The new wave of game consoles is already upon fans, but that's no reason to stop enjoying the last generation games you love. This is something PlayStation 4 owners seem to understand very well indeed, as even some of the oldest games on Sony's little black box still boast a lively community to this very day.
These games will be considered according to the latest player estimates taken from the activity tracking website gamstat.com, and then ranked in ascending order based on their age and monthly returning player numbers. From iconic AAA titles to surprising indie hits, the PS4 certainly has a range of enduring titles.
10 Call of Duty: World War 2: 400,000 players
Of course, you can always count on this franchise to have a ton of active players. Still, what's kept Call of Duty: World War 2's playerbase not only healthy but thriving, after four years and two sequels?
Is it the return to the series' roots? Perhaps the cross-play feature, which allows friends with different consoles to play together? Could it be the tightly-designed exclusive maps? Or is the enduring fascination with the historical period in question? Whatever the reason, Call of Duty: WWII keeps soldiering on despite its age.
9 Overwatch: 400,000 players
Overwatch is a hard game to put down. It pulls players in with colorful characters and flashy powers, then keeps them ensnared with consistent updates.
Boasting gameplay that combines the best aspects of first-person shooters and MOBAs, it remains fundamentally satisfying even after hundreds of hours. It appears that almost half a million PS4 players agree. With a prestigious eSports league and a highly anticipated sequel on the way, the Overwatch fanbase isn't going anywhere any time soon.
8 Red Dead Redemption 2: 710,000 players
Rockstar Games' acclaimed 2018 release follows the slow demise of the Old West, but Red Dead Redemption 2's playerbase just refuses to fade away. So many fans still use the game as their go-to for living out their outlaw fantasies. Its expansive frontier is packed with fascinating (and often bizarre) NPCs, and there's always something new to see or do, whether in single-player or in Red Dead Online.
That's hardly a surprise, though, considering the New York-based developer's propensity for creating massive games boasting enough content to last for years. Longevity and long-term support is Rockstar's forte, and they proved it once again with Red Dead Redemption II.
7 Dead by Daylight: 500,000 players
Dead by Daylight is easily one of the past generation's biggest success stories. It started as a humble indie multiplayer survival horror game with a unique gameplay style, but quickly became one of the biggest genre staples of its time.
Even after imitators and direct competition from major licenses (classic horror villains are available as playable characters in a lot of different titles now), the independent Canadian classic still gets regular player numbers not too far behind those of new AAA games. It's amazing that such a small game can still maintain so much dedication after almost half a decade (it hit PlayStation 4 and Xbox One in June 2017, having originally released on PC the year before).
6 Brawlhalla: 540,000 players
With no PlayStation All-Stars: Battle Royale sequel on the horizon, those looking for a tight, Super Smash Bros-esque platform fighting game experience on Sony's console had to look elsewhere. The answer, for many, was (and remains) 2017's Brawlhalla.
Games with 53 playable characters, cross-play with other platforms, crossover content with AAA licenses and tons of optional customization don't come around very often. It offers something truly unique, and has retained an impressive audience as a result. Hundreds of thousands still regularly enjoy its cartoon carnage, even seven years after its release.
5 Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Siege: 680,000 players
Ubisoft and Tom Clancy's tactical FPS series was in a bad place in 2015. While its early life set expectations high, subsequent games generally failed to live up to them, leading to Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Siege being tasked with saving the slumping series.
Fortunately, just like Overwatch, Siege has seized gamers everywhere thanks to consistent support, a successful eSports scene, and engaging FPS gameplay. It's an experience that hasn't lost its freshness, even after all these years.
4 Marvel's Spider-Man: 910,000 players
Many of these successful, classic titles have focused on competitive online multiplayer, and it's clear why. There will always be new experiences to be had when confronting and outplaying friends and strangers alike. In contrast, a campaign-focused game with a clearly defined endpoint will inevitably run out of ways to engage players. Usually.
When a game is truly great, it's worth coming back to just for the sake of fun. Marvel's Spider-Man epitomizes this perfectly. Despite its 2018 release date and a sequel that improves upon it in various ways, the original still wins out in some areas. As such, there are still almost a million web-heads regularly playing Insomniac's original open-world superhero simulator.
3 Need For Speed: Payback: 1,500,000 players
EA and Ghost Games' 2017 open-world racer continues to be a hit. It seems to have mastered the addicting blend of speed, style and a liberating feeling of open space that fans crave.
It may not have released to the most glowing reception, but Need For Speed: Payback continues to satisfy players' carnal... need for speed. Fans have paid it back by rewarding the game with one of the highest retention rates on the PS4. Even after the solid Need For Speed: Heat's release in 2019, Payback still seems to be driving with a full tank.
2 Grand Theft Auto V: 2,300,000 players
Grand Theft Auto 5 is, perhaps, Rockstar's magnum opus. It offers a perfect balance of sandbox freedom and engaging narrative. It has a robust online multiplayer mode and boasts an open-world that's become the yardstick by which all others are measured. There's simply nothing quite like time spent in Los Santos.
Astonishingly, Grand Theft Auto 5 has remained the biggest game of its kind since 2013. It's one of the oldest games on the system and still one of the most played. Where can Rockstar possibly go with the sequel?
1 Minecraft: 2,400,000 players
Minecraft has remained at the top of the gaming world on just about any platform it's graced, thanks to its simple and ingenious design. The title's charm lies in its ability to essentially be whatever the player wants it to be.
Whether you want a fantasy action-adventure, a survival simulator or a near-limitless vessel for your creativity, the base game alone has you covered. That's even before considering Minecraft's expansive modding community. It's not at all surprising that 2.4 million people are regularly playing on PS4 alone.