflix account to access. Naturally, this has been a disappointment for many series fans, but the game will be breaking free from the Netflix ecosystem on July 22, able to be purchased in full without a subscription and enjoyed on the big screen. For those who love atmospheric, artistically significant games with unique mechanics, this might be a PS4 game to check out in July.
Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound - July 31
July closes out withNinja Gaiden: Ragebound, a charmingly retro tribute to the pre-3D entries in theNinja Gaidenfranchise. Fans can expect the same high-speed action and brutal difficulty as previous games, butRagebound’s behind-the-scenes details make it even more exciting;Rageboundis coming from The Game Kitchen, a studio that previously churned out the spectacularBlasphemousgames. With its established mastery of the side-scrolling action-adventure genre, The Game Kitchen can almost certainly be relied on to make a greatNinja Gaidengame.
As a retro-inspired, pixel-art game, it may not be particularly surprising thatNinja Gaiden Rageboundis coming to PS4. Unfortunately, this common-sense reasoning doesn’t reflect the reality of most cases: there are several PS5 games launching soon, likePatapon 1 + 2 ReplayandShadow Labyrinth, that absolutely do not require the full power of the PS5 to run. Sadly, such games will not be coming to the PS4, signifying the continued decline of support for the console, despite its capabilities.
WHERE TO PLAY
Get hyped for the legendary franchise to return with Tony Hawk’s™ Pro Skater™ 3 + 4. Everything you loved is back, but revamped with more skaters, new parks, gnarlier tricks, eardrum shattering music, plus a whole lot more.• Reunite the crew with cross-platform online Multiplayer for up to 8 skaters in new and returning game modes.• Drop in to new parks or tear it up across the timeless parks from both Tony Hawk’s™ Pro Skater™ 3 & Tony Hawk’s™ Pro Skater™ 4, authentically remade in jaw dropping 4K resolution with streamlined goals and the epic 2-minute format.• Hit ‘em with some drip in the expanded Create-A-Skater and Create-A-Park modes, including the ability to create custom goals to share with friends for the first time ever.• Shred harder than ever with more challenging goals and an enhanced New Game+ mode.• Whether you’re a total casual or a grungy pro, the same smooth handling and simple-to-learn controls from Tony Hawk’s™ Pro Skater™ 1 + 2 will have you shredding like a Pro.• Alert the neighborhood watch and grab your skate buddies because the shred’s not dead. It’s back and better than ever.
