The discussion about the PS5 Pro Things are taking an increasingly unpleasant turn. Barely a year after its launch, reports of performance issues, flickering, and a lack of optimization are mounting. And Sony? They seem to be just standing by and watching.
Ironically, with the €799 console, which was advertised as a "premium upgrade," many things seem to go wrong from time to time. And that's precisely what reinforces the impression we already expressed in our article. "PS5 Pro: Expensive, powerful – and yet still a beta test device" They've designed it. The hardware is impressive, but the implementation lags behind.
Flickering, artifacts, and missing PS5 Pro patches
The biggest issue right now is PSSR, Sony's proprietary upscaling technology. It's supposed to provide sharper images and more stable frame rates. In practice, however, it causes flickering and graphical glitches in some games that don't occur on the regular PS5. Examples include: Silent Hill F or recently The Outer Worlds 2 This shows that some studios are either not properly implementing PS5 Pro support or are ignoring it altogether. It's noticeable that third-party titles are particularly affected by these problems, while Sony's own games generally run stably and technically sound on the PS5 Pro.
The criticism from the community is clear: If the more expensive console potentially performs worse than the base model, that is simply unacceptable. Even industry experts like the YouTuber agree. Moore's Law Is Dead call that “ridiculous and insulting“– and they are right.
Many games generally run better – Borderlands 4 It now achieves a stable 60 FPS at higher resolutions – but often without the official PS5 Pro patch. For early adopters who paid the extra cost, that's small consolation.
Lack of pressure on developers
Sony shares some of the blame. Anyone selling a premium console must also ensure that developers consistently support it. Currently, however, it seems as if Sony is letting the issue slide. Yet they have enough leverage. Games without proper PS5 Pro optimization could be given lower placement in the store or marked with a warning.
That's precisely what many fans are now demanding, not out of anger, but out of frustration. Anyone paying €799 expects every major game to offer at least working PS5 Pro support. Anything less feels like a half-baked effort at full price.
Waiting for FSR 4 and PSSR 2?
One possible explanation comes from the rumor mill. Some developers are said to be working on FSR 4 (AMD) and PSSR 2 We're waiting for new features that are supposed to be officially available for the PS5 Pro in early 2026. These new upscaling technologies are meant to significantly improve image quality and performance. That sounds plausible, but it doesn't justify current games appearing buggy or even being released without any optimization at all.
Sony could communicate proactively here, for example with a roadmap, a clear statement, or a commitment to buyers. Instead, there's radio silence, and the impression that the PS5 Pro still isn't really "finished."
The PS5 Pro is emblematic of Sony's current strategic problems. Technically impressive, poorly communicated, and inconsistent in practice. Our earlier article summed it up perfectly: the console feels like a public beta test, and recent reports confirm just that.
Sony should take the criticism seriously. If you're asking almost 800 euros, there can be no compromises on the player experience. No half-baked upgrades, no unfinished patches.
The PS5 Pro can be great, but only if Sony finally starts treating it as what it claims to be: a true premium console. Until then, for many it remains what it should never have been: a technological promise with beta-like features.
Support or customer service? What do customers expect these days? It's regrettable to note that the quality of customer service has declined in many areas.
It seems that the availability of direct telephone contact has decreased, and even when it does exist, the calls are often cut short. Or perhaps you're told to contact us by email; we don't want any annoying customers or people on the phone? We simply don't want the contact anymore – that's how it is these days.
Interestingly, many customer service employees wish for better service when they themselves are in the customer's shoes. This highlights the double standard.
Regarding the pricing of products like the PlayStation 5, which costs 800 euros, anyone who buys something like that in this day and age doesn't need to talk about not being able to afford anything anymore; everything has become more expensive.
So I realized I can't afford that nowadays.
What nonsense.
I've had the Pro version since release.
If there are problems with the PSSR (Silent Hill 2, for example), I'll disable it. Otherwise, there are no problems or bugs.
4TB, optical drive, stand and no problems whatsoever…
Are you so sure you can turn off the PSSR? You made my day!
You still haven't understood!
“Specialized” software is never suitable for the general public!
Why do you think Sony is opting for FSR support in the next step?!
Because it's easier for third-party providers to implement than system-internal solutions!
This is also the reason why AMD, and not Nvidia, is being used in the console market!
Priority is not always the best solution!
#pcmasterrace
Fabian Baumgartner, and then what? I play GTA 6 and you can stare at a black screen for 1-2 years.
Oh come on, let's play a round of Gran Turismo…
Oh, so your screen is black again.
Stop with this utterly stupid masterrace drivel.
What good is performance without content?!
You notice it yourself, right?
And before the drivel about "blah blah, there are many more games than on PlayStation" starts:
I gave you two examples.
These are precisely the topics we're discussing now, and nothing else.
THANKS
Then your eyes will flicker, not the console; it's best to just take a break.
So far I haven't had any flickering or other problems with the Pro; it runs as it should.
I have no problems either.
How are the sales of the Pro version, and could that be the reason?
Christian Weber, and what do sales have to do with the incompetence of developers?
René Peinhardt
If few units are sold, why should the developer do extra work for the few PS per player who buy the game?
When Sony optimizes its own games for the Pro, it's clear they want to showcase their hardware in the best possible light and boost sales, but why should other studios bother?
Patrick Bierbach, so that buyers decide to buy?
Why do you think Microsoft puts such amazing games like Starfield or Redfall into their Day One release?!
Because they are not full titles.
Daniel EF, and again, what does this have to do with the article here, and again, what do sales figures have to do with the incompetence of developers? Exactly, nothing at all. The Pro sales figures have absolutely nothing to do with the article.
Patrick Bierbach, your comment makes absolutely no sense. Sony has clear guidelines regarding the Pro Enhanced badge, and these must be followed; otherwise, the badge isn't awarded. It has nothing to do with sales figures, and believe me, the Pro sold well enough. A developer isn't interested in how many units were sold and doesn't base their decision on that. There are developers who are skilled, and there are those who are skilled but not particularly good, regardless of sales figures. That would be the same as if a car manufacturer said that one of its models wasn't selling well and therefore they weren't putting as much effort into it, regardless of whether the brakes were working properly. If a product doesn't perform well, it gets withdrawn from the market; that's how business works.
Daniel EF
Starfield has wasted a lot of potential, but it's fundamentally not a bad game, and as is typical for Bethesda, there are thousands of mods for it, provided by the community.
And Game Pass has to deliver on price, no question.
Back to the main topic
Sony is cooking up its own soup with PSSR, why?
AMD's FSR is constantly improving and is used by the Xbox Series X/S and PS5, so why should developers bother implementing PSSR or optimizing games specifically for the Pro if, in the end, only a few tens of thousands of units are sold to PS Pro players?
At most, first-party games or titles that sell very well are specifically optimized here; for me, the Pro version is a gimmick, especially at that price.
René Peinhardt
My comment makes sense; the PS5 Pro is significantly below expectations.
A non-Sony studio is expected to invest more money and time in something that won't necessarily sell better as a result.
I wouldn't optimize PS5 Pro games either; it's simply not worth it, that's called capitalism.
And your car comparison is weak.
Patrick Bierbach: I played it for 8 hours on day one.
Boring rubbish in my opinion.
I'd rather play No Man's Sky. It was really bad at release, but a lot of love has gone into it. Now it's a top-notch game, and absolutely fantastic with the PSVR2.
I only ever compare to consoles. The modding aspect is never a good argument in that context.
Starfield was yet another bitter disappointment for me.
René Peinhardt, can't you read? I explained to you why publishers should use PSSR correctly.
If the game doesn't run properly, I won't buy it. End of story.
The hardware isn't to blame.
Patrick Bierbach, the Pro is significantly below expectations? Below which ones? Below yours? That's irrelevant. The Pro delivers what Sony promised, and they're doing a fantastic job. Every new game offers Pro Enhanced. Even a niche game like Satisfactory offers it. Strangely enough, 90% of developers manage to implement PSSR properly. There are only a handful of games where the implementation didn't go well due to the developer's incompetence. What you're saying is completely fabricated, and you can't really have a say in the matter anyway. I gather you don't even own the console. So you can't possibly form an opinion. I, on the other hand, own it and see the clear advantages it offers, how many games have received a Pro patch, and how well it's implemented in 98% of games.
Daniel EF, that's not the point at all. The commentator asked about sales figures for the Pro, and those have absolutely nothing to do with the topic of the article.
No problems
Which flickering????