Starting today, invited beta testers for the PS5 are getting Discord, Variable Refresh Rate support for 1440p, and new UX updates among others. Support for voice chat options like Discord has been one of the most-requested additions for current consoles. With the app making its way to Xbox only a few months ago it was a matter of time until the PS5 got the same treatment.
Typically, major updates on the PS5 are released only once every several months with a majority of the updates coming in the form of quality and minor UI/UX changes. The last major addition saw the PS5 adding support for 1440p displays along with Game Lists that essentially let players organize their library better. Now it appears some of the more fan-requested features will be making their way onto the PS5.
According to a company blog post, invited beta testers will now be able to join a Discord voice chat via the PS5 console where the integration appears to be similar to how it was implemented on the Xbox. However, users would still have to use Discord on mobile or computer to initiate a voice chat session on the PS5. This is in stark contrast to Microsoft's improved integration which allows players to join a Discord voice chat directly from Xbox consoles. Additionally, the beta update includes UI changes like new "Join Game" and "Friends Who Play" icons as well as the option to manually upload game captures to the PlayStation app and to start/request a share screen from a friend's profile.
Beta testers for the PS5 will also be able to experience Variable Refresh Rate on 1440p, game presets for multiplayer session preferences, and minor enhancements to the game library section. Apart from this, the beta update is shipping new accessibility and ease-of-use features like offering easier access to saved PS4 data via the PS5, a PS5 to PS5 data transfer option, and the ability to capture gameplay using voice command, among others.
While Sony is yet to officially announce the exact date for the public update on the console, the company mentions that fans should "stay tuned for more updates in the coming months." Though recent leaks about the Discord integration on the PS5 suggest it will be out on March 8 along with the rumored option to stream PS5 games. In any case, the update will be a welcome addition for PS5 users who have been waiting for a number of these features, especially Discord voice chat.
Source: PlayStation