PS5 Gamers Aren’t Happy About Recent Console Change

PS5 Gamers Aren't Happy About Recent Console Change

Key Takeaways

  • After the most recent PS5 system software update, users have noticed that the console’s home screen now shows advertisements.
  • These ads replace the key art that would fill up the background when a user hovers over a game icon in the PS5’s main menu, and display information relevant to the selected game.
  • The ad system isn’t very polished, as some PS5 games show outdated or completely unrelated information.

As a gamer with decades of experience under my belt, I’ve seen consoles evolve from 8-bit behemoths to sleek powerhouses like the PS5. The latest firmware update, however, has left me feeling a bit… well, played!


As a devoted PlayStation 5 enthusiast, I find myself rather dismayed by the latest firmware update, which appears to have integrated advertisements into the console’s interface. This unexpected modification has ignited quite a stir among fellow PS5 users who share my preference for an uninterrupted gaming experience free of ads.

Following the somewhat congested and complex interface of the PS4, the sleek and streamlined operating system of the PS5 felt like a welcome change upon its 2020 release. Players enjoyed the clean yet sophisticated layout of the PS5’s home screen, with some even noticing similarities to the PS3’s XMB menus. Sony has continued to improve and expand the features of the PS5’s interface through firmware updates. However, fans have expressed disappointment over the lack of custom themes on the PS5, and a recent adjustment to the UI has sparked frustration among them.

The recently released update for the PS5 has been causing a change in user experience, as it appears that ads are now being integrated directly into the system’s interface. Previously, when hovering over a game icon on the PS5 home screen, the background would fill with unique artwork related to the game. However, this has changed, and an advertisement related to the game now appears instead, providing information about features or updates. For instance, the tile for GTA 5 on the main menu now displays an image showcasing a new GTA Online mode, with further details available upon clicking through to a web page.

PS5 User Interface Gets Game-Specific Ads, But With Some Issues

The general idea is that the PS5’s software appears to be gathering news for each game and using the main menu tiles as a kind of news hub. However, this feature seems to be malfunctioning, as the tile for ‘Gran Turismo 7’ shows a preview for Update 1.49. This information is no longer accurate since Update 1.49 was released in July, and the tile should instead hint at the upcoming update due this week. A more problematic example is ‘Spider-Man Miles Morales’, which only displays an advertisement for the 2023 film ‘Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse’.

It’s worth noting that some game tiles, such as Astro Bot, are still showing artwork similarly to before, which might indicate that Sony could be secretly testing advertisements for certain games within their servers. Given the recent controversy surrounding McDonald’s ads on Xbox consoles, gamers have become more wary about the potential implications of these changes.

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2024-09-30 21:35