Firmware Update 9.00 has addressed an issue wherein the PS4 CMOS clock battery’s loss of function stripped the console of its ability to run digital and physical games. Twitter user DoesItPlay1 stumbled across the error earlier this year upon testing the older console’s long-term usability. Because of the PlayStation 4’s inherent reliance on an internet connection, the system loses most of its functionality once the internal clock battery dies.

According to DoesItPlay1’s past findings, as well as those of others, a PS4 with a dead clock battery would crash when attempting to boot up both digital and physical titles. This indicated all PS4s would eventually fail to run as intended, a thought that strikes a heavy blow to game preservation. And, as many may be well aware, game preservation is already skating on thin ice in some cases, including in the PlayStation ecosystem where backward compatibility remains an issue – an uncomfortably massive one at that.

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Reportedly, Sony quietly fixed the CMOS clock battery dilemma in PS4’s recently released Firmware Update 9.00. This news comes by way of Twitter user and game preservationist Destruction Games (via TechRadar), who tested his PS4 with a dead CMOS battery and discovered that “games are no longer crashing on startup.” Destruction Games even unlocked Trophies, though the digital rewards bore no stamped date or time. While this particular user only tested physical games, he claimed others who own PS4s with dysfunctional clock batteries were able to boot up and enjoy digital experiences.

All PS3, PS4, and PS5 consoles boast a CMOS battery that not only keeps track of the date and time, but also logs digital purchases and Trophy data. For some reason, PS4 seems to count as the only member of the PlayStation console family that can’t fully function without a running internal clock battery, giving way to a world of trouble. But it appears that owners of Sony’s last-gen console no longer need to worry about that specific issue.

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Sony rolled out PS4 Firmware Update 9.00 last week on September 15, ushering in changes that allow PS4 and PS5 to communicate more effectively. Thus, PS5 Trophies now appear in the PS4‘s Trophy menu. The system update additionally introduced better options for parental controls; the Messaging system received a fair few improvements, as well.

Source: Destruction Games (1, 2)  via TechRadar

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Brianna Reeves
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A Senior Writer on Screen Rant’s Game News team, Brianna Reeves graduated from Sam Houston Statue University in 2018 with a Master of Arts in English Literature. Brianna’s enthusiasm for games dates back to Mortal Kombat Trilogy on PlayStation 1, along with classics like MediEvil, Syphon Filter, and THPS2. However, Red Dead Redemption reinvigorated her love for the medium; hopefully, that passion reflects in the work she has contributed to Comic Book Resources, PlayStation LifeStyle, GVMERS, and Screen Rant.

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