PS5 users discovered console has its own version of Xbox's 'red ring of death'

PlayStation fans might want to think twice before leaving their console standing tall, as it turns out the PS5 could be slowly killing itself thanks to a problem that's starting to sound a lot like Xbox's notorious 'red ring of death'.

The issue has to do with the PS5’s use of liquid metal — a high-performance cooling solution that sounds futuristic on paper, but for some unlucky users, it’s become a ticking time bomb.

This coolant, designed to keep the console’s APU from overheating, has been reported to leak over time, especially when the console is placed vertically.

While it’s not a brand-new revelation, recent reports suggest the problem is becoming far more widespread.

A few developers and players have raised the alarm, and things are looking increasingly grim for early adopters of the console.

A launch edition PS5 (Getty Images)

Alderon Games founder Matthew Cassells, speaking on the Moore's Law Is Dead Broken Silicon podcast, reported by wccftech, said: “The system’s critical flaw is causing the liquid metal used for cooling to drip down the bottom of the console when placed vertically, causing dry spots on the APU that compromise its functionality and forces a shutdown under certain conditions.”

It’s a fault that could be silently wrecking older PS5s without users even realising.

According to Alderon Games, the first signs came when players of their dino MMO Path of Titans began reporting random shutdowns. At first, they assumed the usual — maybe a dirty console or a software hiccup. But after digging further, a clearer picture emerged.

After they pinned a message on their Discord asking if anyone else was having problems, more users came forward — and some of the devs themselves experienced the same issue. It didn’t take long to spot the common thread.

Cassells explained: “The more intensive the game gets, the higher the chances are of a PlayStation 5 shutting down due to the liquid metal issues”.

While 2-3% of players affected doesn’t sound catastrophic, that percentage still accounts for a fair number of consoles, especially considering the millions of PS5s sold. Worse yet, with many of these launch units now out of warranty, players could be facing a pricey repair — or no fix at all.

A PlayStation 5 lying horizontally (Getty Images)

Sony is aware of the issue and has quietly made design changes to the PS5 Slim and PS5 Pro. These new versions include ridges around the APU and heatsink to stop the liquid metal from slipping where it shouldn’t. But whether these tweaks solve the problem long term is still unknown.

Unfortunately, for those with an early model, the advice right now is pretty limited. The best move for now is to merely lay the console flat and hope for the best.

As Cassells put it: “It is still bad enough that a lot of systems will die in the next couple of years.”

Xbox had its red ring. Now, PlayStation, it seems, has its own silent killer.