Ahead of Returnal's first big patch, Housemarque warns players to turn PS5 auto-updates off "to keep your run"

Housemarque has warned Returnal players to turn auto-update off on their PlayStation 5 ahead of the release of the game's first big patch tonight.

The developer tweeted to say Returnal players should to this "to keep your run".

The warning comes amid calls from some Returnal players for Housemarque to add a save and quit option to the roguelite.

Currently in Returnal, you cannot save a run and come back to it. If you quit during a run, the run is lost. You can use the PS5's rest mode to suspend the game and return to where you left off later, but that's far from ideal. If you were to play another game, for example, you'd lose your run.

The auto-update issue is one our own Chris Tapsell ran into while reviewing Returnal.

"I'd paused the game while on my best-ever run, and came back not two minutes later to find my loaner PS5 in the middle of an auto-update," he wrote.

"I lost all progress on the run, roughly a whole morning of my life. Turn auto-updates off!"

If you're wondering how to turn game auto-updates off on a PS5, here's how to do it:

• Go to Settings > Saved Data and Game/App Settings > Automatic Updates
• Turn off Auto-Download or Auto-Install in Rest Mode.

The Returnal patch and its associated patch notes go live at 7pm UK time today, 5th May.