Sony’s recent PlayStation 5 update is reportedly causing havoc for some of the console’s biggest games and hiccups for select models.
Many players have reported encountering severe graphical glitches and crashes in various titles after installing the September update.
Affected games include Final Fantasy 16 (FF 16); Death Stranding Director’s Cut; Star Wars: Outlaws; Gran Turismo 7; Horizon Forbidden West; Red Dead Redemption 2; and Elden Ring. Reddit users have also mentioned experiencing issues with Dead Space and Visions of Mana.
Thus far, the only developer to have acknowledged the issue is FF 16 maker, Square Enix. The company said it was aware of the problem and investigating the matter with Sony.
“Following the recent release of the PlayStation 5 system update, there have been reports of the game crashing and graphical issues,” Square Enix posted on the FF16 account on X, formerly Twitter.
“We are currently working with SIE to investigate, and sincerely apologise for any inconvenience caused. Please await our further updates.”
The Standard contacted PlayStation for a response.
Meanwhile, some PS5 Slim consoles have also hit some snags. Users said their external disc drives have sputtered following the update, preventing them from playing physical games and other media types — and randomly ejecting discs.
The issue appears to be related to a disc drive firmware update stopping the hardware from reading games.
“I can't use my disc drive at all for anything , PS4, PS5, Blu-ray, 4K discs,” wrote one incensed user. They added that they’d tried all the troubleshooting methods, but nothing worked.
Another user said that a hard reset of the PS5 Slim solved the problem. However, this method wipes all your data and isn’t recommended unless you want to sell your console — or it is a last resort in extreme circumstances.
Still, others have said that simply restarting the console solves the problem, which should be your first step.
Ultimately, it may be worth waiting for Sony to issue a patch. At the time of writing, the Japanese firm hadn’t addressed the issue but, given the nature of the problems, it’s likely that a fix is in the works.
Sony released the September update late last week following a beta phase that previewed some of its biggest features earlier this summer.
The additions include a welcome hub that lets you change your PS5 background; personalised 3D audio profiles for headphones and earbuds; and adaptive charging for controllers on the PS5 Slim and upcoming PS5 Pro models.
