Sony finally revealed the hefty features of its System Software 3.00 for PS4 on its Playstation blog on September 1. The beta program will be coming out soon as well. With Microsoft gearing up for its huge expansion to Xbox One, Sony sure is making a run for their money.
As the features are now rolled out, Sony is now preparing for its beta testing. According to Gotta Be Mobile, all the rumored features that were leaked last month proved to be true after all. Sony started out late last month asking users to sign up for the PS4 Update 3.0 beta.
One of the many key features of Kenshin (Sony's codename for this PS4 System Software 3.0) that players get hyped about, is the online storage capacity increase. According to the Playstation Blog where the features were first announced, the system update now provides a the cloud storage of 10GB from the minimal 1GB to give more space for saved files. It also features a new menu which allows users to maximize the additional space by giving gamers more control on what they upload to Sony's servers automatically.
With Youtube gaming and livestreams available, this PS4 Update 3.0 enables gamers to livestream gameplay to Youtube where everyone else can watch it in real-time, as reported in NDTV Gadgets. This includes the new YouTube Gaming mobile app and the website. Another add-on is the impressive events hub which would allow PS4 users to keep track of the activities of their most beloved games. Players will even be notified when the event start or if the timing changes.
Another much anticipated feature is the Favorite Groups menu in the Friends app. This will allow users to easily manage game sessions with friends they frequently play with. Also, PS4 players can create their own Communities according to their interests, game, preferences, genres, and more. Discussions can be done through message boards and screenshot sharing. They can also join a big party, say, in games like Final Fantasy XIV and Destiny, which typically have a big number of players.
Sony integrated the micro-blogging platform Twitter in the new PS4 system software. Clips with a maximum of 10 seconds or less can be directly shared to Twitter. Longer video clips may be trimmed to be accommodated into the system. Stickers are also now handy and can be added to messages.
On the other hand, the new Request to Watch option allows users to see live broadcasts or share games with their friends by using the Share Play feature. In line with this, PS4 owners can have a peek on what their friends are up to while playing with the Now Playing category with the system 3.0 update. Players can also jump into what their friends are playing. With this feature, players can also get invites to gaming sessions with their friends. And finally, trending broadcasts are now much easier to view with the upgraded Live from Playstation app.
These updates will not be available until the beta testing is done. Even so, some of the content may not even make it to the final version. This early, PS4 users are already requesting Sony to add the basic features that were long requested by players.
Mail notifications were given out to chosen PS4 owners with master accounts; those with sub-accounts cannot participate in the program. The fortunate ones will be the first ones to test out these new system software updates. Sony said the beta programs starts in September. What's even more exciting is this first batch of features: "There's more included in this update, but that's a quick glance at some of the items we're excited about the most."
These system software updates for PS4 are seemingly social integration and upgrades for gamers. Sony is surely offering a whole gaming experience package with this innovation in its ever robust console. With these, players are encouraged to extend their social life from gaming. Gamers can easily have big gaming sessions without literally coming over in one's house; just lounging on their favorite couches inside their own rooms.
Join the Conversation