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Image: Sony

Today, Sony is releasing new beta versions of the PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 system software to select beta testers that contain a host of new features. Listening to the voice command “Hey PlayStation!” on PlayStation is only enabled in the US and UK at the moment.

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With this feature, voice control can be activated by voice without pressing a button to launch games and applications, call up settings, or control media playback. If desired, listening to a voice command can also be disabled in the settings.

“Hey PlayStation” (Image: Sony)

New team chat options

From now on, Sony refers to voice chats as group chats, which has been redesigned, as well as the user interface and accessibility features. The PlayStation 4 System Software Beta will allow players to experience the community-requested open party feature, which will also be available in the PS5 Beta.

In response to community feedback, Sony says it has made some changes to the party system:

• Open and Closed Parties (PS5 and PS4 Beta)
  • When starting a party, you can choose either an open or a closed party:
    • An open party allows friends to see the party and join without being invited. Friends of group members can also join.
    • Private party for invited players only.
  • Note. In Game Base on PS5 and Party on PS4 to host a party. [Offene Party] selected, only players using the beta version of the PS5 or PS4 system software can join. To start a party that non-beta players can join, you need to [Geschlossene Party] to vote.
• Voice Chat Reporting Update (PS5 Beta)
  • When you report what someone said at a party, there are now icons to identify who is speaking. This will help PlayStation Security take appropriate action based on the message.
• Share Play Update (PS5 Beta)
  • “Share Play” can be launched directly from the voice chat card. You no longer need to launch Share Screen first to use Share Play.
• Voice Chat Volume (PS4 Beta)
  • Each player’s voice chat volume can now be individually adjusted at a party on PS4, just like on PS5.

Open and closed parties (Photo: Sony)

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PS5 Game Base Extensions

• Voice chats are now called parties. For more convenient access, the Game Base menu is divided into three tabs: “Friends”, “Parties” and “Messages”.
• From the game base management menu and maps, you can now:
  • all friends on the tab [Freunde] can be seen in the management menu or accessed by searching for players and requesting friends through the links on this tab.
  • add a player to a group or create a new group directly from the Game Base in the Control Center. You can also use this card to send text messages, short messages, pictures, and video clips, and to view the group’s shared media.
• When someone in a group is sharing their screen, the (On Air) icon is now shown.
• It’s easier to decline friend requests by clicking the button in the list of friend requests. [Ablehnen] was added.

Game Base menu (Source: Sony)

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New PS5 UI features.

• Filter by genre
  • Added the ability to filter the collection of games by genre to quickly find the right gaming experience.
• Save to home screen
  • Selected games or apps can now be left on the home screen by selecting “Pin to Home Screen” using the OPTIONS button.
  • With this feature, you can place a maximum of five games and apps on each home screen.
• More apps on the home screen
  • You can now display up to 14 games and applications on the home screen.
• Trophy UI update
  • Updated the visual design of the trophy maps and the trophy list. You can also see offers for trophies that can be earned using the trophy tracker and access them from the Control Center while playing.
• Launch Screen Share from the Create menu.
  • The Create menu can now be used to start screen sharing and game streaming to an outdoor party.

Stay on the home screen (Photo: Sony)

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New accessibility features

• Other screen reading languages
  • The screen reader, which reads on-screen text aloud and gives voice instructions for using the console, is now supported in six additional languages: Russian, Arabic, Dutch, Brazilian Portuguese, Polish, and Korean.
  • This expands screen reader support to 15 languages, including the current languages ​​(English, English, British, Japanese, Italian, German, Spanish, Latin American Spanish, French, and Canadian French).
• Mono sound in headphones
  • You can now enable mono headphone audio so that the same sound plays through both the left and right headphones instead of getting a stereo or 3D audio mix. This feature provides an additional opportunity to improve the sound quality of the PS5, especially for gamers with one-sided hearing loss.
• Checkbox for activated settings
  • You can now check the box next to enabled settings so you can tell that they are enabled.

Mono audio for headphones (Source: Sony)

Final release later this year

Final system software updates will be available worldwide later this year. As with previous beta releases of system software, some features available at this stage may not be available in the final release or will be introduced with significant changes.