Sony’s latest software beta for PlayStation 5 or ps5 customers goes live today, and it contains several new features based on player input. New party chat options, game base updates, accessibility choices, and UI elements are among the new additions. It will also start testing for the PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4 consoles, although the additional functionality will be available exclusively to those who make it into the beta.
PlayStation Beta: New Features
Sony noted on their blog that they have introduced support for Open and Closed parties. Players may now establish an open party that their friends can view and join, or they can start a close party and only send invites. To join the party, all participants must have a beta version of the game.
The Game Base, which is the interface where you can set up these parties and ask friends to participate, has also been updated. It is now separated into three different menu tabs for players to access: friends, parties, and messages.
The new UI also allows you to filter by genre, as opposed to the old options, which were restricted to recently played games and alphabetical order. The new “Keep in Home” button allows you to pin up to 14 games and apps to the home screen and supports up to 14 games and applications on the home screen.
At a Glance
Another feature that is only available to gamers in the United States and the United Kingdom is the new voice command function, which allows players to activate games, applications, and settings by utilizing the built-in microphone on the DualSense controller of the PS5. For activating, it says “Hey, PlayStation!” The functionality is only available in the English language option.
The new beta software feature also adds six more Screen Reader languages – Russian, Arabic, Dutch, Brazilian Portuguese, Polish, and Korean – bringing the total number of languages supported to 15. You can enable mono audio on headphones for players with unilateral hearing loss.
Sony also stated on their blog that they would soon begin testing Open Party compatibility for groups on PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4 systems.
Open and Closed Parties (PS5 and PS4 betas)
- When you start a party, you can now select either an open party or a closed party:
- An open party lets your friends see and join the party without an invite. Friends of party members can also join.
- A closed party is only for players you invite.
Voice chat reporting feature update (PS5 beta)
- If you want to report something that someone in a party said, there are now visual indicators for you to identify who was speaking.
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Share Play update (PS5 beta)
- Start Share Play directly from the voice chat card. You no longer need to start Share Screen first to use Share Play.
- Voice chat volume (PS4 beta)
- You can now individually adjust the voice chat volume of each player in a party on PS4, just like on PS5.
New PS5 UI Features
- Filter by genre
- A new option to filter your game collection by genre, letting you quickly find specific types of game experiences.
- Keep in Home
- You can now keep the games or apps you choose on your home screen by selecting “Keep in Home” with the (options) button.
- You can keep a maximum of five games and apps on each home screen with this feature.
- Increased apps on the home screen
- You can now have a total of 14 games and apps appear on your home screen.
- Trophies UI update
- Updated the visual design of trophy cards and the trophy list. You can also see suggestions for which trophies to earn on the trophy tracker and access it from the Control Center whenever you’re playing a game.
Voice Commands for the PS5
- This feature is currently available in English for beta participants with accounts that are registered to the U.S. and U.K.
- Start enabling Voice Command (Preview) from the Settings menu. Then, call out “Hey, PlayStation!” and ask your PS5 console to find a game, open an app or setting, or control playback
