Sony's officially detailed the key features coming to PlayStation 4 via firmware 5.50, which rolls out in beta form today. To be totally honest, many of the tweaks equate to little more than small quality of life improvements, but there are a few points that are worth highlighting.
For starters, Supersampling Mode is confirmed. PS4 Pro users will be able to toggle this on and off, allowing for better image quality on standard HD televisions. This won't cover all games, but titles should generally appear sharper for those who don't own a high end display.
On top of that, we're getting Play Time Management, which basically lets you keep track of how long play sessions are lasting. The goal here is to give parents more control over the gaming habits of their kids, with options to set time limits and stuff like that.
What's more, the library's getting a couple of new filters so that you can find things a bit quicker alongside a new PlayStation Plus tab that lets you see all of the games that you've added via the subscription service. The option to hide apps is also going to be added, and the quick menu is getting a couple of slight adjustments. Oh, and with 5.50, you'll be able to delete notifications.
Last but not least, the upcoming firmware will let you import wallpapers via USB, which we suppose is quite handy if you've got a particular photograph or picture that you'd like as a backdrop.
It may not be the PS4's biggest or most important update, but does it sound good to you? Give us a high 5.50 in the comments section below.
[source blog.us.playstation.com]
Comments 55
Nothing for me here
I want to be able to delete trophies or whole games from the trophy list!
Sounds pretty good to me.
@Athrum You can delete games you've earned no Trophies for but I think it would break the system if you could remove Trophies you've earned.
Finallly I can delete beta and demo from my library.
I was disappointed when I looked up what supersampling was on Google and it had nothing to do with hip-hop.
Not a lot of interest for me. Super-sampling should make a bit of difference for HDTV owners but not for those with 4k TV's. I would prefer the option to show how long I have spent playing certain games - not to track 'sessions' or limit myself but to see how time I have invested in games individually - something the Xbox offers (not a criticism but an example of what I mean and want from PS).
Its good that I can now hide/remove Apps, betas etc too but that's about all that will be of use to me...
Nice, but give us more PS2 games and PS1 classics, please.
I'd still like the option to be able to DOWNLOAD the tv episodes and movies from the Sony store...since that was taken away. Not to sound nasty, but you can still download the stuff on X-box, so why would Sony take away that option. My internet is slow, so sometimes it won't stream the movies and TV, and I can't download on PS3 anymore either. It would just be nice to have that option. Also, the only other thing I wanted, was to be able to save home photos onto the system itself, rather than having to plug in a USB drive (considering that with the External HD and VR hooked in, there's no room). Only other thing, why is it that when you buy an avatar, you have no way of seeing which ones you own? The list comes on the PS3, but they seem to be hidden on PS4, unless you go into the store, find it and add it.
Off topic, did anyone else ever have their account not synch trophies, but just give an annoying error code? Mine won't synch, and the only thing I found out is to save all of my save date to a USB, re-build the system (again) and then move the save data back over and see if trophies synch again. 300 game saves are not something that will take a short time, and then rebuilding the HD again (all of the game updates to wait for and having to put everything back into folders again) is not something I want to do. Anyone have any options without having to go this route?
@jmbenetti I agree with the classics, but it doesn't seem like it's going to happen. Don't know why they stopped. I'd also like to see more PSP titles get the remastered treatment too, and they can even do that! Even if they added a way to play the PS2 and PS1 games onto the system, would be nice. Would be really nice if it became compatible with PS1, PS2 and PS3.
I like that PSVR games have a little PSVR icon under them.
Playtime management was added because of Monster Hunter addictions.
Playtime management? Welcome to 2006 Sony!
I am hoping that is retroactive though. Very curious to see how long I have played Isaac. I also hope you dont have to be online for it to track time.
@sinalefa From what I can tell, it's not that kind of system. It's a timer you can put on a game to 'limit' playtime. Example: If you only wanted your kid to play Minecraft for 2 hours a day, you can put a limit.
I'm almost certain this data is tracked by Sony though. They sent the 2017 year in review with gameplay hours... so the data is there... we just need to hope they give us access.
You can sign up for the beta through here:
https://beta.software.eu.playstation.com/en-gb/ps4beta
Does this update include hiding purchases from your library such as betas and demos
@NathanUC
I can't see why it is so hard. Xbox has it, Nintendo has it, Steam has it. I want to know how much I have gotten from each of my games in a convenient way.
@UrNowMyMonkey
We’re adding a function that will allow you to hide certain applications under the ‘Purchased’ tab in the Library. In ‘Options,’ you can hide content including betas, trials or demos of games that you probably won’t be going back to.
OK that time management feature is really handy, after all how many of us have gone to bed to find the kids still playing games when they should be asleep, especially on a school night
i'll be making a use of that one for sure
@Athrum Yeah I would love that too. Some games give you an automatic one trophy just for starting the game... then you are screwed. lol
Does supersampling do anything for those with 4k tvs already?
Actually has a few useful things in this one. Progress.
I was really hoping for more stability...
Being able to hide games/demos/apps from the library will be really handy. I hope the time management tracking thing is decent outside of just being able to set parental controls. Xbox One does it pretty well tracking how long you've played a game for as well as a few other key stats for each game, and obviously Steam also does an excellent job of it on PC. Would be really nice to finally have something similar on PS4.
Now I can finally have a Xenoblade Chronicles background on my PS4.
Supersampling is awesome news for me because I didn't upgrade to 4k TV yet. Option to hide betas and demos is very good such as time management. I hope they add name changes, trophy tracking and PS1/PS2 classics next.
I like the Plus option a lot! I don't have to search for lists on the net again!
If you're checking an app to decide if your child is playing too much in your opinion then ypu probably ought to pay more attention to your children full stop, there are far worse things than playing lots of video games, id purposely just leave games running in rest mode, your stats mean jack Mom
I may use the Play Time Management on myself. I have gone way too late into the night with some play sessions and a forced end time would be helpful haha.
@JLPick I've been pissed about the streaming only attitude from Sony since it started. I haven't purchased a single thing from the video side because of it.
SS will be used by so few people I can't believe they even bothered. Oh wait, they had to add it since XbX has it, right?
Deleting stuff needs a firmware update fine years later? Only Sony could take so long for something so simple.
I don't even care about whatever else is in this. All ticky tack crap.
To be fair (and less of a dick), there's not much else ps4 needs.
Oh, except for us to be able to move tiles on home screen to where we want them. Like, I dunno, EVERYTHING else in the world, like Vita even.
FFIIIINNALLLY WE CAN USE OUR OWN PICTURES AS WALLPAPERS!!! PRAISE BE SKELETOR!!!! now just let me shrink the stupid gigantic UI menu down so its not all up in my face
I like the ability to hide apps and demos. It'll be nice to not have to see the demos anymore. The time management addition will just be for pure amusement, and guilt, when I've realized I've spent my entire day playing a game lol.
Something I would love to see in the future is trophy progress tracking. Like a trophy for kill x amount of enemies, it would show you have killed x out of x.
Hello there !
Just received the email for 5.50 beta, and Sony also gives two more codes for friends to get in the beta.
EHQC 62NR PHH5
7498 KGNG FP8K
And please respond if you used it. Enjoy the beta !
@JLPick @jmbenetti
I’d guess because a PS1 Mini is probably on the way.
I'd like playtime stats .. Nintendo and Xbox do it as been mentioned on here previously
Had it installed for 10 minutes before going back to the previous version. Slowed EVERYTHING down! Profile loading, downloading to name a couple.
proper usb wallpapers is actually huge
@Yowza Neither have I. I've been giving Microsoft money now to do it. It's a shame, because I watch on the PS3 more, and would love to complete some of the series I own, but without being able to download, it's a no-go. Hopefully they get the hint and let people download again, but until then, I skip the video store side anymore too, however, I do look to see what new movies came out and play some trailers, but skip purchasing on that side.
Happy to hear about super sampling. I have a UHD 4k display I play on, but it's also the only TV with cable, so I sometimes switch the PS to a smaller TV with lower resolution and have a movie on in the background.
Seriously though, what we really need, or I guess what I would really like to see implemented is a dang WISH LIST!! It's available through mobile but that really doesn't do us much good. It sucks only being able to put 3-4 items in my cart, especially when I know I won't make the jump for another week or two on them.. just give us a place to store them and drool over them until purchase. It baffles me why after nearly a decade this still isn't an option.
I already voiced my opinion on this in another thread earlier today, but I sure hope Sony has some plans in the works for their online service. They jacked up the (already inflated) price for a service that is quickly QUICKLY becoming the least valuable of the big 3. (Microsoft, Nintendo, Sony) Look at what Microsoft is doing with their Xbox Gold service and it's easy to see why so many are losing faith in Sony.
PLEASE SONY have all the cool features the PS4 has now ready on the PS5 when it comes out??? Getting a bit bored of having to wait for(Mainly) the 'basic' features missing each Gen :-/ Ok it's only been 2 Gens so far (PS3 and PS4 that is that has these types of updates)
How have they not created a wishlist yet? Why have they not created one yet?
@get2sammyb Allowing users to set a 60 second video clip as their home screen background, maybe next year lol
@Radbot42 Yeah it's crazy that it's only on the web-based store.
@get2sammyb
There is a very helpful addition in 5.50 that hasn’t been listed. Can’t disclose due to the NDA, but functionality for L1 and R1 on the home screen are welcome.
L1 scrolls to the left end of the home page folders and R1 scrolls to the right. Wish there was a button that went to the middle tho 😂
@JLPick I can't imagine Sony going back to downloading movies after their asinine omission of a 4K player from Pro. Their reasoning (that people much prefer to stream them) leads me to believe ps5 will only allow streaming of videos. Unfortunately, my speed isn't good enough to even get HD on the gameplay trailers in the store, let alone an entire movie.
I can assure you one thing, if ps5 doesn't have a 4K player I'll be passing on it at launch.
@Yowza The only thing that would make me bypass a PS5, is if the system went to nothing but download-only...which also goes for if Nintendo did this too. Other than that, I've been giving Microsoft my money for movies and TV now, and I'd go back if Sony would actually listen to people and read comments on their official site, but however, they go unanswered. The only thing I hate about streaming, besides the fact that my internet is so slow it freezes constantly or doesn't even show up, is the fact that if the company deletes the movie, even after you purchase it, you lose it...also goes with items like I Tunes or VUDU...which is why I'm one of those people that prefer physical over downloads...especially with my music, as I prefer the art work and booklets. Guess we're the old school ones!!!
@JLPick I absolutely love the booklets that (used to) come with games and CDs. I still buy CDs. I have to get them from weird online retailers, though. Hard to find anything in stores that I want.
Supersampling is the best thing I could've hoped for. I use my PS4 on the same 1080p monitor my PC uses. Lots of my PC games do supersampling so it's something I'm used to there, it's nice it's coming to PS4 too.
@Yowza I know. I end up having to order my CD's from the author themselves. Alice Cooper's I order from his site, where most of the others come from Amazon...usually more expensive. We have a Best Buy here, but it only has one rack, and it's just compilations, and FYE, which used to be a big music store, now only carries movies and cell phone products and novelties. I was happy when records came back into play, but the prices are outrageous! Glad I kept most of my cassettes, cd's, records and 8-tracks, but I'd still like to continue with some artists...but the artists in the past were the better ones, can't stand this new wave of music with the fake instruments and the dubbed voices because the artists can't sing at all. Miss also having the actual booklet in games too, but hopefully all still comes out on physical copies...one thing I've been loving about the PS4.
Thanks for the new firmware update info! I'm looking forward to being able to delete notifications and hide apps
@ShogunRok @Tasuki @get2sammyb Do we have a release date yet for PS4 Firmware Update 5.50?
@ToddlerNaruto Not yet! Still in beta.
@get2sammyb Ok! Thanks for fast response.
@ToddlerNaruto I honestly wouldn't know as I don't really follow that stuff. Sorry I can't be more help.
@Tasuki Sammy already answered, but thanks for replying!
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