The PlayStation 5 just got some long asked-for features in a new system software update. These features include the ability to group your games together into dedicated folders and support for 1440p output for compatible screens and monitors, alongside some other quality-of-life boosts. Some have claimed that the console really ought to have had these features at launch, but Steven Trombetta, a former Product Manager for PlayStation who worked on the PS5's development, has bit back, highlighting that console was made during the pandemic and, he claims, without crunch. This meant some quality of life features needed to be trimmed in order for it to be ready to ship on time.While many fans were surrpised folders in particular took so long to arrive, it seems for some reason Trombetta took particular issue with Kotaku, calling the site out on Twitter. "Hey Kotaku... we built this console in the middle of global pandemic without requiring crunch from anyone," he wrote. "Some things had to go to make that a reality. It'd be a nice if you weren't rude about it. Employee health was a priority and I'm glad it was".Trombetta worked for six and a half years at PlayStation, based in San Francisco. Starting as a product manager and ending his tenure as a leader for the department, Trombetta "lead the creation of a brand new multiplayer platform for the launch of PlayStation 5" and "invented and lead the creation of the activities feature for PS5", according to his LinkedIn profile.
Nowadays, Trombetta works as a senior manager in product management for Rockstar Games. But the games industry insider clearly is proud of the work he did at Sony and also proud that the PS5 team operated without crunch, as he claims. Crunch remains a major issue in the games industry, but more and more studios seem to be using the lack of it as good press - which should hopefully lead to less crunch overall.
Meanwhile, the PlayStation Blog lists the full features that have rolled out in the new system software update.