Final Fantasy XVI is finally out on PC today, but it’s PlayStation 5 where some players are facing unexpected issues so far. A new firmware update for the console appears to have severely broken something related to the game’s performance mode, with players reporting giant, screen-tearing glitches while exploring its sweeping fantasy world. And it’s not the only game. Issues are cropping up in Star Wars Outlaws and elsewhere too.
“It’s been posted everywhere on the FF XVI subreddit,” wrote a user on the PS5 subreddit (via IGN). “However I loaded up Death Stranding DC on PS5 and it was showing visual glitches of the names on the uniform and also the blood was glitching out. The game is freaky enough… lol I hope they fix this.” Players say they’ve encountered weird lights flickering or incorrect color filtering in games like Star Wars Outlaws and Jedi: Survivor as well.
But a video shared on the FF16 subreddit over the weekend shows the best evidence of what some players are experiencing. As protagonist Clive runs through a dense wooded area during a big storm, the background in certain portions turns to black, eventually engulfing the entire screen at points. “I experienced something similar in my game last night. I was wondering what was going on with the graphics,” shared another player.
Square Enix is aware of the issue and says that Sony is investigating as well. “Following the recent release of the PlayStation 5 system update, there have been reports of the game crashing and graphical issues,” the publisher tweeted on Tuesday. “We are currently working with Sony Interactive Entertainment to investigate, and sincerely apologize for any inconvenience caused. Please await our further updates.”
The issues appear to be stemming from the latest firmware update version v24.06-10.00.00, which Sony began rolling out last week. It’s not yet clear if the problems are isolated to certain games or modes, but hopefully the company can get it sorted quickly. The update brought a raft of new features to the PS5, including customizable welcome hubs for the home screen.
