The first major system update for PlayStation 5 is due to launch tomorrow (April 14), bringing with it a handful of highly requested features for the next-gen console.
The hardware's most substantial update since launching last November will include the ability for players to move PlayStation 5 games onto an external hard drive, a feature the console was roundly criticised for lacking at launch. At present, it's only possible to move PlayStation 4 titles from the PlayStation 5 onto an external HDD, and many users have simply had to delete next-gen games and redownload at a later date to make space.
Over on the PlayStation Blog, senior vice president of platform planning & management Hideaki Nishino confirmed this, and several other changes set to arrive as part of the update.
"With this feature, you can now transfer your PS5 games to USB extended storage from your console's internal storage," he wrote. "It's a great way to extend the storage capabilities of your PS5 console, and you can seamlessly copy your PS5 games back to the console's internal storage when you're ready to play. It is faster to reinstall PS5 games from USB extended storage than to re-download or copy them from a disc."
It still won't be possible to load up game's directly from the hard drive, but this is still a big step forward for players who are starting to feel restricted by the console's 667.2GB of useable storage.
The update is also set to introduce a range of expanded social options across PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5. Players will be able to Share Play between the two consoles, opening up new cross-generational possibilities for multiplayer. There's also a new 'Request to Join Game Session' feature, which Sony promises will reduce the time it takes to jump into games with friends.
Finally, Sony is introducing a number of customisation options for PlayStation 5 users. Among them, you'll be able to fiddle with individual notifications for any parties you're in, magnify your screen, change the kind of trophies your console automatically takes screengrabs of, and manually adjust the volume of your loudest and most annoying friend's audio.
The hardware's most substantial update since launching last November will include the ability for players to move PlayStation 5 games onto an external hard drive, a feature the console was roundly criticised for lacking at launch. At present, it's only possible to move PlayStation 4 titles from the PlayStation 5 onto an external HDD, and many users have simply had to delete next-gen games and redownload at a later date to make space.
Over on the PlayStation Blog, senior vice president of platform planning & management Hideaki Nishino confirmed this, and several other changes set to arrive as part of the update.
"With this feature, you can now transfer your PS5 games to USB extended storage from your console's internal storage," he wrote. "It's a great way to extend the storage capabilities of your PS5 console, and you can seamlessly copy your PS5 games back to the console's internal storage when you're ready to play. It is faster to reinstall PS5 games from USB extended storage than to re-download or copy them from a disc."
It still won't be possible to load up game's directly from the hard drive, but this is still a big step forward for players who are starting to feel restricted by the console's 667.2GB of useable storage.
The update is also set to introduce a range of expanded social options across PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5. Players will be able to Share Play between the two consoles, opening up new cross-generational possibilities for multiplayer. There's also a new 'Request to Join Game Session' feature, which Sony promises will reduce the time it takes to jump into games with friends.
Finally, Sony is introducing a number of customisation options for PlayStation 5 users. Among them, you'll be able to fiddle with individual notifications for any parties you're in, magnify your screen, change the kind of trophies your console automatically takes screengrabs of, and manually adjust the volume of your loudest and most annoying friend's audio.
