Expected as a second launch after its release on Xbox, Starfield experiences difficult beginnings on PS5. Since April 7, the testimonies have multiplied: serial crashes, returns to the menu, sometimes even forced restarts of the console, to the point that some players are already demanding a refund from Sony.
On Reddit, a player mentions crashes “every two minutes”, despite a complete reinstallation, changing graphics mode and deleting saves, as noted by Eurogamer. Others, including PS5 Prodescribe the same problem. What makes you wonder what’s wrong with this version, if you risk the same fate and, above all, if the reimbursement of Starfield on PlayStation Store is really possible.
Starfield on PS5: how did we get to the crashes and refund requests?
Launched in September 2023 on PC and Xbox, the space RPG from Bethesda Game Studios finally arrives PS5 on April 7, 2026, accompanied by the Free Lanes update and the Terran Armada DLC. Three years later, we could hope for a stabilized version. However, many players report freezes, system errors and returns to the dashboard from the first hours.
The feedback concerns both the PS5 standard than the PS5 Pro. Some report a console that freezes completely, forcing you to unplug the power, resulting in corrupted saves. The analysis of Digital Foundry confirms recurring crashes sometimes requiring a reboot at the system level, a behavior that was not observed at the same level on Xbox at launch.
Paradoxically, the average score of Starfield on the PlayStation Storearound 4.3/5 for several thousand reviews, shows that not everyone is affected. This randomness further complicates the situation for reimbursement requests.
Starfield crashes on PS5: what solutions to try before giving up?
Bethesda has published a generic help sheet for PlayStation: update the console and game, completely restart the machine, rebuild the database in safe mode, then uninstall and reinstall Starfield on the internal SSD. The publisher also recommends verifying the integrity of DLC and Creative content by removing them and then reinstalling them properly.
On PS5 Proseveral journalists and gamers report an improvement by limiting the framerate to 60 fps and disabling PSSR 2 in the system video settings. This reduces crashes for some, but it is not guaranteed. If, despite these manipulations, you experience overheating, hard resets and corrupted saves, it is better to stop playing while waiting for a targeted fix.
Starfield refund on PS5: Can Sony really give you your money back?
Officially, in the European Economic Area, the CGU of Sony Interactive Entertainment provide a 14-day right of withdrawal for digital content. In practice, this right disappears as soon as you accept immediate downloading or streaming. Then there remains the route of the defective product: if the game is permanently unplayable, you can invoke non-compliance.
According to Notebookcheck and Explosion, some players received a refund of Starfield on PlayStation Store detailing incessant crashes, well beyond a few isolated bugs. Others were refused. To maximize your chances, you must precisely document the situation: video captures, error messages, number of crashes, list of solutions already tried.
The approach involves support PlayStation official (site, chat or telephone), explaining that the game is unplayable despite the recommendations of Bethesda. The outcome remains on a case-by-case basis, but the multiplication of these requests puts pressure on the publisher, who has not yet communicated any specific patch schedule PS5. If you haven’t purchased the game yet, waiting for the first serious patches may therefore be a prudent choice.
