It’s been a hot minute since the last PlayStation 5 update, but Sony has been quietly cooking up their next system firmware, today announcing the release of a PS5 beta update with a whole host of features.
The new PS5 system software beta that adds new accessibility features for second controller assistance, expands Tempest 3D AudioTech support to Dolby Atmos-enabled HDMI devices, has new social options and support for larger capacity M.2 SSDs up to a whopping 8TB!
The support for Dolby Atmos systems with Tempest 3D AudioTech is long overdue, with the proprietary 3D audio system having initially only been compatible with headphones and then later on with TV speakers. Dolby Atmos opens up the world of modern spatial surround sound systems massively.
As with previous betas, access will be limited to invited PS5 users in select countries – US, Canada, Japan, UK, France and Germany – with email invitations going out today. Some features won’t be final, and others will be reworked. Sony usually keep their
Here’s the rundown of features:
- Use a Second Controller for Assistance – Assigned a second controller to assist another, using them both to control the PS5. This allows for better collaboration with challenging parts of games in, for example, the case you’re playing with a young child.
- System UI Haptic Feedback – System sound effects such as shifting focus, hitting the end of a scrolling section, checking a box and more can now have a haptic feedback in addition to audio.
- Dolby Atmos support with Tempest 3D AudioTech – Dolby Atmos-enabled HDMI devices including soundbars, TVs and home theatre systems can now received specifically rendered audio from the PS5’s Tempest 3D AudioTech engine, which is used through PS5 games.
- Party UI update – You can now invite a player into a closed party without automatically adding the player into the group or creating a new group. Players can also send open or closed party invitations to groups of friends.
- Share Screen Preview – When someone’s sharing their screen in a party that you can join, you’ll now see a preview image of their Share Screen, even before you enter the party.
- Join friends’ game sessions easily – Friends in joinable activities will now be better highlighted in the Friends tab.
- Game Hub tournaments tile – Adds tournament details and progress to a tile in the Game Hub.
- React to messages with emojis – You can now add reactions to messages with emojis.
- Search for games in your library – You can now search for games in your game library.
- Game Help improvements – Game Help cards have been improved with more details displayed to the right side of the card, and showing available, previously available, upcoming, and completed activities.
- Discover new features – Browse useful tips for getting the most out of your PS5 and learn about new features in the new Discover Tips section.
- Mute PS5 beep sound – You can now mute or adjust the volume of the PS5’s beep sound when turning it on or off, or putting it in rest mode in Settings > System > Beep Sound.
- Support for larger-capacity M.2 SSDs – PS5 M.2 SSD support is expanded to a maximum capacity of 8TB, increased from previous 4TB limit.
A solid, but not terribly exciting update, especially when compared to getting Discord and 1440p VRR support back in March, and I’ve no doubt that fans of folders will continue to be miffed by the console’s lacklustre support compared to the PS4. Still, any kind of progress is good to see.
Source: PS Blog
TSBonyman
“Search for games in your library – You can now search for games in your game library.” This is the future of gaming!
Seriously though, will our “folders” ever be included in this whole “accessibility” movement? It’s incredible that we still can’t put them on the home screen instead of hidden away behind a layer of navigation and clicks.