PS5 Beta Update: Quality-of-Life Improvements

Sony unveils a new beta update for PlayStation 5 following its release of URL linking for game sessions. Read on to learn more about this update's features and who can participate.

Sony Announces New PS5 Beta Update with Personalized 3D Audio and MoreKey Features of the Beta Update

Sony's VP of Product Management, Hiromi Wakai, announced yesterday on PlayStation.Blog that starting today, PlayStation 5 will introduce a new beta update featuring personalized 3D audio profiles, improved Remote Play settings, and adaptive charging for controllers.

One of the key features of this update is the capacity to create personalized 3D audio profiles for headphones and earbuds. This customization lets users enhance their gaming experience by tailoring the 3D audio to their individual hearing characteristics. Using devices like the Pulse Elite wireless headset or Pulse Explore wireless earbuds, users can run sound quality tests to generate an audio profile that best suits them. This improvement promises a more immersive experience by enabling players to more accurately locate characters and objects within the game world.

[1] Images taken from PlayStation.Blog

The update also brings improved Remote Play settings, giving users more control over who can remotely access their PS5 console. This feature is especially useful for households with multiple PS5 users, as it allows the primary user to restrict Remote Play access to specific individuals. This can be managed by navigating to [Settings] > [System] > [Remote Play] > [Enable Remote Play], and selecting the users who are permitted remote access.

For beta participants using the latest, slimmer PS5 model, the update introduces adaptive charging for controllers. This feature optimizes power usage by adjusting the charging duration based on the controller's battery level when the console is in rest mode. Users can enable adaptive charging by going to [Settings] > [System] > [Power Saving] > [Features Available in Rest Mode], and selecting [Supply Power to USB Ports] > [Adaptive]. This ensures efficient energy use by ceasing the power supply to the USB port after a certain period if no controller is connected.

Global Release and Beta Participation

While the beta is currently limited to invited participants in the U.S., Canada, Japan, U.K., Germany, and France, Sony plans to globally release the update in the coming months. Invited participants will receive an email invitation today with instructions on downloading and participating in the beta. It's important to note that some features available during the beta phase may not be included in the final version or could undergo substantial changes based on user feedback.

Wakai stressed the importance of community feedback in shaping these updates. "Thanks to feedback from our PlayStation community, we’ve introduced many new features and refinements over the past few years to enhance your gaming experiences on PS5," Wakai said. Sony is eager to receive feedback from beta participants and looks forward to introducing these new features to the global PS5 community soon.

Previous Update and New Features

This beta update follows the recent Version 24.05-09.60.00 update, which introduced the ability to invite other players to gaming sessions by sharing a session URL. To invite others, users can open the game session action card, select Share Link, and scan the QR code with a mobile device to share the link. This feature is available only for open, joinable sessions. This addition has already improved the social gaming experience on PS5, and the new beta update builds on this foundation by further enhancing personalization and control.