Sony has announced via their PlayStation blog that they are opening registration for the next PlayStation 4’s system software beta. This means, PS4 users willing to sign up will act as beta testers for their next firmware update.
The beta is scheduled to start in early February, so anyone thinking about participating will not have too much time to consider it. Taking part in the program gives users the chance to get an early glimpse to new features coming to the system. As Sony notes in the announcement, beta testers of the software update 4.00 got to use Folders, the revised Quick menu and see the new version of the UI a long time before they were available for the general public.
The requirements to be a participant are very limited: you just need to be 18 years or older, have access to a PlayStation 4 system connected to the internet, and be able to use it with a Master Account. You will be able to go back to the earlier version of the firmware at any moment in case you find some technical difficulties or you are just not convinced by the new features.
Registration is open for users with an American account and an European account.
However it’s worth noticing that not everyone who signs up for the beta will get to use the new version of the system software. The users who end up being selected will receive an email with details on how to download the update. On the other hand, those who are not lucky enough to enter the program will simply not be contacted by the company.
It’s still not clear what kind of new features we could see in this new system update, but one that has been heavily demanded by the community is the possibility to change your user name, and this may be the time when it’s finally done. Other changes could include new options related to the newly released PlayStation 4 Pro and PlayStation VR, two platforms that have been released in the time since the console had its last big firmware update.
Thankfully we won’t have to wait much longer to know the answer, as Sony promises to give more details on the system changes soon.
