Passing Sony TRC: PlayStation Technical Requirements

Passing Sony’s Technical Requirements Checklist (TRC) is a mandatory milestone for publishing any game on PlayStation 4 or PlayStation 5. This article details the essential technical criteria developers must satisfy to pass TRC certification, covering system software integration, crash prevention, save data integrity, account handling, and strict platform terminology standards.

Error Handling and Crash Prevention

Sony maintains a zero-tolerance policy for unhandled exceptions. Games must not crash to the PlayStation home screen, freeze indefinitely, or cause the operating system to become unresponsive.

  • Exception Trapping: All fatal exceptions must be caught and routed through appropriate system-level crash reporting APIs.
  • Infinite Loops and Deadlocks: The game must never leave the player in an unrecoverable state, such as an infinite loading screen or unresolvable black screen.
  • Network Drops: If an active network connection drops during gameplay or matchmaking, the title must display an explicit, non-blocking error prompt and return the user safely to an offline state or the main menu.

User Account Management and Profiles

PlayStation consoles support multiple simultaneous users, requiring strict session management.

  • Controller Disconnection: If an active controller loses connection or battery power, the game must immediately pause (if single-player) and present a system-compliant prompt asking the user to reconnect the controller.
  • User Switching: Titles must correctly handle scenarios where a user changes active profiles or reassigns controllers via the system software.
  • Parental Controls: The title must respect PlayStation Family Management restrictions, such as disabling online communications, blocking user-generated content, or restricting playtime limits based on the account settings.

Save Data and Storage Management

Data integrity and storage constraints are heavily audited during the TRC submission process.

  • Storage Checks: Before writing save data, downloading updates, or installing add-on content, the game must query the available disk space. If space is insufficient, the game must prompt the user with the exact amount of space required to proceed.
  • Corruption Resilience: The game must verify save data checksums upon loading. If corrupted data is detected, the game must offer to delete or overwrite the file rather than crashing.
  • Autosave Icons: A clear visual indicator must be displayed during any save operation. Titles must inform the user not to power off the console or close the application while this icon is active.
  • Cloud Sync: Games must properly integrate with PlayStation Plus cloud storage, resolving conflict timestamps when cloud saves differ from local files.

PlayStation Network (PSN) and Trophy Logic

Features utilizing PSN infrastructure must adhere to strict operational logic.

  • Trophy Implementation: Every base game must include a valid Trophy set configured according to Sony's point-tier allocation rules. Trophies must unlock precisely when their criteria are met and must never be permanently locked out due to network failures.
  • Privilege Validation: Prior to initiating any multiplayer session, voice chat, or user-content sharing, the application must query the user's PSN account for PlayStation Plus subscription status and age-appropriate online communication permissions.

Display, Audio, and Performance Standards

  • Framerate Stability: The game must deliver a stable framerate that matches its declared target (e.g., locked 30 FPS, 60 FPS, or 120 FPS modes) without persistent stuttering or severe frame drops.
  • Resolution and HDR Support: The software must correctly output standard resolutions (1080p, 1440p, 4K) without stretching or non-standard aspect ratios. If High Dynamic Range (HDR) is supported, it must properly map to the system's global HDR calibration settings.
  • Audio Routing: The application must correctly route audio across default TV outputs, external AV receivers, USB headsets, and the DualSense controller speaker.

System Terminology and Localization

Sony enforces exact trademark and nomenclature guidelines across all supported languages.

  • Button Names: Hardware inputs must use official naming conventions. The face buttons must be referred to as the Cross, Circle, Square, and Triangle buttons—never the "X button" or generic equivalents.
  • Hardware References: Titles must strictly refer to Sony accessories using their official branded names, such as the "DualSense wireless controller" rather than "gamepad" or "remote."
  • Platform Names: References to system software features (such as "PlayStation Network," "Rest Mode," and "Control Center") must use exact capitalization and official localizations provided in Sony’s platform documentation.