PS5s Reportedly Melting USB Ports: Tips to Avoid Disaster

Sony PS5 system rear shot showing USB ports. 

Dan Ackerman/CNET

PS5 systems are melting USB ports during extended gameplay sessions, according to a report from Kotaku on Monday. 

The issue was noticed this past weekend at Evolution in Las Vegas, the world’s largest fighting games tournament. Players from around the world descended on the Mandalay Bay Convention Center to compete in games like Street Fighter 6, Guilty Gear Strive and Tekken 7, among others. 

Because the PS5 only has one USB-A port up front, many players plugged their fighting game controllers into one of the available ports in the back. Considering these systems were on for hours at a time with competitors filtering through, PS5s were likely heating up throughout the day. And because the PS5 exhausts heat from the back of the system, temperatures may have gotten hot enough to melt the plastic inside USB ports.

Some competitors reported that their cables ended up fusing with the PS5 USB ports, forcing the entire port to come out when yanked. 

EVO is proving that PS5 is NOT the answer. Usb ports are melting like craY. @Kyoku236HS usb on his controller melted. This is not isolated. We need to go PC or xbox atleast

— SabreAZ (@Sabre_AZ) August 5, 2023

Sony and Evo didn’t immediately respond to requests for comment.

It should be noted that some competitors were using unlicensed converters for their old PS4 fight sticks on PS5 due to the lack of cross-system compatibility. It’s possible that issues could have arisen from using unlicensed hardware. It’s also uncertain if the affected USB ports were from defective PS5s.

Sony, along with RTS, a streaming and events management company owned by streamer Imane “Pokimane” Anys, jointly purchased Evo in 2021. Because of Sony’s direct stake, the PS5 is the default system for the Street Fighter 6 competition. Older titles were played on PS4s. As Sony competes with Microsoft and Nintendo, it’s planted its flag with the fighting games community. By owning Evo, the Japanese electronics manufacturer all but ensures that its systems will be the destination for competitive fighting games players. While games like the upcoming Mortal Kombat 1 will release on multiple platforms, the competitive scene will likely gravitate toward buying PS5 copies of the game as that will likely be the system used at Evo. That’s not to say games on other systems can’t take part in Evo. There was a Killer Instinct invitational played on Xbox. 

Sony’s hold on the gaming zeitgeist has helped its PS5 reach nearly 40 million units sold since its 2020 launch. Microsoft hasn’t been as generous in providing Xbox Series X and S sales figures, but during a developers’ conference in Brazil, the software giant said 21 million units had been either shipped or sold. Sony’s dominance was a key argument by Microsoft during its trial with the Federal Trade Commission regarding its purchase of Activision Blizzard, creator of Call of Duty and Candy Crush. 

Tips to ensure your PS5 doesn’t melt your USB cables

1. Use the front USB-A or USB-C port rather than the rear, which is next to the heat exhaust.
2. If forced to use the rear USB-A port, make sure the console has had time to cool before plugging it in again.
3. Avoid using unlicensed converters until there’s a statement from Sony or the third-party hardware manufacturer.

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