Sony Working to Fix Message Bug That Forces PS4 Owners to Factory Reset Consoles

“We are aware of the situation."

News by Matt Kim, News Editor

15 October 2018

Over the weekend a PlayStation 4 bug was discovered that caused systems to lock-up if successfully initiated. In a statement Sony says it is "aware" of the problem and are working on a fix.

PS4 owners discovered that a specific message, which if received, can cause systems to freeze forcing players to factory reset their consoles. No official reason was given but many suspect it's caused by a similar bug that crashed iPhones a couple years back.

In an update to VG247 Sony says, "We are aware of the situation and are planning a system software update to resolve this problem."

In the meantime players are setting their messages to private or friends-only to avoid getting the buggy message from strangers. To do so you must go to Settings>Account Management>Privacy Settings>Give your password>Personal Info>Messaging where you can change your message settings accordingly.

Sometimes we include links to online retail stores. If you click on one and make a purchase we may receive a small commission. See our terms & conditions.

Matt Kim

News Editor

Matt Kim is a former freelance writer who's covered video games and digital media. He likes video games as spectacle and is easily distracted by bright lights or clever bits of dialogue. He also once wrote about personal finance, but that's neither here nor there.

Looks Like Cyberpunk 2077 Copies Have Already Started Leaking

Now's a good time to batten down the spoiler hatches.

Deathloop Will Use the PS5 DualSense to Make You Really Feel When Your Gun Jams

Time to unjam the PlayStation.

Hitman 3 Will Reveal a New Neon-Drenched Locale Tomorrow

Hot on the heels of IO's big 007 announcement, Hitman's looking to give Night City a run for its money.

There's a New The World Ends With You Game Arriving Next Year

This is not a drill; I repeat, this is not a drill.