Sony PS4 gamers who wish to keep their libraries going for a long time may rest easy, as the system’s most recent firmware update will enable gamers to do so.
You will be able to play PS4 even after PSN has died
The PlayStation 4’s system software update version 9.00 appears to have eliminated an authentication communication between the system’s internal clock and the PSN, according to Modern Vintage Gamer’s tests.
It was a security precaution that, if it failed on both ends, prevented any PlayStation 4 software, digital or physical, from executing. This is excellent news for anyone concerned about being able to play PS4 games after the PSN support has ended.
The CMOS battery of PS4 is causing the problem and it is located inside the motherboard and it keeps track of the date and time, even when there is no electricity. If you remove the battery, the PlayStation 4 won’t be able to the real-world calendar. To be able to establish the correct time the console has to reconnect to PSN.
MVG founder Dimitris shared a video showing some tests related to the problem. He tried to run a God of War using a digital copy on a PS4 that is running an old firmware and without an internet connection, but he failed. Finally, he updated his console to the 9.00 firmware and then disconnected it from the internet before testing games and a disc copy of Shadow of the Colossus 2018 with the CMOS battery still removed. Giannakis reported that both games started and functioned properly, but his trophy data for God of War had been erased.
Sony didn’t mention the CMOS fix in the patch notes
Sony announced in March that it would be closing down its online stores for PlayStation 3, PSP, and Vita. The rumor spread quickly on social media that after Sony discontinued PSN service for the device, dying CMOS batteries (which have an average lifetime of ten to twenty years) would eventually brick all PlayStation 4s. Following a massive outcry, the firm reversed its decision to close its PS3 and Vita stores in April.
Sony’s official patch notes for the 9.00 update strangely don’t mention the CMOS fix.
