PS4 Firmware Update Fixes Potential CMOS Battery Issue

Sony has released an update for the PS4 that allows games to be played without a cmos battery and connection to the internet. Previously, one of the two was a requirement, which could pose a problem if the battery fails and the PS4 online services are unavailable.

Previously, when each game started, the game console’s operating system checked the PS4’s internal clock, or the Internet, to record the date of trophies earned. For the internal clock, the device relied on the built-in cmos battery. If both internet connectivity and cmos battery failed, games wouldn’t start at all.

The newly released firmware version 9.0.0 ensures that a PS4 can continue to play games even if the built-in cmos battery is defective, empty or absent and the console has no internet connection. That was, among other things reported on Twitter and then confirmed by youtuber Modern Vintage Gamer, who tested the notifications himself. The date will be reset to 1969, but the games will work without the battery. Trophies are also reset, given their strong connection to Sony’s online services.

If Sony hadn’t fixed this reliance on the cmos battery and PS4 online services, it could have become a major problem in the future. It is already known that Sony does not keep its online services up and running forever. It is also clear that a cmos battery does not last forever. This combination could have led to countless bricked consoles in the future. The problem was already solved in March of this year raised by some users on Twitter.