PS Gaming Fail? Solutions to the Top PlayStation Problems

If you want the most powerful current-generation console with the widest library of AAA games, then the PlayStation 4 is for you. Sony’s PlayStation has been around for four generations now, starting in the 1990s.

Every generation of the console has had its issues, of course. While the Play Station 5 is still a mystery, we have a pretty good handle on what goes wrong with the PlayStation 4. Today we will look at some of the top issues for the PlayStation 4 as well as how to fix them.

By the way, none of these Playstation problems are near as scary if your PS4 is protected with an extended warranty.

We all know that in the realm of technology, a blinking light is usually not a good sign. Sony has used blinking lights to convey various error messages for several generations now. Let’s look at two of these scenarios.

Not so affectionately named the “blinking blue light of death,” this problem can be a tricky one. When you power on your PS4, eventually, it should get to a solid white light that indicates the console is fully powered on. If you see a blinking blue light and never get to a solid white one, your console is telling you that it failed to reach the power-on state.

At the same time, it’s not powered off. It’s stuck somewhere in between, and it can be hard to get it unstuck.

There are all sorts of things that can lead to a blinking blue light, from TV incompatibility to multiple component issues in the PS4 itself. Sony recommends updating your TV’s firmware, if possible, as a first step.

Another trick to know is how to fully power off your PS4. Touch the power button for at least 7 seconds and listen for two beeps from the console. If you’re lucky, the console will power up properly after this full shutdown. If not, and none of these other troubleshooting tips help you, it may be time for a professional repair.

If a blinking blue light is as bad as all that, a blinking red light must be worse, right? Thankfully, no, it’s not one of the worst Playstation problems.

If you see a red light on your PS4, all it means is your PS4 is getting too hot. The device will probably shut down to prevent damage. Normally functioning PS4s will not generally overheat, so make sure you don’t have other things crowding out the PS4. It needs plenty of room to ventilate.

If nothing is blocking the vents to your PS4 and it’s still overheating, you might try cleaning the vents off to remove dust or debris. That should be all you need to do to solve a blinking red light.

HDMI ports aren’t usually a big point of concern, but for whatever reason, the ports on PS4s do tend to break with some frequency. Once an HDMI port is damaged, there’s really not much that can be done short of replacing the port or replacing the console. Our best advice is to be careful with that HDMI port and avoid unnecessarily unplugging and plugging in cables.

If your HDMI port is visibly broken, or if everything about the console seems to be working properly and still there is no video output, then you likely have a damaged HDMI port. This is a very technical and tricky DIY repair that we cannot recommend. Your best bet is to get your PS4 serviced, hopefully under warranty coverage.

The analog sticks on your controller can take a lot of pressure, but eventually, they can become worn out or even damaged. If your sticks are merely worn out, there are guides on how to replace them using third-party parts.

But sometimes they aren’t simply worn out. They become damaged through aggressive use. If that happens, you’re probably going to need to replace the controller. Of course, DualShock controllers are pretty expensive, so you might consider putting your controllers under extended warranties, too.

Console damage and component failure happen every day, and many gamers are devastated to learn that the only way to start gaming again is to pay full price for a brand new console. But there’s a simple and easy way to avoid this scenario completely.

With an extended console warranty from Upsie, you’re protected against damage and failures of all sorts. With 2 or 3 years of coverage (including accident protection), you’re covered no matter what goes wrong with your PlayStation 4.

What are you waiting for? Get covered today!