Squad battles/Rivals - keep freezing

@EA_Aljo Hi,
I will try that, but I doubt it's a Jersey, Logo, etc. since it also freezes in HUT Rush.

It only happens when playing (SB, Rivals, Challenges and Rush) and started after the patch bout 4 weeks ago. Is there a way to remove the patch or reinstall the version pre-patch and then try reinstall the patch again?

I have tried 3 more games last night (challenge, Rush and SB) and it froze within 2 minutes. I have changed my HDMI cable as well, but no luck. I was however able to play other games online (not NHL 22) without any issues.

Can you give me a call or can we troubleshoot this via a live chat. I think the fix is something more than a logo or jersey.

thanks

@EA_Aljo Hi, I have tried the logo and jersey and can confirm it's not that.

Still the same issue.

Thanks again for your help.

What would you be suggesting next?

@Senstorm69 

Thanks for the update. This is definitely an odd issue. Try deleting your personal saved data for NHL 22. To do that, navigate to Settings/Storage/System storage/Saved Data. Locate NHL 22 and delete the saved data. This may cause you to lose any offline saves as well as any changes to settings you've made. Normally, those are downloaded from the cloud, but I can't guarantee that will happen.

@EA_Aljo Thanks, but can you help.

Is there a bigger next step like talking to someone or troubleshooting together?

I can't play for the game I have purchased, what would be the next steps?

I definitely appreciate your help, but I feel that it's something bigger.

Can you replace my game?

@Senstorm69 

Did you try what I suggested with deleting your personal saved data? As far as getting the game replaced goes, you'll need to talk to the retailer it was purchased from to see if that's possible. I don't think it will help though. 

@EA_Aljo I just did now and still the same issue.

Regarding replacing the game, I bought it on Playstation Network and since it appear to be a coding/patch issue, they will refer to EASport.

It definitely appear to be a coding/patch issue, as when I start a game I see all kinds of glitch within the game: colours, flickering, details of the players and crowd. Since it was fine before the patch. Is there a way to reinstall the game pre-patch?

I have uninstalled and reinstalled the game multiple times (I have the digital version of the PS5) and no luck, I guess since the patch is save I am reinstalling it automatically every time.

Any other idea?

thanks again for your help

@Senstorm69 

If you've deleted and reinstalled, you have the most current update. We're not aware of an issue within the game causing this. It's possible it is, but if it were we'd probably be getting a lot of reports about this issue. I'll keep an eye out for others. For now, we'll keep troubleshooting. Try a full manual reinstall of the PS5 system software with the steps here. Let me know what happens.

@EA_Aljo Hi, I will try that tonight I have to format an external hard drive to FAT32 first.

However, see here another post on NHL 22 crashing and it seems like several others are having crash/freeze issues on PS5 on different mode of the game not only HUT.
https://answers.ea.com/t5/Bug-Reports/Franchise-mode-game-crash/td-p/10948080/page/12

@Senstorm69 

Franchise Mode is a different issue. Saves can become corrupt and that's often the cause for crashing. 

@EA_Aljo Did not work. I doubt it is the PS5 the issue, since I can play all of my other games online. I seems like it's only NHL 22 and when playing online.

Since the last patch created the issue, I hope the new patch tomorrow will solve it.

Let me know the next step.

thanks

@Senstorm69 

Can you try installing the game to the internal hard drive instead of external? The patch most likely won't affect this as I'm not seeing other reports of this.

@EA_Aljo Hi, I do not have an external hard drive connected to my PS5 - the game as always been installed on my internal hard drive.

@Senstorm69 

Did you do the system software reinstall I suggested? You mentioned using an external hard drive for this so I just want to make sure that was done on the internal drive.

@EA_Aljo I do not have an external hard drive plugged in in my PS5 usually. For this specific procedure, I formatted another hard drive I had to reinstall the system software. However, NHL 22 was and is currently install on the PS5 hard drive.
thanks

@Senstorm69 

Sorry for the confusion here, but did you actually update the system software on the internal drive?

@EA_Aljo yes, now I also installed the new patch. I think it confirms my assumption that something was wrong with my previous version as after the installation of the patch, I couldn't open NHL 22. I have tired 5 times.

Now, I have deleted the game on my PS5 (internal hard drive) and I am reinstalling it.

Fingers crossed.

@Senstorm69 

Sounds good. Let me know what happens.

@EA_Aljo update done and no luck. I have also replaced my entire lineup (team) and did not make a difference.

Finally, last night I also tried World of CHEL to test if the issue was only in HUT. I was able to play 1 period and then every froze and I had force quit the game.

So it appears the issue is with NHL 22 as a whole and not just HUT. I hadn't noticed before since I only play HUT, but now this confirm that I can't play any games (online or offline).

What is your next suggestion?

thanks again for your help

@Senstorm69 

Thanks for the update. You said you also have a lot of graphical glitches. Can you get a video of this for me? When the freeze happens, is it mid-play or does it only happen during a stoppage/intermission?

Also, are you seeing an error message? If so, what is it?

@EA_Aljo Thanks, I will send a video. Never receive an error message, it stopped both during mid-play and stoppage/intermission.

thanks

@Senstorm69 

Sounds good. Just a heads up, I'm heading out for a couple of days so I won't be able to respond until Sunday. If you need help before then, try messaging @EAHelp through Twitter or open a case with a live support advisor here: https://help.ea.com/en/contact-us/new/. You can also go to facebook.com/eahelphub to get in touch with support. They'll look into this for you. Thanks!

@EA_Aljo Thanks, I have the video, how do I upload it here?

@Senstorm69 

Just put it up on a service like YouTube. You can find some help with that here.

@EA_Aljo Here are the 2 videos:

1) just intro, look at all the pixel flashing and horizontal strikes through the screen, this also happens in game. When the screen is like that, 100% of the games freeze within 5 minutes.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CO3cGm49QHQ

2) I have played 1 game to show you all the glitches while playing

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fBHA5wnQlIc

Video is only 6 minutes, but focus on the following time

- 1:00 to 1:10;
- 2:50 to 2:55
- 4:35 to 4:55
- 5h00 to 5h15 - the game freezes. You can see after, that there is nothing for me to do, except - force quit.

I haven't been able to complete 1 game in 3 weeks.

Can you please help or show this to developers so they can maybe think of something I can do.

thanks

@EA_Aljo Hi, Have you had a chance to look at the video by any chance?
thanks