Sony today released a new software update for PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 consoles, which added a few new features to operating systems of both consoles.
The update, available now, adds the ability to create Open and Closed Parties, which allows users to better customise the system’s voice chat room functionality to their needs. Open parties will let your PlayStation Network friends able to jump into a room without an invite, while closed parties allow the host to better control who is allowed in.
Parties now also include visual indicators to depict which user is speaking, though PlayStation ties this UI update to the ability to better identify and report those who might be harassing users in voice chat – hopefully you won’t need to use this against your pals.
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For users with US or UK-based accounts, a beta version of a Voice Command feature will be available, letting you navigate your system, open and close software, as well as control media playback.
The voice command feature has been present on past PlayStation consoles, but with microphones now built into every PlayStation 5 controller and voice-activated smart devices becoming more commonplace, it’s likely the company expects this feature to be more widely adopted on its new console.
The phrase ‘Hey, Playstation’ will get things started – much like ‘Hey, Google’ and ‘Hey Siri’ – keeping in line with the desire for tech companies to have us establish casual and friendly relationships to our machines in the hope that they’ll take pity on us once they eventually reach sentience and take over the world.
Finally, another highlight are new accessibility features for international players, featuring on-screen text dictation in a number of new languages for those who are visually impaired.
Mono audio for headphones can now also be set, which is a blessing for those with unilateral hearing issues.
The full patch notes for the PlayStation 4 and 5 console update follows.
PlayStation 5 system update patch notes v22.01-05
New Party Chat Options
In response to community feedback, we’ve made some updates to the Parties system:
- 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.
- Note: in Game Base on PS5 and Party on PS4, if you select [Open Party] when starting a party, only players using the beta version of the PS5 or PS4 system software will be able to join. To start a party that players who aren’t using the beta version can also join, select [Closed Party].
- When you start a party, you can now select either an open party or a closed party:
- 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. This will help PlayStation Safety take appropriate action based on your report. You can learn more about this feature here.
- 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.
PS5 Game Base Enhancements
- Voice chats are now called parties. For easier access, we’ve divided the Game Base menu into three tabs: Friends, Parties and Messages.
- From the Game Base control menu and cards, you can now:
- View all your friends under the [Friends] tab in the control menu, or access the player search feature and friend requests through links on this tab.
- Add a player to a group or create a new group directly from Game Base in the Control Center. You can also send text messages, quick messages, images, video clips, and view a group’s shared media from this card.
- When someone in a party is sharing their screen, you’ll now see the (on air) icon.
- We’ve made it easier to decline friend requests by adding a [Decline] button to your friend request list.
New PlayStation 5 UI Update Features
- Filter by genre
- We’ve added an 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.
- PlayStation 5 Trophies UI update
- We’ve 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.
- Start Share Screen from the Create menu
- From the Create menu, you can now start a Share Screen and stream your gameplay to an open party.
New Accessibility Features
- More Screen Reader languages
- Screen Reader, which reads aloud on-screen text and provides spoken guidance for operating the console, is now supported in six additional languages: Russian, Arabic, Dutch, Brazilian Portuguese, Polish, and Korean.
- This expands Screen Reader support to 15 languages, including the current ones (United States English, United Kingdom English, Japanese, Italian, German, Spanish, Latin American Spanish, French and Canadian French).
- Mono audio for headphones
- You can now enable mono audio for headphones so the same audio is played from both the left and right headphones, instead of a stereo or 3D audio sound mix. This feature provides an added option to enhance the PS5 audio experience, particularly for players with unilateral hearing loss.**
- Check marks for enabled settings
- You can now show a check mark on enabled settings so you can easily see that they’re turned on.
Voice Command (Preview): U.S. and U.K. limited release
- We’re also testing a feature that enables voice commands for finding and opening games, apps, and settings, as well as controlling media playback on the PS5 console.
- This feature is currently available in English for beta participants with accounts registered to the U.S. and U.K.
- To get started, enable 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 while enjoying a movie, TV show or song.
- You can help us improve the feature through our feedback program, which will sometimes record your voice commands (in accordance with our Privacy Policy) and let you provide instant feedback from time to time. You can turn this feature off at any time within system settings (see above). This feature never records audio for child accounts.
- We’re in an early testing phase for this feature and will be closely assessing it and listening to your feedback throughout the beta. For more details, check out this page.
