Discord PS5 PlayStation 5 Firmware Update Beta 1
Image: Push Square

Sony is in the process of rolling out a new PS5 firmware update beta today, which brings with it the long-awaited integration of Discord. Unfortunately, the implementation isn’t quite as deep as we’d originally hoped, allowing you to join cross-platform party chats – albeit with the use of the popular social network’s official app. Effectively, you’ll need to link your PSN and Discord identities, and then start a voice chat within the aforementioned apps to begin talking.

In the current environment of crossplay releases, Discord is an overdue and welcome addition, but we’d hoped the Japanese giant would streamline the setup, and integrate it entirely into the PS5’s operating system. Furthermore, we’d quietly anticipated the community aspect of Discord – such as the ability to share screenshots and chat with likeminded fans – would make its way onto the console as well. There’s no word of that just yet, however.

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Of course, while this is the flagship addition in the latest firmware update, it’s not the only thing on offer. There are some quality of life improvements, like the ability to filter Game Lists, request screen shares from your friends’ profiles, and even join games from Party Chats; VRR expanding to 1440p screens will also please those playing on monitors. Furthermore, we like the ability to manually upload screenshots to the PS App.

Sony’s also transforming the way data transfer works. It’s adding a new PS5 to PS5 transfer utility, which is timely considering the rumours of a revamped hardware model featuring a detachable disc drive. It’s also making it even easier to transfer PS4 save data to PS5, with a variety of new prompts that pull information from the PS Plus cloud and notify you when progress is available. Elsewhere, screen reader improvements continue to showcase the company’s commitment to accessibility.

And then in the UK and USA specifically, it’s adding some new functionality to the existing voice command options. Moving forward, you’ll be able to say “Hey PlayStation, capture that” to save video clips and “Hey PlayStation, start recording” to begin manually capturing gameplay. As a note, all of this technology is still in beta – Sony literally describes it as a Voice Command Preview – and is not available in any other languages right now.

Nevertheless, this sounds like a decent overall beta update. We’re happy to see Discord finally implemented, although given the drawbacks of the integration we’re a little bemused it’s taken this long. Still, the nice quality of life changes will undoubtedly improve the PS5 experience, and that’s a net positive overall.

[source blog.playstation.com]