It’s a good day for PlayStation 5 owners with far too many games installed on their consoles.
The last system software update is out for the PS5 and it introduces a few important new features for people who play on gaming monitors or just need to clean up their system menus. Yes, 1440p support is there, as are folders. A more understandable list of changes of the beta version of this update is on the PlayStation Blog, but let’s break down all the most important new features.
The best new features in the PS5 September update
1440p support
If you have a regular TV, you’re probably wondering what this “1440p” business is all about. Simply put, it is a high definition resolution standard found primarily in PC monitors. It sits between what we normally think of as HD (1080p) and 4K (2160p). With this new PS5 update, you can set the system-level resolution to 1440p, if that’s best for the screen you’re playing on.
Chances are that many gamers won’t need this option, but those who prefer to play on a 1440p monitor for whatever reason will now be able to get the most out of the experience.
Playlists
This is where gamelists will live.
Another new feature that’s likely to be used more by the PS5-owning population is “game lists,” a PlayStation-specific term for what we’d call “folders” everywhere else.
It seems quite simple to set them up. Go to your game collection on the far right of the system menu carousel, then go to “Your collection”. From there, tap “Create game list” and you can add up to 100 games and name the list whatever you want. You can create up to 15 of these folders, so players who like to sort inventories will have a lot of work to do once they install this update.
New party features
The newest and most annoying button on the PS5 menu.
The latest PS5 update also adds a few small but eminently useful features for those who like to party with their pals on game night. First, the ability to request screen sharing from the party menu. If you’re in a party with someone who’s playing a game, highlight their username and hit the “Request Screen Share” button for the option to watch a live stream of their gameplay. It’s like a personal Twitch stream from one of your friends.
The second cool addition to parties is that when you party with someone who is playing a game that allows friends to join, you will automatically receive a notification asking if you want to join. For example, if your friend started Fortnite before you fire up your PS5 and party with them, you’ll be able to jump into their playgroup right from the system menu.
There are also a few other additions in this PS5 update, like the ability to test the difference between stereo audio and 3D audio, and voice search in the YouTube app. 1440p support is nice for the subset of gamers who need it, and the game listings will make it easier for organized people to find what they’re looking for.
Personally? I can’t wait to annoy my friends by constantly hitting the “Request Screen Share” button.
