Yesterday, Sony released system software update version 9.00 for the PS4, but even though it was a relatively small patch at 490MB, it’s causing serious problems for some consoles.
For the vast majority of PS4 owners the update installs without issue. However, a Reddit thread details multiple problems including the PS4 being very slow after the update or unable to gain access to PSN. Some consoles are crashing, and in the worst cases the update has managed to brick Sony’s hardware.
So far, there doesn’t seem to be any clear link between the consoles affected. The base PS4, PS4 Slim, and PS4 Pro are all reported as experiencing problems. Having USB storage plugged into the console doesn’t seem to make any difference, either, after it was suspected as a potential cause. In some cases, the update won’t even finish installing in spite of multiple attempts to do so. That may end up being a blessing in disguise for those PS4 owners.
If you haven’t updated the system software to version 9.00 yet, it seems like the best thing to do is wait and see how Sony reacts. We may end up with a version 9.01 firmware update before the week is over, assuming Sony manages to quickly identify what is causing the slowdowns and crashes.
