What’s the expected release date for the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S versions of Phasmophobia? The Progression 2.0 update was initially set to launch in August, alongside the console debuts for Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 5, and PSVR 2. Unfortunately, there have been several postponements, but now we know the confirmed release date and more details on the PS5, PSVR2, and Xbox Series X/S versions.
Once Phasmophobia launches on consoles, it will benefit from simultaneous updates with its PC counterpart, featuring new content and bug fixes across the board.
This cohesive update approach is facilitated by the game’s crossplay support, ensuring players across all platforms can play together.
UPDATED: Last updated on 29 October to say that the console versions have now launched, although there are reports of crashing on the Xbox Series X/S version. We are investigating, but there’s no word from Kinetic Games on this yet. Stay tuned…
Phasmophobia releases on consoles, reports of crashing on Xbox Series X/S
Kinetic Games hasn’t acknowledged it yet, but we’re seeing multiple reports of crashing on the Xbox Series X/S, with no clear fix at the moment. We’re continuing to investigate and will report back with any fixes. A quick patch may be needed to resolve this. Stay tuned…
We now have an update from Kinetic Games:
“We are aware of an issue that causes crashes when booting up the Trial version of Phasmophobia on Xbox Series S & X.” it said in a statement acknowledging the crashes. “Thank you to those who have let us know about this issue.”
“We have continued to investigate this issue and will be sending an update out to the Xbox Series S and X versions of Phasmophobia soon.”
We should hopefully see the hotfix patch released early tomorrow, but we will keep an eye out for it.
Phasmophobia Console Release coming in October 2024
Phasmophobia will be released for the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S on 29th October, just after the launch of the game’s Halloween Event. It will also be available for PSVR 2 and is set to release at 6pm GMT.
The PS5 and Xbox Series X will run at 4K 60FPS. There is a PlayStation 5 Pro patch expected to further enhance performance, offering benefits for PSVR 2 players. While specific details were not disclosed at the press event we attended, more information is expected later in the year, although it will not coincide with the PS5 Pro’s release.
In the console versions, the spirit box requires text input so the ghost can interact with and respond to players. However, due to current technical limitations that Kinetic Games are hoping to address with patches, the ghost won’t understand or respond to spoken words without using predefined prompts. It can, however, still hear you! Players can talk together using headsets as normal.
“It’s just more difficult due to the restrictions of the hardware, as we primarily use Windows as our PC recognition system,” says Phasmophobia community manager Cjdxn4.
Since its early access debut on Steam in September 2020, fans have been waiting for Phasmophobia’s console ports.
Kinetic Games, while not pinpointing an exact release date, did affirm a launch set for late 2023, before following multiple postponements that nudged it beyond the initially intended Halloween release timeframe.
“We’re pushing our biggest update ever back 2 weeks to mid-August for some final polish. As of now, the console release in late August is still on track.” said Kinetic Game in an update on Twitter back in August 2023.
The Ascension Progression 2.0 update has already launched on PC, making improvements to the levels and equipment tiers. The Point Hope Lighthouse Map was also released, which will be available for consoles on launch.
- Phasmophobia's PS5 and Xbox Series X/S Release Date: 29th October, 2024
“We are so happy to see Phasmophobia enter console early access” Stated Daniel Knight, CEO and Lead Developer at Kinetic Games. “The community has been asking for console versions and has waited a little while for it to happen. The development team at Kinetic Games has worked exceptionally hard to make this request a reality.”
How much will Phasmophobia cost on Consoles?
The price for all versions, PC, Xbox Series X/S, and PlayStation 5 will be increased to $19.99/£16.75/€19.50. It was available for $14.99 before.
The console versions were delayed several times over the last year, with the first time being because of a fire incident that took place at Kinetic Games’ office building, and partly because of “unpredicted development issues”.
Here’s the full timeline of events:
“First and foremost, we’d like to thank you all for your support and that you are just as excited as we are for the console release.
Due to a recent fire incident in our office building and unpredicted development issues, our ability to test and develop has been significantly impacted.
After careful consideration we have made the tough decision to delay the console release, initially set for August, while we get everything sorted. We are now aiming for a special launch during the week leading up to Halloween this October. This gives us the needed time to perfect and fine-tune everything. Your patience and understanding mean everything to us, and we can’t wait to bring Phasmophobia to consoles.”
As we all anticipated an October update, Kinetic Games provided another update on Steam, informing players about their challenges with the PSVR 2 version’s development.
It mentioned completely redesigning the Maple Lodge Campsite map with an entirely new layout to make it compatible with its VR mode.
This development has resulted in another delay for the console version, postponing its release to October 2024.
Optimistically, it didn’t become available in time for the Christmas season, despite its absence for the Christmas Event that started on December 11th.
“In preparation for the PlayStation VR2 launch, we have been diligently reviewing the game’s performance and optimizing it across all maps to ensure a seamless experience for all of our console players. In this regard, we had to rework Maple Lodge Campsite with a completely new layout (more information here). This decision, though time-consuming for our art team, is essential to provide the best possible gameplay experience.
“While we had hoped to present you with a special launch alongside the Halloween event, the complexity of our current challenges means we need more time. We will keep you updated on our progress and provide a revised release date as soon as we have more information to share. We are working diligently to minimize the impact of this delay, and we want to express our sincere gratitude for your continued support.”
The Easter Holiday Event for 2024 finished in March 2024.
Why isn't Phasmophobia releasing on PS4 or Xbox One?
Since its debut in early access in September 2020, Phasmophobia achieved a peak of 112,717 concurrent players. It pioneered the ghost-hunting genre and set a precedent that inspired many other games in the industry, some of which found their degrees of success.
Unfortunately, Phasmophobia will not be launching on Xbox One or PlayStation 4. The addition of console ports will undoubtedly increase the workload for the small development team, and perhaps due to performance issues with older hardware, it decided to go with Xbox Series X/S and PS5 platforms.
It will be intriguing to see if they can maintain a consistent pace of updates while managing additional platforms, particularly with the demands of crossplay support.
While we’re waiting for the console releases of Phasmophobia, why not brush up on some tactics by learning about how you can use Salt and Smudge Sticks as defenses items during Ghost Hunts.
Keep updated on the latest PC Gaming news by following GameWatcher on Twitter, checking out our videos on YouTube, giving us a like on Facebook, and joining us on Discord.
