Includes changes to Party and Messages features, new avatars, updated parental controls and more.
UPDATE: Following this update, users are seeing a notification about Party Safety and that voice chats in parties may be recorded. Voice chat recording for moderation is a feature that will be available on PS5 when it launches, and will enable users to record their voice chats on PS5 and submit them for moderation review. The pop up you’re seeing on PS4 right now is to let you know that when you participate in a chat with a PS5 user (post-launch), they may submit those recordings from their PS5 console to SIE.
Our latest system software update for PlayStation 4, version 8.00, is launching today globally. This update includes changes to the existing Party and Messages features, new avatars, updated parental controls and more.
Here are some of the key features in this update:
Updates to Party and Messages
Following this update, Party and Messages will be more tightly linked together and you will see changes to the UI. Both apps will now use the same ‘Groups’ of players for Party voice chats and message exchanges, instead of having different groups setup across the two apps. So now you can start a Party chat or send a message to the group you’ve previously chatted with across PS4, as well as PS5 when it launches.
New Avatars
We’re expanding the collection of pre-set avatars for players to showcase on their Profile. An array of new avatars from your favorite games will be available, including Bloodborne, Journey, Ghost of Tsushima, God of War, The Last of Us Part II, The Last of Us Remastered, Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End and many more.
Mute all Mics from Quick Menu
We’ve added an option to “Mute all Microphones” in the Quick Menu, so you can easily mute your mics while gaming.
Simplified and more flexible Parental Controls
Under Parental Controls, we’re combining the ‘Communicating with Other Players’ and ‘Viewing Content Created by other Players’ into one setting – ‘Communication and User Generated Content’- to cover both areas of communication and UGC sharing. This offers a simpler setting that’s easier for parents to understand and apply to their children.
In addition, children can send a request to their parents to use communications features in specific games. When a child sends this request, the parent will receive an email notification and can choose to make an exception for that game and allow the child to use its communications and UGC features. This will provide more flexibility to both parents and children.
Enhanced 2-Step Verification
The 2-Step Verification (2SV) feature on PS4 will be enhanced to support third party authenticator apps as an option during the activation flow and 2SV sign-in across PS4, mobile and web.
Removal of Event Creation and Private Community Creation
After 8.00, you will no longer be able to create Events or access existing Events created by other users.
We’re also removing the ability to create private Communities under the Community app on PS4. If you already have existing private Communities, you can continue to access them.
Updates to Remote Play App on Mobile and PC
At the same time as 8.00, the existing PS4 Remote Play app on mobile (iOS/Android), Windows PC and Mac, will change its name to PS Remote Play, and the option to connect to PS5 will be added. You’ll need to sign in to PSN from your PS5 to be able to access the feature, so sit tight until PS5 launches this November!
As a reminder, a PS4 system with a wired connection via a LAN cable is recommended to download the update.
The worst update thus far mainly party chat it didn’t need to be changed it’s incredibly stupid how it is now I don’t care about the recording thing im going say what I want regardless but having party through messages and not being able to start one by yourself is just ridiculous if that’s how ps5 is I might as well not buy it an go to Xbox 1star
foxyjr21, quit your whining, its pathetic.
foxyjr2021, quit your whining, its pathetic.
This update is trash and not trying to sound rude but it is. And the recording the party chat is another trash thing added in this update. I honestly might buy a Xbox if they don’t fix this update.
This is absolutely outrageous. I guess screw freedom of speech? We can’t even kick people out of parties! People we blocked can enter our parties now??? Playstation are you insane! I’m switching to Xbox.
in my opinion this is invading our conversations without letting us accept or refuse the idea of voice chat recording
Why are people’s accounts getting banned for saying swear words in a chat?
This update is terrible. Party chat is so objectively worse it’s a wonder your quality testers ever actually let this through.
Seriously consider adjusting these changes.
How do I block an unwanted guest to my private chat party?
The unwanted guest is Sony.
Get out.
Quit recording my private conversations.
I did not ask for you to come and supervise my personal conversations with my friends.
As of this update, my friends and I no longer chat together while playing and I may stop using my playstation all together.
I have seen posts that say that Sony has been recording our conversations since 2013 and that this is nothing new.
To that I say, I was not aware of this. Like many other people in this world, we skip past the end user aggrement to get to the playing. Just because Sony has been doing this all along does not make it right.
I get it, if I don’t like it I can leave. Sony is a big corperation and does not care about me or my concerns, but perhaps there are others out there like me that are sick and tired of everyone listening to everything we say and watching everything we do. The Government listening to our calls, reading our emails, and now sony recording our conversations.
I never intended to buy a $500.00 advertising distribution tool with games on it. I wanted a gaming console that I can talk to my friends while I play on it. Now Sony wants to be my mommy in the chat room and they are collecting my personal activities so they can target advertising at me.
To that I say:
Keep your advertising, I don’t want to see it.
Quit selling my personal information to 3rd parties. and,
Get out of my private conversations.
OR
You can keep your PS 5 on the shelf in the store where it belongs.
True! PlayStation can go bankrupt after we all switch to Xbox
youre right the new update is trash . I cant even talk whith my friends for something private.
“If it ain’t broke, let’s break it”-PS
Totally agreed.