Starfield PS5 and PS5 Pro crashing prompts PS Store refunds for Bethesda game

On its April 7th release date, PlayStation fans finally gained access to a popular galactic open-world RPG. Unfortunately, technical glitches plague the Starfield PS5 and PS5 Pro versions. Widespread reports of crashing and overheating have some players requesting PS Store refunds.

A rough launch for Microsoft's latest PS5 port

The Digital Foundry performance review confirmed that the Bethesda game needs a patch. The site revealed that, across both systems, freezes were frequent during testing. In most cases, they had to manually close and restart the title from the console’s dashboard. The Xbox Series X alternative, which also received the Free Lanes update, has quirks but remains more stable.

Reddit posters echo the Digital Foundry team's experiences. On the game’s official subreddit, ShogunRaw explained how Starfield PS5 crashing happened “every 2 minutes”. There is no common denominator for the issues, although certain planets may be particularly problematic.

The situation appears even more dire on Sony’s flagship console. On the ResetEra forums, RedbullCola shared an error log showing how often the PS5 Pro enhanced game locked up. Even worse, the system would become completely unusable, forcing the gamer to unplug its power cord. After rebooting, players may discover corrupted save files.

Starfield is pushing the PS5 Pro to its limits

Some commentators believe the now $950 hardware is overheating while exploring space. That has caused moments of panic, but so far, there are no known cases of permanent damage.

Digital Foundry listed an endless number of Starfield performance settings. As a result, it’s difficult to find a combination that minimizes the issues. RedbullCola suggests disabling the updated PSSR upscaling in the PS5 Pro’s settings. However, that fix didn’t prove successful for all testers.

Bethesda hasn’t addressed the Starfield PS5 freezes, further frustrating fans. It could release a patch to address their concerns, as seen with Pearl Abyss and Crimson Desert. More impatient buyers are asking for PS Store refunds, with mixed success. The marketplace is strict about this resolution, but agents have been convinced that the game is unplayable.