We wanted to shed some light on system software update version 1.50 for PS4, which will launch simultaneously with the system’s official North American launch on November 15th, 2013. By updating to system software version 1.50, you’ll be able to experience a variety of new features in addition to the basic functions of PS4.
The system software update 1.50 is approximately 300 MB, and will include the following features:
- Remote Play
Users will be able to access PS4 titles displayed on their living room TVs and play them on a PS Vita system over Wi-Fi networks by using PS4 Link (Depending on network environment or titles, remote play performance may vary outside of the home). We anticipate that most PS4 titles will be playable on the PS Vita system through Remote Play. The latest PS Vita system software version, to be released soon, will be required to use PS4 Link.
- Second Screen
Users can use the PS4 Link application for the PS Vita system, and PlayStation App for iPhone, iPad, and Android-based smartphones and tablets, to use these devices as second screens in supported titles. PlayStation App has the ability to enable users to interact with games with their mobiles devices. For example on The Playroom, a title pre-installed in all PS4 systems that requires PlayStation Camera, users can draw pictures on their mobile device screens and flick them towards the TV. The images then appear as a 3D object within the game.
- Record, take screenshots, and upload gameplay effortlessly
The PS4 system provides dedicated, “always on” video encoding systems that enables seamless uploading of gameplay. Users can share their epic triumphs by simply hitting the Share button on DualShock 4, take screenshots or scan through the last 15 minutes of gameplay, tag it and return to the game—the video uploads as the user plays. At the PS4 system’s launch in North America, users will be able to share their images and videos with friends on Facebook and screenshots with followers on Twitter, though users will need to sign up for individual accounts to use Facebook and Twitter.
- Broadcast and spectate gameplay
The PS4 system also enhances social spectating by enabling users to broadcast their gameplay in real-time to game fans around the globe, using Ustream and Twitch live internet streaming services (users will need to sign up for individual accounts to use Ustream and Twitch). There are two ways for users to view live broadcasts. First, the Live from PlayStation application on PS4 aggregates streams from all PlayStation users. Second, users can spectate friends’ PS4 gameplay from PCs, and applications such as Ustream, Twitch, and browsers, which are installed on their mobile devices. These applications can be easily started up via PlayStation App, and users can also use these applications to post comments to gameplay broadcasts. Furthermore, users with PlayStation Camera can stream camera images and microphone sounds along with their live gameplay broadcast.
- Play as you download
This feature enables users to play supported digital titles as they are being downloaded. The time it takes to begin playing will vary depending on game data size and network environments, and not all titles will support this feature When a game is purchased, users can start playing after PS4 downloads a portion of the data, while the rest of the game is downloaded in the background during actual gameplay. Games may be downloaded in stand-by mode.
- Multi log-in
A maximum of four users can log-in to a single PS4 system simultaneously. These players can use their own save data to play games, and also earn trophies on their own Sony Entertainment Network accounts even when playing a multiplayer game together on a single PS4 system.
- Party (Voice chat)
By using the Mono Headset bundled with the PS4 system, users will be able to chat with up to eight friends enjoying different applications or games. Furthermore, users can use Party to chat between PS4 and PS Vita systems.
- Face recognition and voice commands
Users with PlayStation Camera will be able to register their facial image onto their PS4 system, and login to their system using facial recognition instead of DualShock 4. Furthermore, users can use either the microphone of the Mono Head set connected to DualShock 4, or PlayStation Camera to navigate through the PS4 home screen (PlayStation Dynamic Menu) with voice commands to start up games and shutdown the system, among other features; please refer to PS4’s online manual for recognizable voice commands.
- Background music player
Users can enjoy gameplay while listening to music in the background with Music Unlimited, a cloud-based digital music service. Users can also voice chat with friends while listening to music. Learn more about Music Unlimited here.
- Online Multiplayer
PlayStation Plus members will be able to play PS4 titles online with other players via the network. PS Plus makes it easy for members to join available online multiplayer matches in a variety of ways, including the ability to easily join a game from a live stream broadcast or Party voice chats.
- Blu-ray Disc and DVD player
Users can enjoy not only gaming on their PS4 system, but also Blu-ray and DVD video contents. When using for the first time, users must connect to the internet to activate this feature.
Some features will not be available at launch, such as “suspend/resume mode” which is a feature that keeps the PS4 system in a low power state and promptly takes users back to their game. We will provide additional information about system software update version 1.50 and features available at the PS4 system’s North America launch, and features that will be available after launch, in the near future.
Hey SONY, I wanna see what my friends are doing/playing/ on VITA when I logon my PSN on PS4, thanks!
When will we get to see videos showing off the UI and the features in Update 1.50?
Why don’t make it play PS3 games?
wont b long
yea wheres the UI im wondering the same thing??? SONY
I’d love to know what apps are also launching the PS4. Are we getting Amazon and Netflix day one? Is background music streaming ONLY with MU? I’d love to be able to stream my own music collection from the HDD as well.
“suspend/resume mode” should be a day one feature… I was really looking forward this, now it feels like it’s not going to happen.
Can someone at Sony confirm that we’ll still be able too copy over and use our own music for custom soundtracks, like we did on the PS3? That’s a pretty big deal, and it’s glossed over in favor of Music Unlimited in the post.
glad to see remote play. i’m excited for the system. mostly for remoteplay. there aren’t any games i want for it yet lol. all are coming next year.
I’m trying to find the politest way to showcase my disappointment in this industry fixation with a “release then patch” mentality but words are really failing me right now… I read this post and I’m saddened that a lot of stuff will be missing from the box, and other lot will continue to be mixing until even further patching. I hope future fixes don’t come at the expense of features being removed. Let’s not have a PS3 recap.
But it is probably best to just leave it at that.
I read an article about GTA 5 where the writer complained, in a really subtle and interesting way, that he wasn’t enjoying the game, that he wasn’t “getting it”. The he expressed something I have felt for a very long time: “It was a that moment I realized I was no longer the intended audience for the game”… Alas, no one cares, or at least not people enough to make a change. Enjoy your games everyone.
Also, I’m really eager for more details on how Playstation Plus will go forward with the PS4 releasing.
For how much longer can we expect to have PS3 games as a part of the IGC? (and, therefore, when will the number of PS4 titles increase, if at all). Will games we have access to in plus be covered in a possible streaming on PS4 when that comes around? Etc.
I’m hoping they get the update patch to add Bluetooth headsets, & USB headset’s out soon as well. I own a pair of Turtle Beach PX5’s and from what I’ve read on the internet (Could be a false rumor) that all Bluetooth & USB headsets won’t work on day one. For me it won’t be a major issue because I’ll put the Mono headset in my ear and put my Turtle Beach PX5’s over the PlayStation headset tell they get Bluetooth working. If PlayStation announces a new Headset for the PS4 and out preforms my PX5’s I’ll buy them :D
Will there be an update that allows us to play PlayStation Home on a PS4? Ohhhhhhh WAIT a second. Forgot what I was asking here of Sony. Never mind (Please note my deliberate dripping sarcasm).
I thank you for posting this info, Sid, but what about posting the necessary details for upgrading the PS4’s HDD.
Many of us (including me) are planning on upgrading our PS4’s HDD ASAP because 500GB fails to allow enough room for players that ONLY want digital versions of games.
Hol up so i gots to pay to play my music in the background?
Like pay a 2nd for like music i bought off itunes or an album to play it while playing ps4 game
Thats a huge blow to me if true!!!
Can we listen to our own music in the background, or only Music Unlimited?
Oh well i can wait for those features. :)
It just keeps getting better! Looking forward to seeing something about using current USB headsets for chat soon Sony. :)
“We anticipate that most PS4 titles will be playable on the PS Vita system through Remote Play.”
Sorry, I though Sony mandated that ALL PS4 titles were Remote Play-able?
Can we get an answer as far as playing our own music instead of Music Unlimited?
I can’t wait for Diablo 3 to be released on the PS4 so I can play it to my vita!! That’ll be incredible.
Confirmation on bluetooth headsets for chat would be nice.
If we install a new HDD into the PS4 will we beable to download “The Playroom” for free again? Also I like to see a list of compatible/ not compatible HDD/SSD’s for the PS4. I plan to install my 512GB Crucial M4 SSD that support’s the 2.5″ SATA 6Gb/s standards. And to let me know if I install a SSD will it improve the preformace of load times on a PS4. I use that same SSD currently in my PS3 and it seem to make the PS3 XMB snappier and get faster loading times for games installed fully to the SSD. Example: I play Digital version of Battlefield 3 allot and I see improvements using a SSD because I seem to be the first to load the game fully by near seconds before my buddies join the same map. I want my PS4 to be the fastest :D
You guys have to realize that online firmware updates are par for the course. These machines are boxed up and shipped from the factory months before they’re going to be sold, so there’s no way everything will be ready at that point. I imagine Sony just put in the most stable version of the PS4 OS that they could on the initial machines, something that would play games, wouldn’t crash, but would allow it to be updated. I bet Sony has been working their fingers to the bone trying to get all of these features ready for launch day, and they will probably be working late nights for the next few weeks just for this 1.50 firmware update!
I’m very excited for the PS4 (will get it day-one), but you guys should manage your expectations considering things like server trouble, possibly buggy firmware updates, and of course game updates for each and every game. Don’t let that reality sour your experience!
Can I upload and listen to my own custom songs on the PS4 without the need of Music unlimited?
I won’t be signing up for extra services like twitch or facebook or twitter etc…
Forget the social media crud and just make these features uploadable to something Sony.
PLEASE tell me I can also share videos on PSN itself and NOT have to use Facebook! I do NOT want to combine my gaming and Facebook together. Too many non-gamer friends on Facebook. Too many companies inspect Facebook when considering candidates for hire too, having mine filled with video games sure is going to look GREAT, huh? NO THANKS! Please enable video sharing in a way that is confined to my PSN account!! I’ll also take YouTube, Twitch, what have you, just not Facebook only please!
Hmm does this music unlimited thing mean we can’t just import our own CDs/mp3s to the system?
Is background music only through some paid service?
@68 I believe they’ve said previously that the only games that won’t be playable using Remote Play will be games that require the camera or Move controls. Hopefully they stick to that.
Any chance that next PSVita system update could improve Wifi strenght? When I have two or three bars on iPhone and iPad, I have one or zero on PSVita, and in this case I (and most of PSVita users) could have serious problems using Remote Play.
Also, “most of PS4 games” means “all of PS4 games except camera and motion ones” or “games supported by devs”? Because the premises are that all PS4 games would have been playable with Remote Play since it’s a built-in feature.
I don’t care about facebook I have a life just want my ps4
@Sid You REALLY scare me when you say “We anticipate that most PS4 titles will be playable on the PS Vita system through Remote Play.”
I’d much rather you say “we know for a FACT that every single PS4 game WILL be remote playable unless it makes use of the Playstation Eye Camera, because we MANDATED it, and we are NOT going back on that.”
Hmmm…ALL of these features, INCLUDING the suspend/resume mode were advertised as being a part of the console at its announcement. So I’m curious as to why these are being “added” in on launch day? Are these just updates to those features, or have you guys rushed manufacturing and not had enough time to get the latest firmware onto the consoles?
Also, why is suspend mode NOT available – it was, after all, advertised to be one of the main features! (many people will claim false-advertising on this, you guys are aware right?)
I’m still keeping my pre-order and looking forward to the PS4 very very much but its things like this that can totally kill the buzz you guys have built up for the launch. A little more openness and information would be appreciated. Thanks.
The real questions are still unanswered
1. I Plan to upgrade my HDD to a 1 TB will a 2.5 inch 1TB 5400 RPM HDD work fine with the PS4?
2. What is this nonsense of COD Ghosts being a 49 GB install. I dont see any reason why it would need so much space to install isnt the PS4 really powerful to not have that kind of space being taken away.
3. Will a usb version of the firmware be available day one. I dont want to pop in the 1TB drive to find out I wouldn’t be able to use the PS4 since the software wouldn’t be available.
Wait… the function to download in lower power mode, when you buy something remotely away from the PS4 is on the launch or not ?
that was the funcion i would use the most.
Well, at least it plays games out of the box. Xb1 doesn’t even do that.
300mb isn’t bad though. If it’s as fast as Sony touts it then it should take just a couple of minutes seeing as how it would take about 5-10 minutes on PS3.
I’m just worried about so many people downloading it at once!
I wanted to know like with my ps3 can I sign on to another system with my 1 name?
sorry forgot to add the reason I ask is if I have another ps4 somewhere els I want to be able to sign in with my name and have access to all my downloaded goods.
Is a Wifi router required for PSVita Remote Play on the same room?
What if the room doesn’t have a home router or access point?
These features are cool but what is really important is that microsoft has dedicated servers for all the multiplayer games. Sony if you want to really win this console generation you need to have dedicated servers for all multiplayer games. PS4 day 1 shipping i’m out
I just hope my PS4 doesn’t gets “Bricked” because of this update on day 1
@87 game sharing? good question
Hi Sid, I’m looking to upgrade the HDD on my PS4 day 1 with SSHD but i’m only afraid if I do it I’ll lose “The Playroom” game as it comes installed on the original HDD! So can you confirm The Playroom will be available on the playstation store or not ?
WAIT WAIT WAIT, we won’t be able to play our OWN music that we have in our HDD?!! That’s a huge disappointment.
Someone asked about game sharing, a really pertinent question… Which sort of brings another: The Vita is locked to one account (a really REALLY freaking stupid idea, mind you). Will the PS4 also be limited to a single user? Or, better, a single “master” user? I’m not talking about “sub” or “child” accounts here. I’m talking about two fully independent accounts, like the PS3 has…
I have two plus accounts, and if that is the case, I will of course drop one. Probably the NA one since EU gets much better games.
Sadly had to cancel my pre-order, so, Amazon has a least one launch edition now available if anyone is looking for a pre-order.. I have bigger fish to fry right now in terms of cashflow and the launch lineup weakened significantly with the loss of Watch Dogs.. ill just buy one next year sometime…
i’m pretty bummed that custom soundtracks will only work with music unlimited.i think its wrong that such a feature will be behind a paywall.i’m also disconcerted that you will have to be online in order to play your dvds and blu ray movies.it does sounds like you guys are putting some kind drm on the machine for this to work.when in fact,you guys told the gaming public at e3 that the console would be drm free.it’spretty ludicrus that the machine wont be able to use the dvds and blu rays from the factory.like i said in a previous post sometime ago,i wasnt going to get this console day one or be an early adopter but a family member is purchasing this for me as a gift.otherwise,i wouldnt have even bothered because i know that this console will be half assed in terms of games that i like and functionality that i expect.that is all
“We anticipate that most PS4 titles will be playable on the PS Vita system through Remote Play. ”
We were told that all PS4 games other than Eye-only titles were compatible. I think we deserve some finite clarity on this issue.
Just wondering when a patch will come for all previous high quality headphones to work ….such as Astro and Tritton . I really hope you folks at Sony get on top of that one …I can’t stand playing multiplayer games with peoples TV sets blaring in the background ….I know your super busy with the launch …just thought I would mention it..I hope you resolve it super quick ..Thanks.
Thank’s Sony… you know how much we love waiting for system software updates at launch…