Sony's PlayStation 4 (and to a lesser extent, the PlayStation 3) are some of the most successful game consoles of all time, but due to a quirk in their design, millions of PS3s and PS4s around the world could become fancy paperweights should one tiny component stop functioning. A mandatory online-check in with the PlayStation Network could then fix the problem, but some fans are concerned it's only a matter of time before these consoles become unusable outside of installing jailbreaking firmware.
It all comes down to the system clock battery used by the PS3 and PS4. This issue came to light several months ago in the context of Sony announcing it had plans to shut down the online PSN storefronts for the PlayStation Portable, PlayStation Vita, and PlayStation 3. While Sony did later backtrack on their decision, choosing to instead keep the Vita and PS3 PSN stores online after fan outcry, the mere fact that Sony came close to making the decision to begin with is a cause for concern.
Should the system clock battery for a PS3 or PS4 die and PSN no longer function on the machines, both consoles will become unusable to varying degrees. The PS3 and PS4, in theory, should be playable offline, but should the battery fail that won't be the case. For the PS3, the online check-in is only needed to play digital PS3 games, meaning offline users could continue playing games on a disc. But for PS4 users the online check-in is needed to play any games, even ones installed off a disc. It's a disaster that's just waiting to happen, but thus far Sony doesn't seem concerned. Here's what is known about the potential problem, what Sony could do to fix it, and why it matters.
Why The PS3 And PS4 Battery Issue Matters
Via Ars Technica, the culprit of the problem are the small CMOS batteries in PS3 and PS4 consoles used to power the consoles' internal clocks. These internal CMOS batteries usually last 10-15 years, which means early PS3 hardware is in real danger of failing soon. Once that battery dies, an online check-in with PSN via attempting to play a digital game (or, for PS4, any game at all) is required for the console to receive the correct time, even if a new battery is installed. The PS3 uses this check-in to enforce "time limits" that may have been placed on various digital purchases. On PS4, the online check-in is to protect trophy integrity and ensure users don't claim trophies earlier than they actually did.
Eventually, all PSN functionality, whether it's in a decade or half a century, will cease. It's almost an inevitability, and seems even more likely to one day become a reality considering how Sony came awfully close to shutting down the PS Vita and PS3 digital stores after barely a decade of service. When PSN support for these older consoles stops, they will become semi-functionable at best, and completely unplayable at worst. Users will still be able to play disc-based PS3 games, but for PS4 owners, their consoles will effectively become bricks. The PS4 is one of the best-selling consoles of all time, having sold more than 100 million units. In 10 years, each and every one of those consoles will be in danger of becoming paperweights if Sony doesn't address this issue, which is a major problem for numerous reasons, including game preservation.
A firmware update from Sony that eliminates the required online check-in for the consoles could fix the problem, but Sony so far hasn't seemed worried about preserving their older consoles. A YouTuber recently inquired with Sony support about the CMOS battery issue, only to receive a response that claimed the company was unable to "replicate any issues with the CMOS battery."
The battery problem, and Sony's response to it, goes hand-in-hand with many other criticisms aimed at Sony, ranging from lack of backwards compatibility support for older PlayStation games to its handling of the PS3 and PS Vita PSN stores. Sony simply doesn't not seem interested in preserving its past for any longer than it is strictly convenient for them to do so. As a result, millions of consoles in the near future could become unplayable. It's a bad look for Sony, and one that will eventually come back to bite the company should they fail to address the issue sooner rather than later, either by dedicating themselves to preserving PSN support for the PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 3 in perpetuity, or by issuing a firmware fix.