The PS5 is getting its first major software update today. The PS5 April Update “lets you store PS5 games on USB extended storage, share gameplay across PS5 and PS4 consoles, and more.”
Sony is yet to confirm it, but Forbes reports that the freshened-up software also fixes the HDMI 2.1 bug that prevented PS5 users gaming in 4K HDR at 120Hz on some 2020 Samsung TVs.
We’re not sure why Sony would omit this information from its official PlayStation.blog post but Forbes claims to have “tried Call Of Duty: Cold War and Dirt 5 on a Samsung Q90T” and both games “play beautifully in 4K/120Hz with HDR”. The fix happened automatically, without any manual adjustments.
Today’s update allows PS5 titles downloaded to the internal SSD to be moved to a compatible USB drive and vice-versa, which is handy. It’s worth noting, though, that this is purely a storage measure – games can’t be played directly off your external drive.
The other big news is that Share Play is now “cross-generational”, meaning that PS5 users can share their game screen with PS4 gamers while in a voice party. Better still, Share Play lets other players try out PS5 games by ‘passing them a virtual controller’. That way your friend can take control of your game and, say, show off their swinging skills in Spider-Man: Miles Morales.
Sony has also streamlined the PlayStation user experience with a new “Request to Join” option in the PS5 and PS4 social menus. That should make it easier to join games without digging through the in-game menu. A similar shortcut allows you to disable in-game chat from the main PS5 menu. You can choose to cut out a loudmouth entirely, or just dial down their mic a couple of notches.
Last but not least, the PlayStation App, which connects to your console remotely, has been overhauled. You can now join a multiplayer session on PS5 from your phone or tablet, compare your trophy collection with a friend’s, and keep an eye on your storage space.
It’s not all great news, though. The PS5 still lacks supports for M.2 storage drives – Sony simply says “we’re working on this feature and will keep you posted with any updates”.
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