Sony releases patch to fix corrupted PlayStation 4 game data, but issues remain

By Ryan Fleming January 21, 2014

Xbox One vs PS4 Cost — Image used with permission by copyright holder

Sony PlayStation 4 users are reporting the error “CE-34787-0,” which is causing save data corruption and in some rare cases corruption of vital data that renders the entire system unusable, according to Joystiq. Sony released a fix, but some users are reporting that it isn’t working.

The first word of this error seems to have popped up as far back as November 15 in the U.S., the day the console launched. Since then, more than 70 pages of user messages can be found relating to the error on both the U.S. and European PlayStation support forums.

The issue doesn’t seem to be related to any one specific game, and there isn’t any specific cause that’s been identified. The severity of the error also seems to vary. Some report that saved game data is corrupted, making the game unplayable, while others have claimed the app they launch won’t open at all or that games in their library aren’t appearing. In some rare instances, users are reporting that they continue to receive the error as soon as their PS4 boots up, making the console unusable – these instances, thankfully, seem to be rare.

The error also seems to be inconsistent in how often it strikes. For some users it occurred every time they loaded a particular profile, but disappeared when they created a new account. For others it never happened again following a restart.

According to Sony’s support, the error code CE-34787-0 signifies that the “Application has crashed.” The “official” fix is to first close the application and then install the latest firmware update. If the problem continues, Sony suggests “back up your saved data, and then go to [Settings] > [Initialization] and choose [Initialize PS4].” This is the same advice Sony is giving on the forums, yet complaints continue to come.

This fix seems like fairly generic advice, and there is still no explanation for the cause. For now the best option seems to be to save your games to the cloud – assuming you are a PlayStation Plus member and have that option – or to a USB drive. If the error persists, some users recommend deleting the app and reloading it (after saving your data).

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Ryan Fleming is the Gaming and Cinema Editor for Digital Trends. He joined the DT staff in 2009 after spending time covering…

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