Sony is rolling out a new system software beta for its PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 consoles, bringing in new features like party chat and UI options. This will be the second beta for the PS5, and it will only be available for selected participants within the U.S., Canada, Japan, U.K., Germany, and France.
After years of fan demand, the beta will include an Open and Closed Parties option. Open Party allows anyone in a player’s friends list to see and join any party without an invite, whereas a Closed Party is only for invited players. The beta will also include a new visual indicator for players to identify who said what during playtime, which will help make it easier to report someone.
Players will no longer have to select the Share Screen to use Share Play in the beta; they can now start Share Play on the Voice Chat card. Beta participants can also adjust the voice chat volume of individual players in a party on the PS4, which is a feature that exists already on base PS5.
The base enhancements for the PS5 include separating the Game Base Menu into three tabs – Friends, Parties, and Messages. The beta will allow players to view all players’ friends under the Friends tab in the control menu. Players can also add a player to a group or create a new group directly from Game Base in the Control Center. A Decline option will also be incorporated into the friend request lists.
A new visual update for the UI on the PS5 will be part of the beta, and it includes a new design for the Trophy list. Beta participants can now select which games or apps they want to choose to stay at home, and up to 14 games and apps can now appear on players’ home screens.
The beta has new accessibility features, including more Screen Reader languages. Screen Reader is a feature where on-screen text is spoken out loud, with the Beta now extending the available languages to 15. A mono audio option for headphones will be incorporated. Checkmarks will be shown on enabled settings to make it easier to see what is turned on.
A new Voice Command feature for the PS5 will be available exclusively for beta participants in the US and UK. The Voice Command can be turned on within the Settings menu, and participants can call out “Hey, PlayStation” and ask their PS5 to find a game, open an app, or do other tasks on the console.
The point of the beta is to test out upcoming features that Sony wants to incorporate into all versions of the PS4 and PS5. The feedback for the beta will determine if these new features will roll out in all PS4s and PS5s. The PS5 and PS4 System Software Beta will begin tomorrow for selected players.
