10 PlayStation 5 Quality of Life Improvements That Still Need to Happen

The PlayStation 5 is a great console. It just needs a bit of fine-tuning.

[Jin_Sakai]

I agree with nearly all of the things mention except I’d also like the ability to just hold down the PS button to turn off the console. How hard can it be to add such a simple feature back?

[isarai]

I miss the double tap to go between apps, just to get to messages is way too many steps

[LucasRuinedChildhood]

The double tap on PS4 is sorely missed. Before they made the trophies for a game show up on the control centre, getting to the trophies was also a pain.

The double-tap only works in very limited way right now on PS5 - it can actually return to a recent conversation but it doesn't bring you fully to the messages menu. 😑 it can also quickly bring up Spotify but not much else. I think a slight redesign is in order.

"Have the L1/R1 Or L2/R2 Trigger Buttons Navigate The Main Menu" is also a really annoying admission on PS5 right now.

[frostypants]

I wish they'd just go back to the PS4 way of doing it all. The PS5 approach is super counter intuitive to the point that I wonder what they were thinking sometimes.

[Dandalandan117]

This is the one thing that I don't get the moment I migrated from PS4 to PS5.
I mean why? It was so simple, accessible, and convenient. Why make it harder for the user to access turn off/rest the console when it's been working well with their previous console?

[darthv72]

Long press power off is what Id like to have back as well.

[gold_drake]

this.
i rly dont like the way this all works with the ps5 haha

[Knushwood Butt]

I kind of missed 'What's New' at first but now I'm grateful for less spam.

[isarai]

Here's my question for people that keep mentioning themes. How exactly do you picture it working? The icons are just game thumbnails, and the background is the info of the highlighted game....where in that is there space to add custom elements? Do you want a complete ovethaul of the interface to allow custom themes? Just doesn't make sense to me

[Knushwood Butt]

This.

[Stanjara]

You never had PS4?
They removed the home screen completely and your Ps5 home is now game menu selection... like in ps4, so every game has a background and trophies and such.

But... there isn't a default home anymore where theme can be applied. That layer is missing.

Basically they wanted (whoever it was at Sony) make a Netflix home menu for Playstation. And they did that.

Now media, pictures...whats new, Spotify...Folders....has to go all over the place.
Terrible!

And card system is awful.

Xbox, who had to make OS changes, didn't change OS but PS that didn't have to change anything did.

I really hope that Sony brings back at least some of the features from this article.

[isarai]

Yes i had a PS4 doesnt change what i asked, so basically your answer is you DO want a visual overhaul to accommodate custom themes then...

[Stanjara]

Yes, I would like if they bring the old Ps4 UI to PS5.

For me, updated ps5 UI brought no befetits, only headaches.

[Stanjara]

I agree!!!!!!

[StarkR3ality]

All things mentioned would be great, what annoys me the most is (small thing I know but) having to go all the way to the right to get access to my game library, be much better if I could press R1 and go straight to it, or have it as it's completely own section/tab.

Quick resume would be nice but the PS5 loads so fast anyway it's not that big of a deal. The whole having options to install 2 separate versions of a games in PS4/PS5 is a shit show, it should just auto recognise like Xbox and give you the best version you own. Can't believe it's year 2 and people still have this issue of playing a PS4 game when they should have a PS5 version, seems so simple to implement.

[Risky_24]

IMO both systems are flawed in the way they execute downloads according to the system you are using. The PS5 takes more effort whereas the Xbox just works. The issue with the Xbox and games that support smart delivery is that it won't give you the option to download the previous gen version if you so wish. It would be nice to have the option.

When it comes to quick resume it seem like most people miss one of the main points of the feature. It has nothing to do with quick loading but the ability to keep multiple games suspended, making jumping between games an ease. There is no need to worry about finding a save point (like some games require) and you can switch to another game then come back and continue where you left off or you can switch off your console worry free. I've found myself in many situations where I needed to switch off the console because I needed to leave and quick resume allowed that. I can also engage in quick sessions without worry whereas I can't say the same for the PS5.

[StarkR3ality]

On the playing the previous gen version I just don't think that's necessary option to have, reason you but next gen consoles is to get the better games.

QR is a nice feature I have a series X too, but it's not make or break, more of a quality of life which all of these are obviously.

Also QR causes some issues on online only games that makes you have to restart the game anyway which defeats the object as it takes longer than way quitting out and then reloading.

[Risky_24]

@StarkR3ality
In certain instances the previous gen version run better in back compat mode depending on your preference so the option certain would be good.

Quick resume definitely break barriers in the way you generally play games. Stuff like better graphics and faster loading to name a few are all quality of life improvements much in the same way quick resume is. I certainly wouldn't deny the existence of the feature to the PS5 simply due to it being such.

The issues about quick resume breaking online games is a non issue simply because you can't stay online while the console is off anyway and would need to reconnect online anyway. Just because it doesn't benefit a certain genre of games does not negate the fact it's beneficial to a majority of titles.

[Pocahontas]

What I want.

-Web browser
-3d blurry support

[where-eagles-dare]

The PS5 already has a usable web browser. It's just not currently integrated into the interface. Unfortunately, it is a bit of a fiddle to get to via the PS5 messaging system, nor can you make it full screen sadly, but it exists & it is there. I agree that it would be splendid if it were to be fully implemented with a future PS5 update.

[where-eagles-dare]

What a wonderful site this is. A pr1ck has already disagreed with facts.

[Pocahontas]

I also disagreed because that is a garbage browser not a web browser

[where-eagles-dare]

Pochanotas, in your opinion it may be a 'garbage browser' the whole point that I was trying to make is that it 'does' have a browser, however cr@p you may deem it to be.

[Droppedez]

I thought I was in the minority for wanting a web browser, but I used the ps4 web browser a lot and miss it on the PS5.

[dumahim]

I still want them to fix the horrendous trophy screenshots with that massive black overlay on them.

[VariantAEC]

Just screen shot any time a trophy prompt comes up?
It's easy. Honestly I don't have a problem with it because I'd rater have those 30 second 1080p60 clips anyway.

[sadraiden]

It's 2023 and people are still talking about QoL changes on a modern console.

They're waiting another year, then they'll unveil the slim model, which will have its own issues, and the merry-go-round goes round and round again.

[SurgicalMenace]

These all seem to gravitate on the nitpicky side of things. It just seems like people are playing less to focus on things that have nothing to do with the enjoyment of gaming. What do any of these things add to the overall experience of gaming? What happened to buying a game, pressing start, and playing it? Now we need QR because our patience to wait 6 seconds for a game to load has become too much to handle.

[IanTH]

Quality of Life improvements are exactly what you just described - things that are nice to have, but not necessary. One could call those nitpicks. But just because a core function is covered doesn't mean you can't want smaller things to be different, right? This isn't like "PS5 IS TRASH BECAUSE OF THESE 10 THINGS!", it's just some smaller things that would make day to day a little nicer.

[Tacoboto]

I would add two simple things:

1. Allow DualShock4 on PS5 games on the console - DS4 support is built into the system. Sony allows it through Remote Play. This would make local multiplayer easier and cheaper, and it would be consistent with how Sony allows people to play those same exact games "requiring" DualSense off console.

2. Move Storage in the Background. It's 2023 and our SSDs have throughput speeds that would've been insane to even suggest five years ago. These CPUs are incredibly fast for a gaming console. But we still have to wait on a loading screen while we transfer a game from Drive A to Drive B. The system SSD is small and they knew we'd be doing this plenty but they still shipped a modern operating system without being able to multitask during a transfer. Shame on their engineering

[SurgicalMenace]

I do understand your points while these things should be pretty standard, though their goal is to keep functions as simple as possible. There are some of us who would take the time needed to learn the functionality, but there is a larger mass that wouldn't. The Switch is so successful because of its simplicity, while the XB and PS require more effort to take advantage of their benefits.

[Tacoboto]

Huh?

What functionality do you need to learn to use a controller that you can already use on PS4 games on the same system?

[SurgicalMenace]

I was more speaking on SSD transfer speeds, multitasking, or the like. People just want the easiest path to their entertainment. Complexity often repels adoption.

[Orchard]

The vast majority of people do multitasking nowadays… on phones and on PCs.

If copying a game in the background is too complex for you, the PS5 probably isn’t for you since to encounter this multitasking situation you’d first have to open it up and fit an M.2. If you can’t multitask in an OS this is way beyond you.

Also, Xbox has supported background transfers for years, never seen anyone complain that it’s too complicated. Zero reason why Sony couldn’t do this.

[Tzuno]

Ps5 UI is ignored by Sony

[jznrpg]

Personally I just jump into a game 99% of the time and don’t care about most other things . I dont use my PS5 to stream or anything else .

Folders would be the best thing for me .

Themes was cool but not necessary but still be nice to have . That’s all I can think of myself .

P.S I read the list after and not downloading PS4 version would be nice but currently I just stop them immediately the rare time I buy a digital game .

[frostypants]

I just wish they'd make it so the admin/main account had full control over what games were visible in what other accounts on the system. Should be so easy to implement. The parental controls are a joke and are no solution to the whole deadbeat roommate scenario.

[Orchard]

Agree on all points. I’d like to see them revisit the UI, they’ve sort of left it alone since launch.

Definitely agree on Quick Resume. That’s my number 1 ask. The convenience would be ideal.

[343_Guilty_Spark]

Free cloud saving. Currently you need ps+. I have a PS5 and use it for Returnal...don't come for me.

[VariantAEC]

How about offline USB saves for PS5 games instead?
There's an artificial lock on PS5 gamesave transfers. You can backup PS4 gamesaves to a thumb drive but not PS5 savegame data.

[343_Guilty_Spark]

It's BS

[VariantAEC]

It is BS to not allow individual offline gamesave backups for PS5 games.

You can backup PS5 and include gamesaves but to actually restore a single gamesave from a backup you would need to wipe your PS5.

So right now, cloud saves are legitimately the only way you can copy a PS5 gamesave on PS5. You can still copy PS4 gamesaves to a USB drive though.

[FallenAngel1984]

"Backward compatibility has been something many gamers consider an essential feature in a console."

Aint that the truth

[gold_drake]

a better videoplayer.

i mean even my old nokia had a better videoplayer haha.