This week, rumors have come in hot and heavy that Sony is preparing a significant firmware update for the PlayStation 4, and more details have poured out about just what improvements Sony could be making for the platform. While none of these have been confirmed by Sony, the mentioned improvements are both oft-requested and logical responses to moves Microsoft has made - but still, without official confirmation, they should be taken with a grain of salt.

The aforementioned firmware update is rumored to not only add PS One Classics compatibility, but the option for gamers to change their PSN ID. The former sounds like a direct response to Microsoft's E3 2017 announcement that original Xbox titles will be available via backward compatibility, while the latter has been an option on Xbox Live for some time. Opening up the PlayStation classics would give Sony a serious bank of nostalgia for gamers, especially if trophies are implemented into the classic titles.

psn-network-issues-all-platforms

It's also rumored that the firmware update will allow gamers to hide demos and trials from their gaming library, a feature which simply improves the quality of life as players peruse their gaming collections. A wish list is expected to be added to the store as well, as one has to imagine Sony wants fans knowing what their friends really want for Christmas. In terms of online gameplay, the update may also increase the maximum number of players allowed in a PSN Party.

If all - or even just some - of the above items are true, Sony's next firmware update will significantly improve the quality of life and feature list of the PlayStation Network, adding more justification to its $59.99 yearly price. PSN has over 70 million registered users (and 20+ million PS Plus subscribers), so even small changes can have a gargantuan impact - and these potential upgrades are no small changes.

We'll keep you posted if more official news regarding the rumored PSN update comes to light. So far, Sony has not confirmed what will be included in the next update, nor has it confirmed when the new firmware will go live.

Source: ComicBook