Usually, a console, in this case, a PS5, will not damage any USB accessories that were plugged into it. But at a gaming tournament, things can get very heated, literally.
During the Evo 2023 fighting game tournament, players raised concerns about PS5 USB ports becoming damaged, according to Engadget.
Participants shared their experiences on X (formerly Twitter), showing instances of USB accessories becoming excessively heated and appearing to have melted upon being connected to the event’s numerous PS5 consoles.
While PS5 consoles have been utilised in previous esports tournaments, reports of melting ports have not been commonly observed before.
Evo tournaments, however, introduce remarkably unique circumstances, distinct from the typical console user experience.
These conditions involve numerous systems placed in proximity, with rear USB accessories situated adjacent to the console’s exhaust vents, undergoing frequent plugging and unplugging throughout the intense weekend competition.
Moreover, a few attendees theorised that individuals might have connected unsupported USB converters to use incompatible controllers, potentially leading to damage in the console ports.
According to a Reddit user u/xeleion, they pointed out that USB ports on different devices vary in terms of quality. They observed that some individuals were dependent on converters like the Wingman, as their controllers weren’t inherently compatible with the PS5.
Xeleion also mentioned that the convention area maintained a consistent temperature of approximately 70 to 72 degrees Fahrenheit (21 to 22 degrees Celcius) throughout the entire weekend.
Notably, the event organizers took precautionary measures during the championship rounds and during ad breaks in the finals, they frequently replaced the PS5 units with different ones, likely as a measure to alleviate any potential concerns.
