The Chase fans divided after contestant’s ‘correct’ PS4 answer is rejected

A 20-year-old contestant on The Chase found himself at the centre of a heated debate after his answer to a PlayStation question was ruled incorrect.

Max had confidently answered “PS4” when host Bradley Walsh asked which console brand LeBron James is one of the so-called playmakers for. But Walsh was looking for the broader brand name, “PlayStation”, rather than the name of a specific console.

The decision quickly split viewers, with some insisting Max had effectively given the correct answer while others argued that the wording of the question made the ruling perfectly understandable.

Max’s PS4 answer sparks a debate

The moment came during the latest episode, broadcast on 30 October, as the contestants tackled a series of general knowledge questions.

When it was Max’s turn, Walsh asked:

“LeBron James is one of so-called playmakers for what console brand?”

For anyone unfamiliar with the reference, the question could have been an especially difficult one. Max, however, appeared confident in his gaming knowledge and quickly responded: “PS4.”

That answer refers to the PlayStation 4, a specific console in the PlayStation range.

Walsh then told him that the required answer was “PlayStation”, meaning the brand rather than an individual console model. Max’s response was therefore marked wrong.

Viewers questioned the ruling

The decision immediately prompted discussion among The Chase audience.

Some viewers felt Max had been treated too harshly because “PS4” clearly identifies the PlayStation brand. One person wrote on X: “I was waiting for them to allow that!! PS4 is PlayStation.”

Another viewer agreed, asking: “Surely you’d accept PS4? #TheChase.”

For those viewers, the answer was close enough to the intended response that it should have been accepted.

Others took the opposite view.

They pointed out that Walsh had specifically asked for a console brand, rather than a particular console. PlayStation is the brand, while PS4 identifies one of its consoles.

One viewer explained that PlayStation is the gaming brand behind home video game consoles such as the PS4.

Another defended Walsh’s decision, writing: “Complaints about the PlayStation question, Bradley asked For BRAND, NOT A SPECIFIC CONSOLE! He shouldn’t have got through.”

Where does a quiz draw the line?

The disagreement highlighted a familiar problem for quiz shows: how precise does an answer need to be before it can be accepted?

In everyday conversation, someone saying “PS4” when asked about PlayStation would likely make their meaning clear. In a quiz, however, the wording of the question can determine whether an answer receives credit.

That distinction was enough to divide The Chase viewers, with some seeing Max’s response as an obvious reference to PlayStation and others focusing on the fact that PS4 is a particular console rather than the brand itself.

In the end, the disputed answer did not determine Max’s fate in the competition.

The 20-year-old student went on to face Shaun “the Dark Destroyer” Wallace in his head-to-head round, where he was ultimately eliminated. His fellow contestants then failed to make it through the final hurdle as well.

For Max, the debate over “PS4” versus “PlayStation” was ultimately only one moment in a difficult day on The Chase.