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A big update for the PS5 adds voice chat on Discord, VRR at 1440p, and a lot more

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Sony just put out the latest update for the PS5 system software. If you keep track of the version number, the current one is 23.01-07.00.00. What, though, does this 1.1GB update do? As it turns out, quite a lot. This is the official release of the firmware that has been in beta for a while. It adds support for Discord and makes a lot of other improvements.

As was already said, the most important thing here is the integration of Discord. Once you’ve linked your PSN and Discord accounts, you’ll be able to start a voice chat on Discord and join it on your PS5, which is a convenient way to talk to friends who don’t have a PS5.

People with a 1440p screen can now turn on VRR to smooth out any choppy parts of the image. Game hubs now show the amount of time spent playing, the percentage of overall progress, and a “Friends Who Play” tile that lets you see who has a game and who is currently online. We moved and changed the Trophy activity card to make it easier to use.

The screen reader feature, Game Base, and game library have also been updated. Oh, and the DualSense, DualSense Edge, and PSVR2 Sense controllers can all get software updates as well. Also, with this PS5 update, you will be able to update the software on your controllers wirelessly. In the US and UK, a preview adds commands that let you save video clips of gameplay to the Voice Command feature.

Check out the PS Blog for more information and to see the full list of changes. Do you want to know what the latest PS5 firmware has to offer? Tell us in the comments section below.

What’s new in this update to the system software

  • 1440p video output has been expanded on PS5.
    • VRR (variable refresh rate) is now supported for 1440p resolution.
    • More modes and HDMI devices are now supported. To check if your HDMI device supports this, go to Settings > Screen and Video > Video Output > Test 1440p Output.
  • You can now transfer data between PS5 consoles.
    • Easily transfer all of your PS5 data to another PS5. This process doesn’t remove or modify your data on your original PS5.
  • You can now join Discord voice chats on your PS5.
    • Link your Discord account to your account for PlayStation Network. Use the Discord app on your mobile device or computer to get a Discord voice chat going on PS5. You can also let your Discord friends see when you’re online and what you’re playing.
  • Voice Command now supports using your voice to save video clips of your gameplay.
    • Say “Hey PlayStation, capture that!” to save a video clip of your recent gameplay. The default duration saved is based on your settings.
    • You can also save a specific duration of your gameplay, from 15 seconds to 60 minutes. For example, to save 5 minutes, say “Hey PlayStation, capture the last 5 minutes”.
    • Say “Hey PlayStation, start recording” to manually start a new gameplay recording. You can then say “Hey PlayStation, stop recording” to end the recording and save the video clip.
    • Currently, Voice Command (Preview) is only available in English for players with accounts for PlayStation Network in the US and UK.

Other new additions

  • The following improvements have been made to the screen reader feature:
    • The screen reader now gives more detailed guidance when navigating the console. It will now tell you which direction you can move from the currently selected component, as well as your current position in a component with multiple items.
    • When using the screen reader in the web browser, you’ll now see borders around the section that’s being read aloud.
    • The screen reader was updated to correctly read aloud certain key terms.
  • The following features have been added to game hubs:
    • Every game will have a timer on the game hub tracking total time played.
    • Game progress will also be displayed for games that have a minimum number of story activities.
    • A Friends Who Play tile has been added.
      • You can see which of your friends own the game and who is currently online.
      • By selecting the tile, you can see what your friends are doing, and you can also access your friends’ profile where you’ll be given more interaction options.
    • The trophy tile has been moved and updated so it’s easier to access and displays your trophy progress.
    • Competitive multiplayer cards can be displayed full screen. By selecting Start Activity, you’ll be taken straight to that match. The prominent placement and size of the card makes it an easy option for multiplayer.
  • The following update has been made to the cross play feature:
    • In game session cards of cross play games, you can now see the members who are playing on other platforms.
  • The following features have been added to Game Base:
    • You can now send a Share Screen request or start sharing your screen with a friend, directly from their profile.
      • Select the Share Screen icon on your friend’s profile.
      • You can also send a Share Screen request to your friend from PlayStation App.
    • On the voice chat card, a joinable icon will be displayed for party members playing a game you can join. You can join the game directly by selecting the player and then selecting Join Game from the menu.
    • Friends that are active on PlayStation App will now show up as online on your friends list.
  • We made the following improvement in game library:
    • You can decide the default sort order for games within gamelists.
    • Use filters in your library to easily find PS VR- and PS VR2-compatible games.
  • The following settings have been added to game presets:
    • You can set your preferences to manage who can join and who can invite other players to multiplayer sessions you’ve created for supported games. Go to Settings > Saved Data and Game/App Settings > Game Presets > Online Multiplayer Sessions, and select your preferences in Who Can Join and Who Can Invite.
  • When downloading or installing a game, the way your saved data is checked has been changed.
    • If it’s a PS4 game and you have no saved data in console storage, you’ll now be notified if PS4 saved data is available in cloud storage.
    • If it’s a PS5 game that can use PS4 saved data, and you have no saved data in console storage, you’ll now be notified if PS4 saved data is available in cloud storage.
    • To download your saved data from cloud storage, press the PS button to expand the notification and then select Download PS4 Saved Data.
  • You can now select which Media Gallery files to manually upload to Captures on PlayStation App. Existing content policies still apply.
  • The following changes have been made to the on-screen keyboard:
    • When you start entering characters, suggestions appear at the top of the on-screen keyboard. If you press the R1 button, instead of entering the first suggestion, you’ll now just select it. To enter the selected suggestion, press the X button.
    • If you see learned suggestions that you want the console to forget, you can delete them from the options menu.
    • (Only for Japanese keyboard) The suggestions that appear while entering characters are now shown in both half-width and full-width characters.
  • Unicode 15.0 emoji can now be displayed.
  • The time required for performing integrity checks on downloaded data has been greatly reduced. This process is done while the Copying… label is displayed on the downloaded item in the Downloads/Uploads control in the control centre.
  • The way installed games are started has been changed.
    • If your PS5 has the download version of a game that you haven’t purchased (such as those that other users on your PS5 have purchased), and if you have the disc version, you can now play the installed download version by inserting the disc (without installing the disc version).
    • Similarly, if you’ve installed a game using the disc, and you’ve purchased the download version of the game, you can now play the installed disc version of the game without inserting the disc.
  • The hint system has been expanded to display a list of objectives if the game provides them. Select any objective to see a more detailed video or text hint.
  • You can now view and manage your authorised apps in Settings.
    • Authorised apps are third-party apps and services that you’ve linked your account for PlayStation Network to. When using an authorised app, you give permission to share your account data with that app.
    • To view and manage your authorised apps, go to Settings > Users and Accounts > Authorised Apps.
  • We’ve updated the device software for DualSense wireless controller, DualSense Edge wireless controller and PlayStation VR2 Sense controllers.
    • The update will improve stability.
    • You can now update the DualSense wireless controller device software with a wireless connection.
      • If you have trouble updating the device software wirelessly, connect your controller to your PS5 using the USB cable to update it. You’ll be able to update wirelessly for the next update.
      • DualSense Edge wireless controller and PlayStation VR2 Sense controllers already support wireless updates for the device software. This update isn’t required for performing wireless updates for these controllers.
  • The following issues or problems have been resolved:
    • An error dialogue message that gave misleading information referring to parental control restrictions when using the web browser was fixed.
    • An update was made to address an issue causing some IPS LCD monitors to flicker when VRR (variable refresh rate) is turned on. This update may help solve this issue on these monitors.

 

As Editor here at GeekReply, I'm a big fan of all things Geeky. Most of my contributions to the site are technology related, but I'm also a big fan of video games. My genres of choice include RPGs, MMOs, Grand Strategy, and Simulation. If I'm not chasing after the latest gear on my MMO of choice, I'm here at GeekReply reporting on the latest in Geek culture.

Gaming

CEO of Helldivers 2 commends the remarkable determination displayed by the community during the intense Sony showdown

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The experience for Helldivers 2 players has been quite turbulent lately, and we’re referring to a community that is accustomed to leaping from great heights into the most intense and terrifying battlegrounds imaginable. In the midst of a highly debated PSN account requirement for PC players and facing intense backlash, Sony has made a surprising reversal, yielding to the overwhelming force of public opinion. The CEO of Arrowhead, Johan Pilestedt, has displayed an intriguing attitude throughout this challenging period. He has shown remarkable composure, actively engaging with community managers and experiencing the difficulties they face firsthand.

Pilestedt expressed his admiration for the community’s determination and praised their ability to work together on Twitter, following Sony’s reversal. He sarcastically expressed gratitude towards Sony for their “prompt and efficient choice to make PSN linking optional.”

In the future, Pilestedt expressed his vision of working closely with PlayStation and the players to establish a groundbreaking benchmark for the concept of a live game. The aim is to foster a strong partnership between developers and the community, ultimately resulting in an unparalleled gaming experience.

What are your thoughts on the commotion surrounding Helldivers 2? What are your thoughts on Sony’s involvement, Pilestedt’s attitude, and the community’s reaction? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments section below.

 

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Gaming

Hands On: Stellar Blade Nails PS5 New Game + Mechanics

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Stellar Blade is an exceptional game that demands your attention. However, it truly reached new heights after the review embargo was lifted, thanks to the introduction of New Game +. In our review of Stellar Blade for the PS5, we found that one minor drawback was the inability to replay the game. Unfortunately, during the pre-launch period, this author had to start over from the beginning.

Thankfully, none of you will have encountered that problem since the title was updated just hours before its release to include the highly anticipated New Game + feature. This new game+ mode is truly exceptional. As expected, all of your abilities and unlocks carry forward, but the Korean developer has gone above and beyond by expanding Eve’s skill tree with new abilities.

The addition of these new abilities doesn’t exactly revolutionize the game, but it does introduce some fresh tools to your arsenal, ensuring that the gameplay remains engaging. Combine this with some clever enemy placement variations, and you’re practically guaranteed an enjoyable replay. In addition, all of the Exospines and Gear that you unlock in New Game + receive upgrades, enabling you to craft even more powerful builds for Eve.

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Additionally, the number of outfits has been doubled. The skins in the game offer a variety of designs, with some featuring unique custom details. Unlocking all of them again adds an extra layer of enjoyment to the experience. In our comprehensive guide, we have meticulously cataloged all the different outfits and their corresponding unlock methods. So, even if you haven’t quite reached the highly anticipated New Game + stage, you can still get a sneak peek at what lies ahead by following the link provided.

Our only critique of the mode is that the difficulty scaling could be improved. You may find yourself becoming seriously overpowered, even in hard mode. Feeling an immense sense of power is undeniably satisfying. However, it would be even more captivating if Shift Up were to delve deeper into these concepts and introduce additional difficulty levels for New Game +, thereby enhancing the game’s replayability.

It would be great if the developer could consider adding additional modes to enhance replayability. A speed run option could add an exciting element to the game. Rarely does a campaign exhibit the level of tightness and replayability found in Stellar Blade. Shift Up has truly crafted something exceptional, leaving us eager for additional content to be added as the release continues to evolve.

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Have you begun your new game + playthrough of Stellar Blade yet? What are your impressions of the mode, and are there any other post-release additions you would like to see implemented? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments section below.

 

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Gaming

Helldivers 2 has quickly become one of Sony’s top-selling games in the US

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Helldivers 2 proved to be a surprising success, highlighting the unpredictable nature of the gaming industry. As per Circana analyst Mat Piscatella, it currently ranks as Sony’s seventh highest grossing game in the United States to date, trailing behind a trio of Spider-Man titles, a couple of God of War games, and Ghost of Tsushima. It’s only been on the market for less than three months and is not even being sold at full price.

According to Piscatella, a significant factor contributing to the game’s success is its release on PC. He mentioned that, based on Circana’s Player Engagement Tracker, the game has consistently ranked first in terms of active users on Steam in the US since its launch, including April. The release of Helldivers 2 on both PlayStation and PC has been an extraordinary triumph.

He stated that Helldivers 2 has already become the seventh highest-grossing Sony-published game in history. Without a PC, it would not currently be considered one of the top 20 games. While I’m emphasizing the success of the PC SKU, it’s important to note that I’m not disregarding the success of the PlayStation SKU. I just wanted to clarify that. This launch has proven to be incredibly successful.

Prior to the release of Helldivers 2, Sony made it clear that they would be launching their live service-style titles simultaneously on both the PS5 and PC. The success of this approach will undoubtedly strengthen their strategic vision. It will be intriguing to witness if the company reveals official sales figures in the near future, as the title appears to be one of the platform holder’s most successful sellers to date.

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