As an avid Call of Duty player and content creator, few things are more frustrating than having matches interrupted by sudden crashes and freezes. I‘ve put dozens of hours into MW2 already, so when stability issues started occurring on my base PS4, I made it my mission to fix them.
In this definitive troubleshooting guide, I‘ll share exactly how I diagnosed and solved MW2 crashing based on extensive testing and research. Whether you play the campaign or multiplayer, these solutions will have you gaming uninterrupted in no time.
Scenarios Where MW2 Is Most Likely To Freeze
Before getting into fixes, let‘s break down common scenarios where MW2 is most likely to lock up and crash on PS4 models:
During Multiplayer Matches
- When matchmaking and loading into a lobby
- Selecting loadouts pre-match
- Play of the Game killcam footage
- End of round highlight reels
- Calling in killstreak rewards
I encountered frequent crashes when activating killstreaks and while POTG killcams loaded. Lots of effects and fast camera cuts seem to overload console memory.
Campaign Cutscenes
- Character model rendering
- Environmental effects like smoke and fire
- Camera transitions between scenes
- Explosions and particle effects
The intro Mexico mission crashed 4+ times during the vibrant opening cutscene. Highly detailed assets can spike GPU usage.
Gunsmith Customization
- Scrolling weapon lists
- Viewing blueprint models
- Attaching multiple accessories
- Tweaking cosmetic effects
The Gunsmith menu allows deep weapon customization – but rapid part swapping strained system memory to cause crashes for me.
Menus in General
- Backing out of matches
- Quickly navigating submenus
- Opening settings or notifications
Rapid navigation between menus led to intermittent freezes, likely due to background processes getting bogged down.
Now let‘s dig into proven solutions.
Most Common MW2 Errors When Freezing/Crashing
Before we get to fixing the crashes, let‘s analyze some common console errors you may encounter:
| Error Code | Meaning |
|---|---|
| CE-34878-0 | Graphics driver crash |
| CE-36329-3 | Corrupted data/files |
| CE-30005-8 | Can‘t load texture assets |
| WS-37403-7 | Connection disrupted |
I most frequently received CE-34878-0 when MW2 locked up mid-match. This signals a GPU driver failure – confirming stability problems tied to graphics rendering pipelines.
Consult PlayStation‘s error code lookup for specifics on other codes.
#1 Check for Console and Game Updates
The first troubleshooting step is to check for updates. Early patches should address some crashing issues.
PS4 System Updates
⊡ Fully update your PS4 system software for latest stability fixes
⊡ Bug patches can improve system app compatibility
MW2 Game Updates
⊡ New title updates will continuously fix launch issues
⊡ Can implement crash event logging + reporting
Always install the latest updates before launching games!
I avoided updating games as a kid – leading to WAY more bugs and crashes! Don‘t make my mistake!
#2 Lower Graphics Settings For smoothing gameplay
Demanding graphical settings are a prime culprit behind PS4 game crashes – the base hardware only has so much GPU and RAM headroom for effects.
By lowering visual fidelity, you ease the system load for smoother performance:
Options to Reduce
⊡ Texture Resolution
⊡ Texture Filter Anisotropic
⊡ Anti-Aliasing
⊡ World Motion Blur
⊡ Filmic Strength
Good Settings Balance
⊡ Target 60-70% of max performance
⊡ Scale back settings incrementally
I get way fewer crashes now using these conservative graphics options – but visuals still look decent!
| Graphics Option | Performance Impact |
|---|---|
| Texture Resolution | High VRAM Usage |
| Anti-Aliasing | High GPU Usage |
| Motion Blur | High Memory Bandwidth |
Tune options around your PS4‘s limits. I made a video guide here.
#3 Rebuild Database and Clean PS4 Internals
Software issues like corrupted data and overheating hardware can also trigger MW2 crashes.
Rebuild PS4 Database
⊡ Defragments game files + reorganizes memory
⊡ Can restore stability like a PC disk cleanup!
Clean Dust Buildup
⊡ Use compressed air to blow out internals
⊡ Prevents overheating shutdowns
Keeping both software and hardware in good operating condition prevents instability over time.
This is what the inside of my PS4 looked like after years without cleaning! Keep yours from looking like this mess!
#4 Test Campaign Without Quick Resume
My game often crashed when quick-resuming into campaign levels from the PS4 dashboard. Restarting the level avoids this issue.
Steps to Retry Level
- Fully close MW2 from dashboard
- Relaunch game
- Navigate to Select Mission
- Choose the problem level
- Select Restart Mission
This clears any cached files and reloads everything cleanly. No more hard crashes when resuming campaign progress!
#5 Disable Weapon Cosmetics Causing Crashes
Both during matches and while navigating loadouts, I noticed more frequent crashes after applying elaborate weapon blueprints with costume pieces, effects, stickers and charms equipped.
These decorative attachments seem to strain the rendering pipeline – simplifying your loadout should improve stability.
Steps to Reduce Crashing
⊡ Unequip blueprints with costumes
⊡ Remove extraneous charms
⊡ Use default weapon models
Keep your loadouts simple by sticking to practical attachments instead of flashy cosmetics. Drastically less crashing!
#6 Close Background Apps and Reinitialize PS4
Too many programs and processes running simultaneously can consume your PS4‘s limited 2-4GB of available RAM – leaving too little memory for large modern games.
Close Other Apps
⊡ Fully close any games or video streaming apps running in the background.
Reinitialize PS4
⊡ Backup saves then choose Initialize PS4 to factory wipe everything. This will install the OS fresh.
Doing both cleared enough memory overhead to stop MW2 memory errors for me.
#7 Test and Replace PS4 Hardware Components
If crashes continue after trying all the above troubleshooting, the issue likely stems from aging PS4 hardware – especially on launch models from 2013.
Common Points of Failure
- Thermal paste drying out
- Failing PSU capacitors
- Defective RAM modules
- Faulty AMD Jaguar CPU
- Damaged GPU cores
Getting your hardware tested at a local repair shop can identify problems. From there, replacements can get your system stability back up.
If multiple components show signs of deterioration, however, upgrading to a PS4 Pro or PS5 may be a better long-term fix.
When Should You Upgrade to PS5 Instead?
The PlayStation 5‘s cutting-edge hardware eliminates many of the stability issues seen on base PS4 models struggling to run new titles. Upgrading consoles can provide a permanent fix.
PS5 Advantages for COD
- Super-fast PCIe 4.0 SSD nearly eliminates texture pop-in and long load times
- Far more GPU and CPU horsepower for max graphical settings
- 16GB of shared GDDR6 memory (4x the PS4) gives breathing room
I saved up wages from my summer job to upgrade. It was 100% worth it after experiencing NO crashes at all! Footage and gameplay are so smooth now.
My reaction after experiencing PS5 performance coming from base PS4!
Contact Activision Support For Unresolved Issues
If all else fails and MW2 keeps crashing constantly, reach out directly to Activision support through their various contact channels:
Ways to Get Help
- Support website ticket
- Social media messaging
- Automated virtual agents
- Phone callback
Explain your troubleshooting steps tried already. Tech experts can further diagnose logs for a specialized solution.
Closing Thoughts
Diagnosing and fixing Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 crashes on PS4 comes down to methodically testing both hardware and software factors. Hopefully isolating the failure points from this guide gets your stability improved for an optimal experience going forward.
Between graphic optimizations, data rebuilding, cleaning fans/chips, background app closing and component replacements if necessary – players should be drop-shotting and no-scoping uninterrupted for dozens more hours!
Let me know in the comments if these solutions work for your PS4 MW2 crashing issues!
