Just six days after last week’s September PlayStation 5 Showcase, Sony is releasing a Software Update to give players even more options with their gaming. A focus on customization in the system and of the system are absolutely the theme. Sony PlayStation’s Senior Vice President for Platform Experience, Hideaki Nishino, authored a Sony blog post detailing the upcoming System Software Update that launches globally tomorrow. Check out the video below for the rundown.
The new Software Update will allow more customization of the Control Center user interface, as well as better management of parties and friend requests. PlayStation users will be able to disband parties they form with friends online rather than merely removing individual members. In addition, players that have both the PS4 and PS5 versions of a game installed will be able to better discern between them because they will have separate tiles in the Game Library and on the Home Screen, with the console indicated on the tile.
There is a new resolution setter and a new tool to test audio-visual connections. There are new accolades, a new trophy tracker, and support for using 3D audio with built-in speakers.
Many of these features may sound familiar to Xbox users, who already can customize their displays and easily manage their social connections. Another similar new option is the inclusion of support for expanded storage.
That’s right! Starting tomorrow (Sept. 15) PlayStation 5 users will be able to add SSD storage to their system. Unfortunately, this will not be in the form of a small drive plugged in externally, but will rather require some light hardware customization. Luckily, they have also included a video on how to do that.
The Remote Play streaming app for iOS and Android has added the option of using a mobile data connection when WiFi was not available, and the amount of data used can be limited by adjusting streaming quality settings. The main PlayStation 4 update seems to be the ability to see PS5 trophies on the PS4, though PS4 owners are also getting the ability to disband a party that PS5 users are getting.
Some of these updates might seem like Sony playing catch up with the competition, but they’re important and necessary upgrades all the same. Even an inconvenient way of adding storage is a way of adding storage. Plus, after that PlayStation Showcase last week, Sony’s large and loyal fanbase has a lot to anticipate—a lot of new games to add to that solid state drive, some of which will undoubtedly make use of party functions, or that will be so good PlayStation fans want to play them remotely.