Support for extended PlayStation 5 storage is just the tip of the iceberg for the console’s latest firmware update, which is currently in beta around the world. Sony has also been busy beavering away on the next-gen device’s operating system – and fixing some of its biggest oversights. To begin, the new update will finally make clearer distinctions between the PS5 and PS4 versions of software.
Since launch, there have been complaints about the way cross-gen games are handled. While it has become more obvious recently, some still find themselves questioning whether they’re playing the next-gen version of a title or the last-gen edition. This will be solved with clearer labelling, while the actual game tiles will be separated on the home screen. A welcome, and necessary, tweak.
Sony’s also seeking to improve the way Trophies are handled. You’ll now be able to track certain trinkets within the Control Centre, giving you easy access to the requirements of gongs you’re currently working on. This will come alongside more personalisation to the Control Centre interface itself, as well as further improvements to the way messaging and parties are handled.
Finally, it’ll allow PS Now subscribers to pick between 720p and 1080p image quality when streaming games, assuming you have the bandwidth and broadband connection to cope with it. That should result in much better image quality when you’re play games from the cloud, which is a welcome step forward for the service.
There’s no official release date for the firmware update just yet, but we assume it can’t be too far away if the beta goes according to plan.
[source theverge.com]
Comments 64
You're working, Sony.
Nice to see them working on those minor annoyances that are minor yet ... annoying.
I had a feeling that something is incoming after I received the Ps App update this morning
Any word on folders?
It's laughable such things weren't there from the start.
Would be nice to go back to a list for trophies instead of the card view for trophies, which in my opinion, is horrific to deal with.
@RubyCarbuncle you can’t have it all from the start. Of course something could have been better or more complete.
Nevertheless the experience with the Ps5 have been great since launch.
@Reeneman If you say so. For me trying to distinguish whether I'm playing the PS4 version or PS5 version of a game has been driving me nuts. This is a feature that should have been there from the start IMHO.
Anyone know what the PS Now required Internet speed would be for 1080p?
@FatalBubbles The trophy list is supposed to be vertical now too
@Snake_V5 Around 6.2Mb down and 4.4 Mb up based on what I just looked up.
@Voltan I’ll give it a try, thanks! That would be a huge plus.
@RubyCarbuncle do you have both versions installed?
On PS4 versions there is always this small PS4 logo next so the game.
I don’t have a problem with it. Metro Exodus, FF7 and It takes two are my PS4 disc version where I play the Ps5 versions with (free upgrades over the Ps store). Haven’t had a issue with it so far.
@Reeneman No. Yes on the Store there's usually a drop down menu that lets you choose a version but sometimes on the product page it says PS4 and PS5 so it's not always clear.
I wish they could make it so I could download all my digital PS3 games on my PS5. I don't see why I should have to subscribe to PS Now to play them when I have already bought them.
@RubyCarbuncle I thought PS Now has nothing to do with upload speed? It's just download speed that matters.
@RubyCarbuncle man, I'm running a Gb connection at home and the thing is still horrendous. All I wanted to play was the MGS collection and it's unplayable for me. Maybe it's my area or something but I get sub 30ms ping on the PSN so I just don't understand why PS Now works so terribly!
@Snake_V5 I don't think it has. My old connection had a shocking upload speed and it let me play games on it. My upload speed was less than 1.00mb but my download was 12.00mb.
@Voltan oh thank god!
@Snake_V5 Ohh yes you're right you're just looking to Stream them rather than install them on your system so download speed would be the only thing you need to worry about here.
@frabbit I have a GB Fibre connection too and streaming is smooth for me but that said I don't use Now so I can't say what that's like. Sorry you're having issues though.
I’d like to see themes and some customisation around the UI
@AndyParkin79 This! I have a couple of ps3 games that I always wonder if I plug back the ps3 to play or if I buy the mostly identical PS4 version. I ended up waiting and wishing that at some point I can play them on PS5….
Would love to see picture in picture support for YouTube and Twitch and a dedicated web browser.
So they're finally putting some things in that should have been there at launch. Better later than never I guess.
While they're there can they also rip off Smart Delivery from Xbox so it automagically installs the current gen version and sorts the saves out too? Moving between Series X consoles is so much easier - if someone has the same game installed on theirs that I do, if I log in with my account it syncs the saves from the cloud and I can pick up right where I left off, in any game, even when I don't have Game Pass.
Can they also put in options to toggle the way the PS button works so it works the same as it did on the PS4, and make it quicker to jump back into games? Also sorting out their cluttered settings menus, but I'm certain they won't do that based on owning several PS3s and PS4s.
Folders are what I miss
I won't say this should have been there from the start.
How I see things, SONY is doing unprecedent amount of work improving our user experience and making it unique and exclusive.
What SONY lacks is top notch marketing and PR to properly communicate its hard work and results/achievements.
I’d love it if they fixed that “can’t move in the UI at startup” bug that’s been there since day one. I just had it happen again a couple of days ago. Easiest way around it is to sign in to a guest account and then sign back in to your actual account. What a pain!
Still waiting for them to add an option to check Controller frimware
How about VRR support? ¯(ツ)/¯
And folders...
Wonderful. Hopefully they address more of the UI stuff, such as, friends menu.
I'd like them to add the option to switch between "Chat Audio" and "All Audio" for headsets in the quick menu. No reason to be going into Settings > Sound etc... every time.
sound output/input needs to be streamlined, the current system is a slight mess, sometimes I'm muted in two different places 🤦
Oh, have they finally added super sampling? No...
@AndyParkin79 I don't see why people want this. You wouldn't even be able to play downloaded PS3 games on PS5.
Finally the trophy list will be readable without comparing against someone else!
Now they just need to make it so hidden trophies are visible by default so people don't need to check external sites for the list for convenience on seeing what they still need to do.
@Waa-Laa Doubtful. It took almost three years before Sony decided to add folders to the PS4 (after having them in the PS3), and it looks like they're determined to make the same mistakes for each generation. If that time frame holds, mark your calendar for summer or fall of 2023.
At this point, I'd bet money that the PS6 will launch without folder support.
@AndyParkin79 The hardware of the PS3 was so different that modern computers still cannot properly emulate it, especially for games that were written for it from the ground up and really pushed it to its limits. I doubt a PS5 could reliably play the entire PS3 library - and trying to get there if it IS possible would involve a lot of development costs that would be better served, from Sony's perspective, on remasters that would be more accessible or on new content.
Oh good! Finally we get fol........oh. Okay, then.....
@get2sammyb Any idea if PS Now for PC gets the 1080p option with this, or is it just on PS5 consoles (because 1080p streaming needs a state of the art GPU?) Ironically nothing about this PS5 update is terribly interesting, but I've been tinkering more with Now on PC and that's actually a necessary update.
@zekepliskin That PS button.....ohhhhh that PS button....
Folders and themes would be nice
@eagletrippin this. Vrr is needed. Now tbh it's a joke
@AndyParkin79 THIS omg deffo this. It was a big bug hear for me during my ps4 stint. I have loads of ps3 games I'd love to play that aren't even on ps now. Such as splinter cell to name a few
Really Sammy!! Another "Sony oversight" article? Too many cables on PSVR... 100 articles with "but why no gamepass" etc. Why are you still working and writing for Push Square? (A PS only site) when you obviously hate Playstation with all your heart. Or as my mother always said: "if you NEVER have anything good to say.. shut your mouth.
This is getting boring Sammy. surely you must have one good thing to say about Sony during 2021?? If not, why work for Push Square and not the xbox sistersite? Or maybe that is what you do ?! 🤨
You're always making a hen out of one feather so to speak...
@Gdfrew I've got all the splinter cells, but seeing as my PS3 broke, I can't play them anymore. ☹️
Hey...you know what would be cool.
Not having to press 13 buttons to turn your PS5 off.
Baffling how much of a backstep the PS5 UI is fr the PS4.
Nice, the ps4 ps5 installed game problems is annoying, I remember playing certain game demo and didn't like it because the performance is just too bad, but after a while I realized that I actually download the ps4 version instead of ps5.
I have literally confused PS4 and PS5 versions 0 times and had my PS5 since launch. Are you guys just not reading the screens at all or what?
Sorry that Sony assumed you would actually pay attention to what you're doing. I guess it needs to be set to auto tune hip hop and overlaid with kitty cat gifs for you people to pay attention to it. And it's their oversight? Yeeeeeah
How about Folders Sony? You know the helpful things you were late adding to the PS4.
@frabbit I have gigabit download speed, and it works fine for me. Heck it worked well back when I had 400mbps. Only advice is Ethernet is Always better than wifi, just use Wired settings with all set to automatic easy setup.
@JuggaloRazzam I'm using a powerline for the PS5 at the minute as the router is in the livingroom and the PS5 is in my office. I get <30ms ping when playing games online, and downloads are usually around 250mbit/s via that connection. You would think that was so much more than required, but it just doesn't work well. I'm in Scotland, maybe the nearest serving exchange/Datacentre isn't too nearby!
Or... maybe if I plugged directly into the router as you say it would be all good lol, but it's not an option until maybe one day my girlfriend actually finishes Grey's Anatomy and I can go into the living room again.
Never understood how so many people could be confused over PS4 or PS5 versions. There's a clear label next to the game's title if it's a PS4 game.
@Milktastrophe when you press Square on your pad while in hidden trophy it'll show you requirement needed to achieve it. It's the same as it was with ps4.
I miss folders the most! I have hundrets of smaller games on my ext drive and it is annoying without folders.
@Gdfrew Me too, mate. I'm guessing they didn't make PS4 backward compatible because they wanted people to subscribe to PS Now. I want to play my Monkey Islands games again.
Here's an easy fix that annoys the hell out of me: when I open the Game Center (or whatever it's called) from the bar, default to my friends list, not the party list. Parties with people don't matter if those people are not on. I need to see who's on before I look at my parties. Don't make people tab over to see who's active. It's nonsensical.
I played MGS4 via PS Now last week and the quality was atrocious. If it can be upped to 1080p i might give the game another chance of redemption (poor MGS game imo)
Getting the saves from the PS4 version to work on the updated PS5 version have been a nightmare. It took a bit of work to migrate my saves from FF7 Remake, No Man's Sky and I believe Jedi Fallen Order. Like for the FF7 Remake, you have to download the PS4 version first, Upload your Save, then download the PS5 version.
@frabbit Get ready to thank me! My modem is also in my living room! For just $19 I bought 50ft of ethernet and ran it up the steps to my bedroom. works great!! Just search Amazon for “ RJ45 Cat-7 Ethernet patch cable” Here’s the exact stuff: Cat7 Flat Ethernet Cable, 50 Ft 10 Gigabit High Speed Solid Computer Network Cord with Snagless Rj45 Connectors. Specifications- Cable Type: CAT7 4-Pair SSTP - Connector Type: Gold-Plated RJ45(8P8C) - Cable Performance: Up to 600 MHz - Conductor Gauge: 32AWG - Cable Structure: Stranded
@franbbit - longer ethernet isn’t too expensive.
Great job Sony, now can we please have some folders and themes?!
I always find it bizarre that UI seem to go backwards at the start of every new gen. It's like platform holders forget all of the good work they've done over the course of a generations worth of updates and wipe the slate clean. Odd.
If only there was a way to stop the notifications about recording or not a game. Those are ruining the experience with Rachet and Clank. There is no way to switch them off, even after muting every single alert option
Not sure if this has been mentioned, but I'd like it if the PS5 would remember my preferred SORT ORDER when viewing trophies.
As it stands, this resets to the default everytime you switch off the console.
What about allowing more than one concurrent download at a time?
Piss take that I can download more stuff faster on the PS4.
@eagletrippin they're planning on bringing VRR to PS5 in fall 2021 according to a new report I read, Sony has been hard at work on bringing more features to PS5 in upcoming system updates
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