5 Things Only PS4 Fans Will Understand

The PlayStation 4 is neck-in-neck with the Xbox One in competition, with the two companies one-upping the other with the release of every new exclusive game for their respective platforms—but I’m not here to talk about that.

As an ardent fan of Sony’s PlayStation series of consoles (starting with the PS2—I was originally a PC gamer, don’t judge me!—and then the PS3, and now the PS4) I’ve grown accustomed to the platform’s quirks, problems, and little things that there is no doubt other fans of the PS4 will relate to. 

So here are the five things that only fans of the PlayStation 4 will understand. 

1. Fear of getting bricked during updates

Every time there’s a new update for the PS4, I shudder with anxiety in case the console decides to brick itself. When the console’s most recent major update was released, many users ended up bricking their consoles after setting it into rest mode. While this issue has since been resolved, the fear remains all too real—especially for owners who purchased their consoles on day one. 

2. The PS4 turns itself on even when it’s off or in rest mode

A very real problem with a significant number of PS4 consoles purchased on day one in 2013 is a defective power board that causes the console to turn itself on even while it’s off or in rest mode. The first time this happened to me, I thought a ghost had possessed the PS4. 

3. Getting disconnected from PSN while playing games

In recent weeks, the hacking group known as LizardSquad has had a tendency of attacking the PlayStation Network online service, causing massive disruption for players during the holidays. While they’ve since stopped, the service continues to experience minor hitches that causes players to disconnect while playing online games like Destiny and Far Cry 4 in co-op from time to time. 

4. Excitement for PS Plus updates every month 

One of the five things fans of the PS4 can relate to, that isn’t actually a bad thing, is the excitement for new games on the PlayStation Store every month. Subscribers of PS Plus are entitled to receive a host of free games every month for the PS4, PS3 and PS Vita. The service is unmatched by anything Microsoft has to offer in that regard. 

5. The feel of the DualShock 4 controller

There’s just something nice about cradling the PS4’s controller—the DualShock 4—in your hands. The feel of the touch pad, the rumble, the responsive buttons and triggers, and the way the thing lights up when you’re playing games with commands specifically programmed to make it flash red when you’re about to die in a game (for example) make you feel like you’re a part of the game. 

What do you love (or hate) about the PS4?