PS4 update 5.0 features officially detailed: VR, friends, broadcasting and more

Following a recent leak, Sony has officially detailed the features PlayStation 4 owners can expect to get in the upcoming system update 5.0. The firmware is currently in beta testing, and it brings a wide variety of changes, not the least of which is a redesigned master and sub-account system that makes it easier for families to manage their accounts. Changes are also coming for VR, managing friends, and more.

Some of the features, such as the redesigned master/sub-account system, were tipped in the original leak. Sony has confirmed these features itself, though, at least as far as the beta software goes. Once update 5.0 rolls around, parents will be able to apply parental control settings to individual accounts, PlayStation Network will get a 'Family Manager' feature, and it'll be easier to create accounts for kids.

Users will also be given greater control over managing their friends list thanks to the addition of a 'Custom lists' tab where the 'Favorite Groups' tab currently exists. This is found on the 'Friends' screen. As the name suggests, PS4 owners will be able to create their own custom list of friends, which includes arranging them into groups, including putting some people into groups for specifics games you play with them.

If you use your console to broadcast, you'll be glad to know Sony is including some updates in 5.0 that'll suit your habits. Namely, broadcasters will soon be able to link their own communities when broadcasting, exposing them to viewers and making it easier for those viewers to visit the communities. As well, Sony says that it is adding a 'Display Message to Spectators and Spectators' Comments' settings for PS VR. With this, comments from spectators are visible in VR.

Likewise concerning broadcasting is an update for PlayStation 4 Pro owners who will be able to stream to Twitch in 1080p resolution, something we've previously heard about.

Broadcasting aside, the PlayStation 5.0 firmware update will also bring changes to messaging. If you use the console to listen to music, for example, the update will allow you to send a specific track to someone in a PS4 message. The recipient will have the option of listening to the track directly from the message.

Joining too are tweaks to notifications, another previously tipped category of changes. If you don't like getting pop-up notifications, update 5.0 will give you the option to disable them...at least when you're watching television or movies, something that should have been added around the same time PlayStation Vue became a thing. Better late than never, though.

Users will also get the ability to change pop-up notifications to white or black, and to disable previews. Joining those changes are some updates to the Quick Menu, namely the addition of the notifications menu to this, making the notification alerts accessible while playing a game. The Quick Menu is also getting a 'Leave This Party' option.

That's not the full extent of the changes, though. The 5.0 update will also bring a new bracket viewer, PS VR virtual surround sound, and additional language support for Greek, Czech, Hungarian, Romanian, Vietnamese, Indonesian, and Thai.

SOURCE: PlayStation Blog