Sony is hell-bent on providing PlayStation users with the ultimate gaming experience on the PS5. Its innovative features designed to provide immersive gameplay and combat harassment within the community are commendable, but the new system will also support fresh social interactivity.
Preparing users for a new wave of technology, the recent PS4 8.00 system update provided quick mute mic options, party changes, and more. The update also featured a new icon added to the Friend List designed to showcase which console your friends are playing on. The icon is located next to the title of the game your friend is currently playing, which could be a nice way to flaunt your PlayStation 5 ownership.
While it's not as groundbreaking as some of the other PlayStation 5 announcements - including Haptic feedback and the Game Boost feature - it does add to the enhanced social interface that Sony is promoting. It’s also a nice reminder that you’ll still be able to join voice chats and lobbies regardless of whether your friends are playing on the current or next-gen system.
It has been suggested that this icon will be updated in the near future to accommodate users of other Sony consoles, particularly the PS Vita. This icon could become a great indicator to identify modern players from the retro gamers, who may be indulging in an evening of PlayStation 2 titles. This would ignite some great talking points amongst friends if their console of choice is advertised, possibly opening up players to a wider selection of gaming.
Voice Chat was another feature of interest for socially-inclined players, which provided a different service for users aside from participating in party and group chats. This new function supports players who wish to report abuse or harassment by recording short clips that can be used as evidence. Users will also receive a spoiler warning if one of their friends share a screenshot containing game details that you have not yet encountered.
The PlayStation Friend List was an already established platform of social connectivity with your peers, which provided comforting updates and reminders between friends, especially during the lockdown period. PS5 finally releases next month.
Source: Push Square