Sony began rolling out beta firmware for the PlayStation 5 yesterday, which includes two highly requested features: 1440p output and game folders.
The 1440p output function is straightforward. The PlayStation 5 now supports 2560×1440 resolution in addition to 720p, 1080p, and 2160p. This feature has been desired since the PlayStation 4 Pro but is only now available on Sony systems. Microsoft has had this option since the Xbox One X.
The games work as you’d expect. Games rendered in 1440p or below will be output natively, while those rendered at 2160p will be downsampled. 1440p support on the PlayStation isn’t that shocking. Sony just announced its own brand of INZONE gaming monitors, one of which has a 1440p resolution. This is not the first time Sony has delayed adding a feature to its system to sync with its other devices; VRR compatibility for the PS5 arrived only after Sony’s televisions added it earlier this year.
The other big innovation is folders, or “gamelists,” as Sony calls them. You may now create gamelists that arrange installed games into customizable folders. You can have up to 15 game lists with up to 100 games per list. All downloaded games are currently dumped in one place with no way to organise them. Sony added this feature to the PS4 as well, so it’s unclear why it took so long for the PS5.
Sony PS5 Beta also includes new features like:
Compare 3D Audio and Stereo Audio
- You can now listen to and compare the difference between 3D and stereo audio on the same screen, and then choose your preferred setting.
Easier Access to In-progress Activities
- When resuming a game, in-progress activities are often shown prominently at the top of the game hub to make it as easy and as fast as possible to get back to where you left off.
- Request Share Screen
- You can now request party members to start Share Screen to watch their gameplay. Go to the voice chat card, select the party member you want to send the request to, and then select [Request Share Screen].
Joinable Game Notification
- When you join a party and a party member is playing a game you can join, you’ll now receive a notification. You can join the game directly from the notification.
- View New Friends’ Profiles
- When you accept a friend request in the [Received] list, you can now view your new friend’s profile in [Accepted Requests].
Send Stickers and Voice Messages in Game Base
- In the Game Base card, you can now send stickers and voice messages to your groups.
The beta is now being rolled out to select users in the United States, Canada, Japan, the United Kingdom, Germany, and France. Later this year, Sony plans to provide these updates globally.
