The latest PS5 system software update appears to have partially fixed a backwards compatibility bug that resulted in low-res textures in some games. Most notably, the issue plagued Bluepoint Games’ critically-acclaimed 2018 remake of Shadow of the Colossus.
PS5 backwards compatibility bug caused in-game flickering
As reported by players on both ResetEra and Reddit, prior to the new PS5 system update, Shadow of the Colossus was almost unplayable due to intense flickering and streaming of low-res textures in both Performance and Cinematic modes. The game’s crops also looked flat.
Since the update, the issue has disappeared when playing the game via both internal and external SSDs. However, some players claim that the bug isn’t completely fixed.
According to ResetEra user ScOULaris, the issue returned for them after beating the fifth Colossi, and it plagued Shadow of the Colossus’s entire environment. Quitting to the main menu and reloading an earlier save didn’t help. ScOULaris further claims that they had to shut the game down completely and relaunch it to resolve the problem, which unfortunately returned.
It seems that the low-res textures are triggered when players defeat a Colossi and return to the temple. The only workaround available at the moment is to relaunch the game.
