Sony has started introducing tThe next PS5 system software betaand is testing a wide range of features to be added in the next system software update “in the coming months”.
The headline feature is the addition of built-in Discord voice chat which, among other things, enables voice chat between PS5 and other gaming platforms. To use it, PS5 owners will need to link their PlayStation Network and Discord accounts and use a Discord app on another device to initiate the chat.
Sony is also expanding variable refresh rate (VRR) support to include 1440p displays. VRR allows the monitor to adjust its refresh rate on the fly to match the frame rate output from the console, making for a much smoother, stutter-free image. This will be a useful update for people who already own 1440p VRR monitors – a popular configuration for PC gaming.
There are also a ton of improvements to the UI, social features, and general functionality in the beta. A few that stand out from Sony’s rundown are: over-the-air firmware updates for DualSense controllers; an improved screen reader; more data transfer options, including much easier save data migration from PS4 to PS5 and data transfer from one PS5 console to another; Per-game presets for multiplayer sessions; and manual uploads for game captures to the PlayStation App, for those time-sensitive moments when you just don’t trust the automatic upload feature (Hello, game critics and guide authors).
In the US and UK only, Sony is also testing voice game recording: just say “Hey PlayStation, record this!” to save a video clip of your last game.
So it’s a relatively packed system update. Invited beta participants will receive an email with information on how to participate. As usual, Sony warns that not all features may be included in the final update for all PS5 owners and that some features “may undergo significant changes”. But in general, these beta tests are a pretty good indication of what the final update will contain in a month or two.
